Oh, Louisiana! Always one for theatrics and big announcements, right? LSU has just rolled out the red carpet (literally and figuratively) to announce something that's got the construction world buzzing like a broken jackhammer: a shiny new $107 million Construction & Advanced Manufacturing Building. Yep, you heard it right! Because what better way to show we're serious about the future than throwing a casual hundred mil at it?
Let’s talk big names and big checks. Leading the parade of philanthropic pride is Art Favre, the man, the myth, the legend from the first-ever LSU construction management class of 1972. Art dropped a cool $15 million, making everyone else's donations look like pocket change. But hey, every millionaire's got to have their pet project, right? And with LSU alumni now leading companies left and right, it’s like a reunion but with a lot more money exchanging hands.
The plan is as grand as it gets: transform LSU into a world-class leader in construction and advanced manufacturing. Because if there’s anything we need, it’s more buildings, right? And not just any buildings – ones with labs, more faculty space, and the ability to churn out graduates who can maybe, just maybe, stay in Louisiana.
The new construction marvel will be strategically placed on South Stadium Drive, right across from Tiger Stadium. Talk about location, location, location! Nothing says “priorities” quite like making sure your new academic building is within throwing distance of your football stadium.
But wait, there's more! This isn't just about throwing up a building and calling it a day. No, sir. This is about "creating innovations that solve industry challenges." That’s right, folks – we're talking about groundbreaking research that probably involves a lot of concrete and steel and things that go 'beep' when you back them up.
Dean Vicki Colvin said they’re “extremely fortunate” to have a pile of construction companies in Baton Rouge. Well, that’s convenient, isn’t it? Almost makes you wonder if the building itself will be a class project. "Today, class, we'll be pouring the foundation of your future—literally."
In true LSU fashion, the unveiling of this plan was perfectly timed with President William F. Tate IV’s statewide bus tour, because nothing says “commitment” like a bus tour. It’s like saying, “We’re on the move, literally and figuratively!”
So, as LSU gears up to elevate Louisiana’s economy with this construction and manufacturing extravaganza, one thing’s for sure: it’s going to be big. Big plans, big money, and hopefully, big results. After all, in Louisiana, we go big or we go home—unless, of course, we’re building the home, in which case we just stay put and build it bigger.