W&M announces Kaplan Arena revitalisation and new Sports Performance Centre

Kaplan Arena first opened its doors in 1971 and has since been the home to William & Mary Athletics. The men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball and gymnastics teams have competed in the arena for decades. All of William & Mary’s nearly 500 student-athletes utilise the locker rooms, strength and conditioning and sports medicine facilities.

The overhaul will include a new entrance and lobby, an enhanced student section with a lounge that all students can use throughout the year, upgraded spectator seating, premium hospitality areas, a courtside club exclusively for courtside seat holders, concourse club seating, as well as a new academic centre. The project also includes a state-of-the-art scoreboard and ribbon boards featuring video replay capabilities and new sound system, improvements to concession stands, bathrooms and locker rooms, among other priority areas. The arena will remain open during its revitalisation.

The 36,000-square-foot, multi-use Sports Performance Center will feature a strength and conditioning area, including two hydro-therapy pools, and a sports medicine space with ample room to evaluate and treat sports injuries. The centre will also provide the basketball and volleyball teams with a new practice area housing a full-sized court.

Scott Mackesy said:

A central tenet of our philanthropy is to support the pursuit of excellence and this project underscores our enthusiasm for the future of William & Mary Athletics.

Scott and Jen Mackesy were both student-athletes at William & Mary. A two-time CAA Player of the Year, Scott was named to the tennis league’s Silver Anniversary squad as one of the all-time top 25 players in league history. Jen made four appearances in the NCAA Championships in her time with the women’s soccer program from 1987 to 1990.

As stated in the Athletics’ strategic plan, the infrastructure of the Millie West Tennis Facility courts needs to be enhanced to improve the player experience. Additional funds will be allocated to the resurfacing and stabilisation of current courts, the addition of new courts and installation of upgraded fan seating.

The Dillard Practice Facility — currently utilised by the soccer and lacrosse teams — will also be enhanced and expanded from funds committed by the Mackesys. The facility will see a new turf practice field and improvements to the grass field.

Jen Mackesy said:

We have incredible student-athletes, coaches and fans at William & Mary. We recognize the important role that private support plays in our teams’ ability to compete at the highest level. We hope this gift will energize our amazing fans by enhancing their experience, further contributing to the success of William & Mary Athletics.

Huge said:

The Athletics Complex will serve as a beacon for those who want to come to William & Mary to achieve their full potential as a competitor and will be a point of pride for the broader university community. We are boldly moving forward with the priorities set forth in our strategic plan and helping all of our student athletes flourish. We are all very thankful to the Boehlys and Mackesys for bringing entrepreneurial thinking to this effort and for lending their vision to Athletics.

Huge added that Kaplan Arena has long been considered the heartbeat of Athletics and central to every student’s William & Mary experience — hosting events such as Charter Day, Commencement, musical performances, forums on global issues and competitions. “It is a place where student-athletes meet with coaches, academic support staff and administrators,” she said. “It is where they come to train and get stronger. Every recruit walks through the arena. It informs the impression others have of the athletics programs — and of the value the entire university community places on athletics.”

Gifts to the project will propel the university closer to its US$1bn goal as part of the For the Bold campaign. To date, more than US$960m has been raised. The Boehlys and Mackesys have generously supported William & Mary throughout the campaign. Todd and Katie, for example, created the Boehly Center for Excellence in Finance at the Raymond A. Mason School of Business and sponsor the annual Women’s Stock Pitch and Leadership Summit. Jen and Scott have funded coaching endowments and squash courts and support the Fund for William & Mary, as well as the Global Research Institute and business school.