A new, dual-purpose, premium space and training table named the Clark Mountaineer Club has opened its doors at the WVU Coliseum. The new space offers an exclusive premium experience on Mountaineer basketball game days, while also serving as an athletic training table throughout the week for WVU student-athletes.
The area is named after Fred and Linda Clark and their family who gave a gift of $3 million for the club's completion. Clark is a 1974 summa cum laude graduate of West Virginia University and received his juris doctorate from West Virginia University College of Law in 1977.
"My wife, Linda, and I see the primary importance of the Mountaineer Club to be new service to our student-athletes as a training table and potential student event center that is the first major addition to the Coliseum that I can remember," Clark said. "I see our Coliseum to be an extension of the history and legacy of the WVU Field House, and I have been going to games and events at the Coliseum my entire adult life.
"Now to be able to support WVU athletics in general and the current basketball teams led by coaches Josh Eilert and Mark Kellogg in their first seasons, with the new Clark Mountaineer Club is simply one of the best things Linda and I have been able to accomplish."
The Clark Mountaineer Club is located on the concourse level of the WVU Coliseum between the Gold Gate and the Mountaineer Gate with its footprint extending onto the Coliseum apron.
"Fred and Linda Clark are great Mountaineers and have always been supportive of our department. I cannot thank them enough for having the vision to see how the new Club will enhance the Coliseum experience and benefit our student-athletes," Vice President and Director of Athletics Wren Baker said. "The Clark Mountaineer Club at the Coliseum is a game changer for our athletics department. Not only will it reinforce our nutritional commitment to our student-athletes, but also provide additional premium space on game days and for special occasions."
The renovations are a significant, 7,200-square foot expansion designed to serve multiple purposes. They include facilities for daily training meals for WVU student-athletes, premium spaces for pregame, in-game, and postgame experiences for Mountaineer Athletic Club members and a banquet area that can accommodate more than 300 people for various events.
"On behalf of the WVU Foundation, I want to extend a sincere thank you to Fred, Linda and their family for this wonderful gift that will have far reaching benefits," said Cindi Roth, Foundation president and CEO. "The Clark Mountaineer Club will not only serve our student-athletes and faithful MAC supporters, but the community as well. It's a beautiful addition to the Coliseum and we couldn't be more appreciative of the Clark's generosity."
The space offers distinct and diverse seating packages tailored to the different functions it serves. The project involved renovating the existing kitchen and concession area to significantly increase its cooking and preparation capacity by more than 150 percent. The training table food platforms were expanded by more than 200 percent, allowing for a wider variety of high-performance meals for student-athletes.
An advanced audiovisual system in the space features large video walls, perimeter TV displays, a surround sound speaker setup and wireless microphone systems. Additionally, a new receiving and loading dock area was constructed to facilitate the efficient operation of the club and to provide a direct link to the main concourse of the Coliseum.
The exterior of the expansion utilized a metal panel system and large format blocks, designed to harmonize with previous additions to the Coliseum. The design includes angled lines in the metal panels near the top of two protruding sections as an homage to the distinctive folded roof lines of the building.
The facility will open new doors for athletics to generate additional revenue throughout the year and serve as a first-class rental space for events.
The addition of the club is the third premium club space offered inside the WVU Coliseum, joining Club 35 and the Statler Club.