CMU's $10 million for Events Center considered a donation
Intended to be funded entirely by private donations, the $23 million Events Center recently received a $10 million donation from Central Michigan University.
CMU made a $10 million donation to the project, despite Director of Athletics Dave Heeke’s statement in a 2008 Central Michigan Life article saying, “We’re committed to raise all $21.5 million privately. We’re going to go out and ask alumni, friends and others to contribute to the project.”
Kathy Wilbur, vice president of Developmental and External Relations, said Tuesday the university donated $10 million to the project. When asked if the money would be paid back, she said, “Who would pay that money back? Where would the money be paid?”
What began as a $21.5 million project in December 2007 became a $23 million project when the CMU Board of Trustees allocated an additional $1.5 million to the facility, following the discovery of "unforeseen conditions, design errors and omissions" in the building, according to a September 2010 Central Michigan Life article.
According to the Events Center website, the university would not contribute to the funding of the Events Center because of “declining state appropriations,” and the “the university did not have the cash reserves or operating budget to fund a project of this magnitude, and only academic buildings are funded by the state of Michigan.”
Wilbur said $8 million has been raised privately, and she is unsure when the rest of the funds will be raised.
“The Events Center is a very high priority for the university,” she said. “We keep working with donors and hope to eventually raise a total of $11 million through fundraising.”
A fundraiser sponsored by the Chippewa Athletic Fund honoring sportscaster Dick Enberg is scheduled for Feb. 18 in the Dick Parfitt Gymnasium inside the Events Center. All money raised will help support the Events Center. Enberg is also scheduled to speak at a conference Feb. 17-18, sponsored by the Sports Management Association, inside the Education and Human Services Building.
Board member Marilyn Hubbard did not know anything about the donation when contacted.
Heeke, chairman Sam Kottamasu, vice chairs Sarah Opperman and Brian Fannon and Vice President of Administrative Services Dave Burdette did not return calls for comment.
