ALTOONA, Pa. — With the formal dedication of the newly expanded and renovated Adler Athletic Complex, Penn State Altoona took another step in its mission to engage, inspire and prepare its students for success.
The dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony were held on Friday, Oct. 27. Remarks were offered by several campus and community leaders, including the chancellor and dean, the director of Intercollegiate Athletics, the Student Government Association president, and Denny Doll, president and CEO of Reliance Bank, which offered a $500,000 gift to name the two-story, state-of-the-art fitness center.
The $24.5 million project was approved by the Penn State Board of Trustees in 2015. The updated Adler Athletic Complex directly benefits a large portion of the Penn State Altoona campus community, including its NCAA Division III varsity sports, intramural and recreation, fitness and weight training, and the college's new four-year kinesiology degree program, which is housed in the building.
“This project will have an extraordinary and permanent impact on Penn State Altoona and our community by promoting educational and cultural outreach and enhancing the quality of our academic and athletic programming,” said Penn State Altoona Chancellor and Dean Lori J. Bechtel-Wherry. “Our students deserve to have top-notch facilities.”
In August 2017, the first of three construction phases was completed, allowing the campus community to use the Adler arena and auxiliary gym, the athletics program office suite, the Reliance Bank Fitness Center, and the kinesiology wing.
Construction for phases two and three are expected to be complete by the end of December 2017, which includes the natatorium and tennis courts.
For Penn State Altoona, the new Adler Athletic Complex is already a source of pride and a great asset to the campus.
“It is so exciting to think of the potential of programs to come in the new facility," said Brent Baird, director of Intercollegiate Athletics. "Everyone at Penn State Altoona and in the local community has something to be proud of, and we all can look forward to a bright future.”
