PonyFans.comBoard IndexAround the HilltopFootballRecruitingBasketballOther Sports

Garry Weber's foundation gives $50 million to SMU athletics

This is the forum for talk about SMU Football

Moderators: PonyPride, SmooPower

Garry Weber's foundation gives $50 million to SMU athletics

Postby PonyPride » Fri Jan 21, 2022 11:53 pm

From SMUMustangs.com:

Mustang letterman Garry Weber's foundation gives $50 million to SMU for end zone complex in Ford Stadium

Largest gift in SMU Athletics history launches $100 million facility drive to power Mustang Football, increase support for all student-athletes

DALLAS (SMU) – Underscoring SMU's commitment to the highest levels of athletic excellence, the Garry Weber Foundation, established by former student-athlete and longtime University supporter Garry Weber '58, is committing $50 million toward the construction of a three-tiered end zone complex at Gerald J. Ford Stadium to increase the functionality, efficiency and overall experience of Mustang Football.

The foundation's gift is the largest in Athletics Department history and launches an overall $100 million drive to fund the project. Part of the University's recently announced $1.5 billion campaign for impact, SMU Ignited: Boldly Shaping Tomorrow, the gift from Weber's foundation helps continue SMU's momentum, pushing the total invested in SMU athletics facilities to a quarter of a billion dollars since 2013. The Garry Weber End Zone Complex, along with the new Indoor Performance Center/Armstrong Fieldhouse, represents over $125 million in football construction projects in the last three years, alone.

"Garry Weber has been an integral part of SMU's growth and success for many years," said SMU President R. Gerald Turner. "From remarkable student-athlete to distinguished alumnus and donor, his dedication to SMU cannot be overstated. We are incredibly honored by the Garry Weber Foundation's gift and excited about the impact this gift will have on all of SMU Athletics. From its founding, SMU has always been focused on excellence in everything we do. Having great athletics increases the visibility of the University."

The new 192,500-square-foot Garry Weber End Zone Complex will anchor Ford Stadium's south bowl, connecting its existing east and west gate entries. Team-focused spaces will include new locker rooms, a weight room, position-specific meeting rooms, a full-team auditorium, and a full kitchen and training table to support all of SMU's 484 student-athletes. The new facility will also house football coaches, support staff and video and recruiting services.

The newly constructed concourse will offer more premium experiences for fans, expand guest facilities, improve pedestrian accessibility and add a breezeway that joins the stadium's entryways to the internal field.

"The Garry Weber Foundation's gift exemplifies the kind of spirit that we hope to instill in our student-athletes," said Rick Hart, SMU director of Athletics. "As a former Mustang football player and a community leader, it is fitting that his name will adorn the new End Zone Complex. This gift will continue our momentum toward a bright future that would not be possible without Garry's generosity. His belief in the SMU student-athlete experience – in shaping champions – will serve as an inspiration to the entire SMU community."

"Both SMU and Dallas have played a substantial role in my life, and I feel honored to pay it forward to the next generation of Mustang student-athletes and fans," Weber said. "Being a member of a team means striving for success for yourself and those around you, and I'm proud to continue to be a part of Mustang football and its future success and growth. I hope that this gift will inspire SMU's student-athletes and Mustang fans to dream bigger than they thought possible and to strive for a new level of excellence."

Ford Stadium celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2020. Its construction was made possible through the support of Mustang alumni, donors and community members and was named for lead donor and SMU — Trustee Gerald J. Ford '66, '69.

Garry Weber '58 is a graduate of the Edwin L. Cox School of Business at SMU. A former member of the Mustang football team, Weber served on the SMU Board of Trustees from 1984 to 1996 and has been a member of the Edwin L. Cox School of Business Executive Board for over 30 years. In 1998, Weber received the University's highest honor, the Distinguished Alumni Award. In 2016, he was honored with the Silver Anniversary Mustang Award, the most prestigious award granted by the SMU Lettermen's Association. An active presence at SMU and throughout Dallas, Weber has contributed generously to SMU and various educational and philanthropic causes including Scottish Rite for Children, UT Southwestern, United Way and the Boy Scouts of America, among others.

Having served Dallas as both a Dallas County judge and City Council member, Weber is the founder of Weber Financial Inc., as well as an active individual investor in venture capital and late-stage hedge funds.

MORE NOTABLE QUOTES
"With this gift, we are capitalizing on the incredible momentum that our football program is currently experiencing and ushering in an exciting new era of Mustang football. The Garry Weber End Zone Complex will leave a legacy that creates a lasting impact on our student-athletes for generations. It will also allow us to attract the very best future recruits to join the Mustang family."
— Rhett Lashlee, SMU head football coach

"I've been honored to have Ford Stadium bear my name, and I'm pleased by the plans for this expansion. Garry's gift is a generous investment in SMU and Mustang athletics and continues our high expectations for University excellence."
— Gerald J. Ford '66, 99, SMU Trustee

"We are incredibly grateful for Garry Weber's generosity and continued enthusiasm for Mustang football, SMU Athletics and our great University. His historic commitment kicks off a challenge to all of Mustang Nation to help reach the $100 million goal as quickly as possible."
— Brad E. Cheves, SMU vice president for Development and External Affairs.

"Facilities are a tangible, visible sign of investment and commitment to a program. Our student-athletes feel that, and our coaches feel that. It obviously helps us to recruit and it helps us to develop talent. It helps engage the fans and create a great experience for all of the attendees at the events."
— Rick Hart, SMU Athletics Director
PonyFans.com ... is really the premier place for Mustang talk on the Web.
New York Times

https://www.facebook.com/PonyFanscom/

twitter.com/PonyFans

https://www.instagram.com/ponyfans_staff/
User avatar
PonyPride
PonyFans.com Super Legend
 
Posts: 19894
Joined: Sat Apr 01, 2000 4:01 am
Location: Dallas, Texas

Return to Football

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 33 guests