Michigan Basketball: Facility talk continues

from the Detroit News:
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080418/SPORTS0201/804180433/1131/SPORTS0201

Friday, April 18, 2008

Basketball facility still on books at Michigan
Athletic director says project is still a go; debt not an issue
Eric Lacy / The Detroit News

Michigan is committed to building a basketball practice facility at Crisler Arena, and willing to take on debt to do so, athletic director Bill Martin said in an interview Friday with an Ann Arbor radio station.

"I'm willing to do that right now," Martin told WTKA. "That's not an issue."
Martin said he is prepared to have the school foot at least a portion of the bill because the project lacks a major donor.

There are, however, already several "significant" donations that should help, said Martin, who claims Michigan did take on debt to build new baseball and softball facilities.

When Martin was reached by The Detroit News via e-mail Friday, he replied: "No project yet, we're working on it!"

Former Fab Five player Jalen Rose, believed to be at least a potential donor for the project, couldn't be reached Friday by The News.

During the radio program, Martin declined to provide a timeline for the project, but was optimistic it could get through the university's approval process by year's end.
Martin also said plans call for not only a practice facility with two courts for men and women, but a renovation of the arena itself.

Martin also said he and other school officials will meet with an architect the "next few weeks," as they have been for the past year.

To listen to the interview:

GoBlueWolverine premium article
from Sam Webb on WTKA 1050am Ann Arbor
http://michigan.scout.com/2/747534.html