The concept for a facility to serve ºüÀêÊÓƵ University athletes had moved past the notes-on-a-napkin stage when athletics director Chris May and businessman Bob O’Loughlin began visiting campuses to develop a more detailed plan.
A center for academics was an obvious inclusion and then the pieces began falling into place with a focus on nutrition, technology, dining, team meetings and spirituality. As needs were identified, donors climbed on board.
“We looked at other places and tried to add up what made sense for the university,†O’Loughlin said. “It took a lot of iterations before we finalized what fits here. We came up with drawings and finally decided, “This is it. This will work.’â€
The result is the O’Loughlin Family Champions Center, a $20 million, privately funded facility that will break ground next spring with a targeted completion in spring 2023.
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The 25,000-square foot building will be connected to the Chaifetz Arena complex on the northwest side and will include offices for SLU’s basketball and soccer programs.
May said the idea was hatched eight years ago during a meal with the late Marvin Wool, who asked what SLU needed to become an elite athletics program. As happens with so many big ideas, they scribbled notes on napkins. O’Loughlin became involved a few years later when he asked the same question of May during a trip home from the Final Four.
“It’s going to give us a shot to compete and to be nationally elite,†May said before a press conference at Chaifetz attended by donors and athletes. “We want to be the best, and this is a shot in the arm for all coaches and athletes.â€
The project has numerous $1 million donors to help create a student success center, nutrition center, team dining area, technology suite and a chapel. May said there also will be resources to help athletes as they navigate issues related to name, image and likeness.
May and O’Loughlin were progressing with the project early in 2020 when COVID-19 led to a stall in planning until the end of the year. But when discussions resumed, May said the addition of donors began “snowballing.â€
SLU basketball coach Travis Ford said May first told him about the plan about five years ago with little evidence that it would become reality. But with each update, Ford became more convinced.
“It was Chris’s vision and now it’s real,†Ford said. “It’s a statement that shows the commitment the university has to all student-athletes. This is going to benefit everybody and makes a commitment to our recruits to say we can compete with anybody.â€
O’Loughlin, the chairman and CEO of Lodging Hospitality Management, is the lead donor. He did not attend SLU but has spent nearly 40 years in business in ºüÀêÊÓƵ.
He is a member of the university’s board of trustees and leads a group of benefactors that includes Michael and Noemi Neidorff, Dr. Richard Chaifetz, Keith Phoenix, Jim Kavanaugh, Linda and Alan Vogt, Mark and Joy Scoggins, Floyd and Judith Crowder, and one anonymous donor.
“I moved here almost 40 years ago and because of that I love the Midwest and the people and wanted to give back to the city,†O’Loughlin said. “Chris put me on the athetic committee and we started talking about what could be a game-changer.â€
Earlier this year, SLU began construction of a locker room and training building for soccer at the south end of Hermann Stadium.
It has been 15 years since construction of Chaifetz started. The arena opened in 2008 along with a practice facility and weight room that is used by numerous teams throughout the year.
May believes the new facility gives SLU an opportunity to be an “elite basketball-centric athletic program.â€