Evolving Demands in Sports Facility Construction

Athletic facilities today are no longer just places to compete. As high-performance environments where training, recovery, and community intersect, construction clients are seeking spaces to deliver that flexibility. Schools, universities, and municipalities want to build something with lasting impact for athletes, students, and visitors alike.

This evolution brings both opportunity and complexity. Athletic buildings must accommodate multi-sport functionality, cutting-edge training technology, and wellness programming. At the same time, expectations around year-round usability and elevated fan experience continue to grow. Synthetic turf systems, durable finishes, modern locker rooms, and hospitality areas are now standard. Facility design must account for everything from advanced MEP systems to ADA compliance and game-day crowd flow.

These priorities place new demands on construction teams. Delivering on them requires not just technical expertise, but a deep understanding of athletic performance, phasing around competition schedules, and optimizing budgets that are often under public scrutiny. This is where Hausmann Construction excels.

Athletic Complex Construction with Hausmann

At Hausmann, we see athletic facility construction as a discipline that demands precision, collaboration, and adaptability. From day one, we work closely with athletic directors, coaches, designers, and stakeholders to fully understand each project’s goals. That collaboration carries through every phase of construction.

Our preconstruction approach keeps schedule, budget, and usability front and center. Whether delivering a locker room in time for fall camp or sequencing work around game schedules, we know what it takes to keep programs running while construction is underway.

Value engineering is central to our success as a construction partner. We don’t remove scope, we reimagine it. Hausmann has shifted materials, adjusted phasing, and restructured infrastructure to maintain performance while meeting budget goals. In every case, our mission is to protect the athlete and fan experience while building smarter, faster, and more resilient facilities.

Our in-house crews give us a competitive edge. We self-perform key scopes like concrete, carpentry, and custom finishes, which are crucial in sports facilities where precision and durability are non-negotiable. This control over quality and schedule gives clients added confidence and flexibility. We’re also known for effective phasing strategies that keep facilities partially open for recruiting, training, or events throughout each phase of construction.

These capabilities have earned us the trust of universities, school districts, and communities across the region. Here are just a few examples of how we bring high-performance athletic facilities to life — from Division I expansions to community recreation centers.

“Hausmann spent numerous hours working with our operations staff, as well as the local police and fire departments, to ensure that 90,000 fans could safely attend a football game, volleyball match, or concert in Memorial Stadium while construction continued outside.”
— Troy Dannen, Athletic Director, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

University of Nebraska–Lincoln Osborne Legacy Complex

The Osborne Legacy Complex at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln is a 315,000-square-foot expansion to the historic North Stadium, designed to redefine the student-athlete experience. Delivered in two major phases, the project includes a state-of-the-art Football Performance Center and comprehensive student-athlete enhancements that unite athletics, academics, and wellness under one roof.

Phase I introduced new athletic medicine spaces, strength and conditioning areas, locker rooms, meeting rooms, and football offices. Phase II delivered an academic center, a full-service dining hall, and an expansive experience lobby—all anchored by a commitment to legacy, including preservation of the University’s iconic “Kissing Columns.”

Constructed on a constrained, occupied site over three years, the project demanded unwavering teamwork and creative problem-solving to overcome a wide range of challenges. From unexpected site conditions and logistical constraints to shifting leadership and evolving priorities, Hausmann’s team navigated every obstacle with transparency, adaptability, and a shared commitment to the University’s goals.

Going Above and Beyond

Our team led clash detection through early 3D modeling and BIM tools. Through that effort, we discovered unmarked storm lines and other underground utilities that conflicted with the planned foundation. Using our BIM coordination tools, we built a detailed 3D model of the existing conditions, guided the design team through multiple clash scenarios, and ultimately recommended shifting the building three feet to the east. This simple shift, paired with a redesigned pipe routing plan, eliminated the need for costly deep shoring, reduced risk to the existing stadium, and saved the University an estimated $500,000 and months on the schedule. In total, our team used BIM to resolve over 5,000 design conflicts before construction.

Material procurement for the complex was another innovation. Faced with global supply chain delays, the Hausmann team sourced alternatives for items like wood flooring and lighting fixtures. One of the most significant examples of teamwork was the turnover of the football locker room. Though not contractually required, Hausmann proactively re-sequenced the construction schedule to complete the locker room six months ahead of schedule. It was important that turnover aligned with the start of the 2023 football season. When lighting delays threatened the deadline, two team members volunteered to drive overnight to California to retrieve fixtures—then drive right back to Nebraska to install them in time for opening. This above-and-beyond effort exemplified the team’s ownership mindset and responsiveness.

“The Hausmann team is a group of real professionals who met each challenge with solution-oriented thinking and teamwork. Their adaptability and responsiveness were key to success for athletes and fans alike.”
— Troy Dannen, Athletic Director, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Keeping the Stadium Operational

The project required phasing around active stadium events, including three football seasons, a record-breaking women’s volleyball event, and a concert. When Gate 15 became inaccessible due to construction, Hausmann partnered with university officials, fire marshals, and scaffold experts to engineer a 30-foot-tall emergency egress system. Weekly “Game Day Readiness” inspections—conducted with campus environmental health and safety staff—ensured ADA compliance and public safety. During every home game, scaffold monitors and crane attendants were stationed onsite to manage temporary structures and support the movement of more than 90,000 fans.

