according to Jon Rothstein - Mad Dog fast at work!

Mark Madsen tells me that Cal is close to breaking ground on a new, $80-100 million dollar practice facility.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 8, 2023

CalVC2 said:

---

according to Jon Rothstein - Mad Dog fast at work!

Mark Madsen tells me that Cal is close to breaking ground on a new, $80-100 million dollar practice facility.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 8, 2023

---

Damn, Mad Dog is lighting this place up.

Even if it's on Cal's campus, on property that Cal already owns? Didn't take that long for SAHPC for football. The tree-sitters held it up for longer than any permitting processes.

catch Mad Dog as Rothstein's guest on his podcast! Great insights

Mark Madsen on the #CollegeHoopsToday Podcast:

His first month at Cal, what he learned from both Mike Montgomery and Phil Jackson, the state of the Pac-12, and much more.https://t.co/kxAKNtpSSV

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 8, 2023

I don't think getting approvals for central campus construction is anywhere near as hard as elsewhere. Especially since this would be supporting activities already being conducted on campus and would not add any traffic or congestion.

If it's funded, it will be built.

Page 80 of the 2022 Campus Master Plan includes the Haas Addition north of the current structure in what is now a parking lot.

https://berkeley.app.box.com/s/nvwnlm1xgivdq8pvmd0g5joys3bhvgcl

Also of note is the downsizing of Edwards to remove the west side seating (and build two large buildings between the track and Fulton where the ATO was) and reduce the east side stands to allow for a pedestrian path that connects to Ellsworth. Also shows a remodel/expansion of the RSF and an expansion/rebuild of the Alumni House.

Just renovate that old gym at Clark Kerr where the body was found recently.

BearHunter said:

---

Civil Bear said:

---

If he means literally breaking ground, then he is delusional. Permitting alone in Berkeley could take years.

---

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought on-campus buildings don't require permitting?

---

If it's already part of the campus master plan, that master plan has already passed the EIR, and the structure is already fully designed, then I stand corrected. I would think, but could be wrong, that even buildings on campus would still need to include, fire, plumbing, electrical, structural, and possibly grading permits after the design is completed.

I listened to Madsen on Rothstein's pod. He pointed out and discussed the portal players he has brought to Cal thus far, and talked about them individually (Fardaws, Cone and Meadows), and what they each bring. Then he stated that they also have players (plural) that they have not announced yet, but will shortly. On the practice facility, he said there is already some funding in place, and that several other major donors are in the process of stepping up. And he said that there are approximately 29-30 "checkpoints" that have to be met before breaking ground (he said the plans are already drawn), and that they have already met "24-29 of those checkpoints". He said that the practice facility will be "state of the art" and among "the top four or five best in the country". He didn't seem to be equivocating by any means.

I just took a bath in that blue Kool Aid, filled my swimming pool and chugged a pony keg of it.

I'm all in.

Writer Canzano touches on new Cal O linemen, and this: "Additionally, newly hired basketball coach Mark Madsen told CBS Sports reporter Jon Rothstein that Cal is planning to break ground on an $80 million to $100 million basketball practice facility. It's long overdue and signals that boosters in Berkeley are backing Madsen. I outlined the woes at Cal last season as part of a series I did on Pac-12 basketball."

movielover said:

---

Writer Canzano touches on new Cal O linemen, and this: "Additionally, newly hired basketball coach Mark Madsen told CBS Sports reporter Jon Rothstein that Cal is planning to break ground on an $80 million to $100 million basketball practice facility. It's long overdue and signals that boosters in Berkeley are backing Madsen. I outlined the woes at Cal last season as part of a series I did on Pac-12 basketball."

---

Was that the series that explained how all this was impossible?

If true the fundraising must be all but wrapped up because the financing piece is needed by the campus to advance into design work. They could probably break ground in about a year if that's the case. Hopefully JK isn't blowing smoke out his arse to MM.

Madden effectively said all steps but 5 are completed. MM may not realize that 5 last items in Berkeley may not equate to "soon"

tequila4kapp said:

---

Madden effectively said all steps but 5 are completed. MM may not realize that 5 last items in Berkeley may not equate to "soon"

---

All part of JKers master plan!

Pittstop said:

---

He actually said that there were "25-30 checkpoints that needed to be met", and that Cal had "already met 24-29" of those checkpoints. So that seems to be saying that if the number of "checkpoints" is 25, then 24 have already been met. And if the number is 30, then 29 have already been met. In either case, it sounds like they maybe only have one more to check off.

---

Agreed, the point was one step left (and it was implied it was funding when he said that some money had been secured and other donors were stepping up).

This vague "25 or 30 checkpoints" thing sounds like something Madsen absolutely got from an empty-suit bulsh-tter like Knowlton.

GMP said:

---

Pittstop said:

---

He actually said that there were "25-30 checkpoints that needed to be met", and that Cal had "already met 24-29" of those checkpoints. So that seems to be saying that if the number of "checkpoints" is 25, then 24 have already been met. And if the number is 30, then 29 have already been met. In either case, it sounds like they maybe only have one more to check off.

---

Agreed, the point was one step left (and it was implied it was funding when he said that some money had been secured and other donors were stepping up).

This vague "25 or 30 checkpoints" thing sounds like something Madsen absolutely got from an empty-suit bulsh-tter like Knowlton.

---

Maybe Madsen is flipping the script and putting pressure on the AD?

Mad Dog has done more in 6 weeks than our program has done in 6 years. Amazing.

Grrrrah76 said:

---

Mad Dog has done more in 6 weeks than our program has done in 6 years. Amazing.

---

Credibility helps, NBA pedigree helps.

And it's probably an added asset that he has a B.A. in Business Administration and a Masters in Finance from a Cal-level academic institution, and [ostensibly] understands - and can intelligently and personably engage on - Finance matters, sound business practices and ROI with donors and Administration folks.

The 2022 Berkeley Campus Master Plan introduced opportunities to renovate the east side of Edwards Stadium and to expand the west side of the RSF. This could be an ideal location to incorporate a practice facility.

https://berkeley.app.box.com/s/baidty66gspl45jknubiayqa5jpk2bic

Pittstop said:

---

And it's probably an added asset that he has a B.A. in Business Administration and a Masters in Finance from Cal-level academic institution, and [ostensibly] understands - and can intelligently, and personably, engage on - Finance matters, sound business practices and ROI with donors and Administration folks.

---

Madsen gets the importance of the face-of-the-franchise aspect of the job... and has the personality to pull it off.

We haven't had that since... since forever? Madsen's like Ben Braun, with a bit of charisma and star power folded in! This reminds me: I wonder how the hundreds of Stanfurd Men's Basketball fans are enjoying their lives right now...