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You don’t announce an indoor practice facility without some gifts in the can, and tonight the Bulls shared they have received the biggest legacy gift in USF Athletics history.
At the Unstoppable Campaign celebration event at Amalie Arena tonight, Les & Pam Muma announced they would be donating another $15 million to USF, with $8 million going directly to USF Athletics.
Claire McNeill of the Tampa Bay Times had the scoop, meeting with the Muma’s earlier this week ahead of the announcement tonight.
The Mumas, who have given more than $56 million to USF in all, are the largest individual donors in the school’s 61-year history. Their names already adorn the college of business and basketball practice center.
Now comes another wave of money to support the business school, boost athletics programs, create a women’s health center and help build a football center.
The Mumas, who are Bulls fanatics, are also giving $1 million each to men’s basketball, women’s basketball and men’s golf.
And $5 million will kick-start construction for a football center, featuring weight rooms, coaches’ offices and an indoor practice field.
To be noted: this is a legacy gift.
The Mumas’ $15 million gift will be funded upon their deaths. USF may borrow from its foundation to spend that money in the meantime.
Earlier this week on his new-but-still-not-as-good-as-ours USF podcast, USF Athletic Director Mark Harlan said that the indoor facility could be done in stages as designed, with the practice field portion being done for something around $10 million. The facility portion of this gift is half of that, but it’s also not cash-on-hand. How that affects USF’s ability get a shovel in the ground, we just don’t know yet.
And as far as the other $30 million for the new offices, locker rooms, conditioning area, players lounge... that’s still being developed. But the Muma’s clearly want to take the lead in encouraging others to be a part of this project,
So to Les and Pam Muma, on behalf of all Bulls: thank you. We need even more like you, and hope this helps others with means feel inspired to move the Bulls forward.