TAMPA, Fla. — The University of South Florida and Tampa General Hospital teamed up Thursday to announce a $25 million gift from the hospital to name the Center for Athletic Excellence.
The new operations facility will be part of USF's new on-campus stadium project, a news release explains. It will feature a clinical space, especially for TGH.
The money will also go toward naming the university's athletics district.
“We are incredibly grateful to Tampa General Hospital for this historic gift and for their phenomenal partnership with USF that goes back decades,” USF President Rhea Law said in a statement. “This investment in our students, our university and our community will have far-reaching positive impacts for generations to come.”
After opening, the Center for Athletic Excellence will be next to the stadium and have space to provide behavioral health services.
According to the release, the clinical space will "benefit from research conducted in partnership with USF Health..."
University leaders explain the services offered will be geared toward the needs of the USF community and the Tampa Bay region.
“As one of the nation’s leading academic and research health systems, we are committed to strengthening our community,” John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital, said. “We recognize the growing demand for behavioral health services in our region, and particularly around the USF campus.
"That’s why we’re doubling down on our partnership with the University of South Florida to expand access to care and support.”
USF is set to open its $340 million, 35,000-seat stadium in 2026 on the eastern edge of the Tampa campus, university officials say. It'll be easier for students to access, become a focal point for alumni and school benefactors, improve football recruitment and possibly propel the Bulls into a major conference, they added.
The planned location for the new stadium is at a spot known as Sycamore Fields, where the athletic department already has a state-of-the-art facility and indoor practice field. It's also where the “Ponderosa” once originally housed USF's fledgling football offices.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.