$1.5m to SMU's Robson & Lindley Aquatics Center

[AfricanMustang]

DALLAS (SMU) ΓÇö Former SMU swimmer Joseph M. "Jody" Grant '60, and his wife, Sheila Peterson Grant, are providing SMU Athletics with a $1.5 million gift to help fund the University's new Robson & Lindley Aquatics Center. With their gift, they have created the Sheila and Jody Grant Challenge, encouraging other donors to donate the remaining $1.5 million to complete the $22 million funding goal.

The 42,000-square-foot facility, soon to be home to the University's internationally recognized men's and women's swimming and diving teams, will be dedicated Friday, Nov. 3, during SMU Homecoming.

The Aquatics Center features an indoor Olympic-sized pool, which can be configured for eight 50-meter competition lanes or twenty-two 25-yard lanes. Its platform diving well boasts a 10-meter diving tower with five springboards and seating for 800 spectators is on the mezzanine level.

Dr. Grant received a BBA in finance from SMU in 1960 and an MBA and Ph.D. in finance and economics from the University of Texas at Austin. He was inducted into the University of Texas College of Business Hall of Fame in 1999, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans in 2010, and the Texas Business Hall of Fame in 2013. He was international president of Young PresidentsΓÇÖ Organization in 1987-88.

Sheila Grant serves on the boards of American Ballet Theater, the School of American Ballet, the Dallas Symphony Association, the Van Cliburn Foundation, the Board of Visitors of U. T. Southwestern Medical Center, and the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation Board, where she is on the executive committee. She co-founded the Fort Worth Ballet, which is now Texas Ballet Theater. Mrs. Grant attended SMU, the University of Mexico, The University of Texas at Austin, and Parsons School of Design.

http://www.smu.edu/News/2017/aquatics-c ... 25sept2017

[gostangs]

Wouldn't it be a bigger story that he got the SMU Distinguished Alumni award not too long ago? The UT business hall of fame is given to anyone who can fog a mirror.

In any event - congrats Mr. Grant. Hope others match and we can be done with the aquatics center.

[horsemanx]

1.5 million not to the IPF

[Stallion]

he was a former SMU swimmer donating money to the program he swam for-just like the big money for the Tennis facility. Good for him

[SoCal_Pony]

Very generous donation.

I thought some SMU posters said the Aquatics Center was not fully build out due to funding issues.

Will this contribution solely go against outstanding debt or will it allow for a full build out of the facilities?

[Stallion]

just like just about every athletic facility that SMU has built, SMU like every school that I know of requires at minimum 80% of the total cost of the facility to be donated before construction begins-that leaves a need for more post construction donations.

[smustatesman]

Roll on Green Wave ! (not the same as Tulane) It's a swim team thing.

[tristatecoog]

How did Jody make his money? Good to see an SMU undergrad and UT grad school giving big $ to the Ponies instead of the more typical UT undergrad/SMU law/bus grad.

It will be great to have a top-flight swim/dive facility and separate from the Dedman Center.

[Charleston Pony]

Now if we could just find some deep pockets for that IPF...

[PK]

Now if we could just find some deep pockets for that IPF...

Maybe some of our NFL players would like to contribute...maybe.

[mtrout]

Hey the football players can swim indoors now.

[smitty329]

Now if we could just find some deep pockets for that IPF...

Maybe some of our NFL players would like to contribute...maybe.

Can somebody pass an offering plate in the Saints locker room?

[Water Pony]

The total cost of the new Aquatic Center is $22m and we have less than a $1m to have it completely paid for thanks in great part to the Robson and Lindley families, the Grants and many other former swimmers, such as Frank Dunlevy, who was on the Board of Trustees. Remarkable effort to fund this complex, which will become a reality after more than 30 years of waiting.

Turner needed 80% to break ground a year and half ago and on November 3rd, the new "Red" Barr and McMillion Natatorium inside the Roson &n Lindley Aquatic Center will open on November 3rd.

I'll be there with water wings on!

[ponyboy]

Congrats, Water Pony. You've been waiting for this for a long time.

[Water Pony]

Congrats, Water Pony. You've been waiting for this for a long time.

https://www.facebook.com/SMUSwimDiveM/

Thanks, Ponyboy. No kidding ;-D