USF receives anonymous $1 million donation toward new football complex

The University of South Florida received an anonymous gift of $1 million toward the recently announced football center, the school said in a news release Thursday.

The gift comes from non-alumni “friends” of the university who are supporters of USF athletics and wished to remain unnamed, the release said. The complex is to be constructed on the east side of the Tampa campus, next to the Selmon Athletics Center.

No student fees or tuition dollars will be used in the project, the university said in early November, when it first released the plans for the complex.

“This tremendously generous gift continues the great momentum we have for the USF football center and the impacts it will have across USF athletics,” Director of Athletics Mark Harlan said.

The $1 million comes weeks after an $8 million gift from Pam and Les Muma, with $5 million going toward construction of the proposed $40 million, 160,000-square-foot complex that will include a 100-yard indoor turf practice field, the university said.

The center, the university said, will include a 12,000-square-foot strength-and-conditioning room, a 10,000-square-foot locker room, a player lounge, meeting rooms and more.

“Tremendous support like this is key as we continue to build this program toward what we all know it can be,” USF head coach Charlie Strong said. “We have a lot of momentum going and we really appreciate the people that are helping to build on that and are committed to USF reaching a higher level.”

This story was originally published December 7, 2017 at 10:44 AM with the headline "USF receives anonymous $1 million donation toward new football complex."