Take a tour of the $270 million state-of-the-art Nike track stadium hosting the World Athletics Championships

via Uoregon. edu The 2022 World Athletics Championships are being hosted at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field.   Nike and the school recently renovated the stadium at a cost of $270 million.

The project was funded entirely by private donations, led by Nike co-founder Phil Knight. The new features include an underground museum, a 10-story tower, and state-of-the-art facilities. The big star of the show is the new underground training facility and locker room with tons of amenities that will help Oregon in recruiting.

The university contracted with Hoffman Construction and SRG Partnership for the renovations. Here’s a look at the facility’s luxurious layout and design. Jackson Thompson contributed to an earlier version of this report.

 Hayward Field opened in 1919 as a football stadium repurposed from a cow pasture. It has hosted multiple NCAA championships and Olympic trials over the years. Michael Heiman/Getty ImagesConstruction on the new renovations began in the summer of 2018.

The renovations debuted two years later, but fans were not yet allowed to enjoy the new stadium because of the COVID-19 pandemic. via Uoregon. eduThe renovations expanded the seating in the stadium from 10,500 to 12,650 in permanent seating, with expandable seating bringing maximum capacity to 25,000.

via Uoregon. eduThe renovations also expanded the track from eight lanes to nine. Sam Barnes/Sportsfile via Getty ImagesThe renovations’ main objective was to create a ‘theater-like’ experience for spectators, with unobstructed sight lines throughout the venue and improved acoustics.

Hannah Peters/Getty Images for World AthleticsThe new 10-story tower is modeled after an Olympic torch. It features a lobby filled with interpretive exhibits and multiple levels for viewing with a top-story observation deck. CHINASPORTS/VCG via Getty ImagesLike a torch, the tower even lights up and was lit to celebrate Oregon’s 2021 men’s indoor track national championship.

—oregontf (@OregonTF) March 15, 2021 The stadium’s roof is held up by support beams made from wood from Oregon’s local forests. Wood is a central theme to the renovations, representing a prominent part of the state’s identity. CHINASPORTS/VCG via Getty ImagesBut the real star of the show for the athletes at the new Hayward Field is the new indoor facility.

via Uoregon. eduThe indoor area is going to be a huge recruiting tool for the Oregon Track and Field team. OregonTFThere are plenty of places to train away from the weather.

OregonTFThere is a lounge for the athletes that includes games. OregonTFThere is even an Oregon-branded pop-a-shot game. OregonTFThe lockers are gorgeous and appear to be modeled after paper birch trees which are common in the Pacific Northwest.

OregonTFIt even has a barber shop. via Uoregon. eduHere is another view of the barbershop named “Razor Bill’s.

“OregonTFThere are hot tubs for recovery. OregonTFOf course, there is a display for the latest Nike shoes. OregonTF`These appear to be isolation pods.

OregonTFThe conference room looks comfy. OregonTFThe new facility will even play host to Oregon’s academics, as the university’s department of human physiology will move into the northwest corner of the stadium’s practice-facility level. The northwest corner features new offices, conference rooms, and labs.

via Uoregon. eduOregon has turned its track and field gear into a true spectacle with the facility’s new equipment room. —Oregon Equipment (@DuckSwag) October 3, 2020 Read the original article on Insider.