This project logged more than 1.2 million work hours, peaking with over 200 workers on site daily and involving more than 1,500 tradespeople in total—without a single OSHA violation. This record reflects not only a strong safety culture at Hausmann, but an active, adaptive, and highly coordinated safety strategy that went far beyond industry norms.

Construction Excellence at Every Level

Hausmann led full CMAR services from preconstruction through turnover, executing $40M in value engineering to stay within budget without compromising scope. Despite complexity, the project was completed in August 2024 and now serves more than 600 student-athletes annually. It includes over 33 flooring types, materials sourced globally, and 60,000 pounds of steel columns—showcasing construction excellence at every level.

The result is a transformative, future-ready facility that has earned national recognition and led the University to award multiple follow-up projects to the team before final turnover. It is not just a building—it’s the foundation for the next era of Husker Athletics.

Continued Transformation for Nebraska Athletics

Devaney Center
Hausmann transformed the historic Devaney Center into a top volleyball venue for UNL. The renovation turned the original 1976 building into a 13,500-seat volleyball arena, with a 1,000-seat natatorium and a 5,000-seat indoor track. Upgrades included a wrestling practice gym, athletic medicine and strength training areas, new locker rooms, coaches’ offices, and enhanced hospitality suites and concessions — creating an electric atmosphere for fans and athletes alike.

Francis Allen Training Complex
Attached to the Devaney Center, we built the Francis Allen Training Complex — a 40,604-square-foot addition supporting UNL’s men’s and women’s gymnastics teams. With spacious practice areas, team rooms, locker rooms, therapy spaces, offices, meeting rooms, and a welcoming lobby, it gives athletes a world-class place to train and compete.

Hendricks Training Complex
To strengthen Nebraska’s basketball and wrestling programs, Hausmann delivered the Hendricks Training Complex, a 64,000-square-foot addition with multiple courts, competition wrestling mats, a grand lobby with unique design touches, high-tech locker rooms, nutrition stations, lounges, athletic medicine areas, and a large strength and conditioning center. When a donor gift changed the scope mid-project, we reworked the plan to stay on schedule — proving our flexibility and commitment to UNL’s goals.

Additional Signature Sports Facilities

Dakota State Beacom Premier Complex
At Dakota State University, we delivered the $37.3M Beacom Premier Complex — a cost-effective, flexible hub for DSU Athletics. Built in two phases, it includes a new NCAA track and synthetic turf soccer field, opened early for the 2023 season. Phase Two added a 53,000-square-foot training complex with a weight room, locker rooms, E-sports area, and hospitality suites. We prioritized needs and shelled non-essential areas to stay on budget while leaving room for future growth.

Wayne State College Athletic & Recreation Complex
Wayne State College’s upgraded complex relieves overcrowding and creates more space for training, wellness, and community activities. This $30M project combines renovations and new construction into one seamless facility. Highlights include a new 108,000-square-foot air-supported dome with a 300-meter indoor track, pole vault and throwing zones, a synthetic turf infield, and hitting cages for baseball, softball, and golf. A separate golf area includes putting greens, chipping areas, and practice fairways.

Copple Family YMCA
Built through a partnership between Lincoln Public Schools and the YMCA of Lincoln, the 243,291-square-foot Copple Family YMCA features indoor and outdoor pools, a water track, spa, splash pad, and three gymnasiums for intramurals and tournaments. Over 298 geothermal wells help power the facility efficiently, and the structure showcases a wide range of building systems—making it one of the region’s most versatile community sports centers.

Hastings Family YMCA
The 89,957 square foot Hastings Family YMCA underwent a full renovation and expansion to better serve the growing needs of the community. The revitalized facility features a new gymnasium with an elevated walking track, a modern field house, a child development center, and a greatly expanded wellness center. The project also included a complete remodel of the existing building and the replacement of the swimming pool and pool systems. Hausmann delivered an updated facility that now offers state-of-the-art amenities in a reimagined, community-driven space to the Hastings, Nebraska community.

“Hausmann exemplifies what it means to be a leader in construction management. Their technical expertise and client-first mindset make them an invaluable asset to any project.”
— Bud Postma, Athletics Director, Dakota State University

Shaping the Future of Athletic Construction

Hausmann continues to shape athletic facility construction across the Midwest. A standout example in progress is the Levi Carter Activity & Sports Complex in Omaha—a 100,000-square-foot, multi-purpose facility designed for athletes, students, and the community.

It will feature ten basketball courts (convertible into six volleyball courts), a wrestling room, strength and conditioning center, health and technology labs, a telehealth center, four synthetic turf soccer fields, accessible walking trails, concessions, and restrooms for year-round use. Like all our projects, it balances competitive performance with community access — proving our commitment to building facilities that serve all.

Ready to Build an Athletic Facility with Hausmann?

Whether you’re planning a Division I training complex, a high school gym, or a community recreation center, Hausmann is ready to deliver. We understand how to build high-performance athletic facilities — on time, on budget, and built to last.

Contact us today to get started.