This spring, Mississippi State University will begin a new project: The Sanderson Center. This new center will offer students, faculty and staff the opportunity to participate in activities such as basketball, racquetball, swimming, jogging and physical fitness.
“Hopefully, the ground-breaking ceremony will be held sometime next spring,” Laura Welling, director of recreational sports, said. “We are very excited about this new project, and I think that people should be aware of how big an asset this facility is for our University.”
The Sanderson Center was named for Joe Frank Sanderson, an MSU alumnus, who donated $6 million to the University for the new center. Joe Frank Sanderson is the owner of Sanderson Farms, Inc., one of the largest poultry industries in the state. The center was also partially funded by a $13 million bond issued by the state of Mississippi.
Construction will start right after the ground-breaking. The estimated time to completion is about 18 to 24 months, and the center should be open by the spring semester of 1998.
The Sanderson Center will be a two-story building occupying more than 150,000 square feet in area. The center will have basketball and racquetball courts, weights and cardiovascular equipment, an indoor swimming pool, a jogging track and locker rooms. There will also be a food court that will sell healthy fare – salads, sandwiches and juices,
This modern building will not only have recreational facilities, as some administrative offices will also be located in the Sanderson Center.
“Everyone who is part of our university community will benefit with this tremendous asset that the University has,” Welling said.
The Sanderson Center will be spectacular, not only because of the facilities and comfort that it will have, but also for the modern appearance of the building. There are drawings of the center posted at the Tin Gym and at McCarthy Gym. The drawings were produced by Craig & Singleton architects in Jackson, who also created the structural plans of the future recreational center.
