Buff&BlueBandit wrote:

Today an email was sent out announcing the cancellation of the proposed Smith Center renovation to create a state of the art basketball practice facility where the pool used to be. For our men's and women's basketball teams, this is a big disappointment. For a proposal that has been in the works since 2020, it's a bit shocking and even distressing it took four years to realize the plan was flawed.

While the email said they are looking at all other options, how much longer will the program have to wait this time.

Hoping for the best but incredibly frustrated by this result. 

I’m stunned! How could all the previous studies and inspections not produce a definitive feasibility answer?
I imagine they had big donors approached and committed. Where is GW’s credibility with them? Is the pool still safe or adequate as a pool? What’s the freaking alternative? I suspect NONE bc if there was one it would be mentioned as something being explored. Really poor!

https://x.com/brooksie1219/status/1781776912529953024

The entire email:

To our loyal alumni, donors and fans,

As you are aware, we have been planning to renovate the Charles E. Smith Center to provide space for a basketball practice facility inside the building. Unfortunately, we recently discovered structural constraints that make the project no longer feasible, and the university has made the difficult decision not to pursue this renovation plan at this time.

In recent weeks, as we advanced a DC Zoning application to proceed with this renovation, our architects and designers provided final assessments for the project. These plans indicated that we would need to undertake extensive, unanticipated additional work within the existing building that would significantly increase the scope and cost of the project while also requiring a more than yearlong closure of our building. We believe this would be too disruptive to our athletes, fans, and broader GW community.

As we noted, this has been a very challenging situation. While we considered the possibility of advancing with the proposed construction, we determined that doing so would not serve anyone’s best interest. We want to reiterate that this late-breaking development has us as disappointed as much as anyone, and we are committed to our pursuit to enhance our facilities for all our athletes.

To that end, the university and GW Athletics are exploring alternative approaches to deliver a state-of-the-art practice facility for our basketball programs that will augment our ability to compete with the nation’s best, while also increasing the availability of the Smith Center for other university and community events.

Additionally, we will continue to seek options for an improved pool experience. The enclosed pool does not best serve our community in its current form, as it limits our ability to host events where all-deep pools are required. The pool area will continue to be used as the home for our aquatics programs as we explore other possibilities.

GW remains committed to the many goals of this project, and our path forward will be determined in the coming months. We are incredibly grateful for the time, support, understanding and patience of all of our stakeholders and most notably you— our loyal alumni, donors and fans. We are steadfastly dedicated to providing the resources, facilities and opportunities for our student-athletes to achieve excellence and pursue championships at the highest levels.

Raise High, GW Revs!

Chris Caputo, Men's Basketball Head Coach
Caroline McCombs, Women's Basketball Head Coach
Tanya Vogel, Director of Athletics

This is just more of the same from GW. It’s sad that both coaches sign the email when they have nothing to do with the decision. The AD should own it and be the focus. Supposedly, there’s a site across from the Smith Center that is plan B. I don’t see D3 in the future but we need better and stronger leadership.

This is just another embarrassment under the Nero/Vogel leadership of the athletic department over the past decade.  I don't understand how Vogel still has a job here outside of being an alum.  I can't think of one thing she has done that inspires confidence that this is the right person for the job.  Outside of the Swimming program, are any of our teams successful?  Have we had one PR win in the past 5 years?

Have to agree that we just have terrible leadership. They are clueless on how to run an Athletic Department. For that matter the whole School Administration has done nothing but make mistakes. Where do we get these people? Sad.

I’ve been wrestling with this the last couple days. I’m coming down of the side of this being completely inexcusable and unacceptable.

What kind of an ass-backwards organization comes up with a concept, sells it hard, raises money off it, and only then does the diligence to see if it’s even feasible?  A fucked up organization with fucked up leaders, that’s what kind of organization.

Another debacle that will take years to fix. Another setback. Another self-inflicted wound.

It’s time.

Frankly, I think all of you are overreacting and too critical of GW and its leadership. As one of the donors who has earmarked multiyear $$ to support the practice facility, I do not believe the practice facility has been "scrubbed." There were unexpected engineering and design issues with putting the facility in the Smith Center. And I know they are actively looking for another site either on campus or near. President Granberg is a huge fan of GW basketball and under her leadership Coach Caputo has had increased financial support for our program from the university.

Yes, we really need a practice facility and I am disappointed by the delay. They are actively looking for an alternative site.

So I'm assuming the university still plans to axe the swim teams despite pausing the Smith Center renovations. Is that right?

Glad to see you're posting a bit more frequently Poog.  I would like your opinion as to whether you feel the swimming and diving coach would be moving on if not for this latest snafu.  My understanding was that ten team members have entered the transfer portal although some may be returning to GW now that they know their pool will not be converted to a basketball practice facility.

While there has been some criticism regarding faulty due diligence, as in how could the school not know what this was really going to cost before essentially pissing off its most successful sports team, the same perhaps could be said regarding whether making such a move in the first place would inevitably result in a team revolt.  Was there another way to research this that could have ended in all teams feeling satisfied?

I have been one to defend TV but I am left wondering if she could have navigated this a bit better?