A look inside Florida's revamped game-day locker room at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. (Photo: UAA Communications)
Gators Impressed by Modernization of Locker Room
Monday, July 15, 2019 | Football, Scott Carter
HOOVER, Ala. -- Prior to departing for their trip here to the SEC Football Media Days on Monday, quarterback Feleipe Franks, running back Lamical Perine and defensive end Jabari Zuniga joined their teammates on a tour of the team's revamped game-day locker room at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
The $1.5 million redesign includes new lockers, lighting, graphics, technological updates and various renovations that give the players a more modern home away from home.
They look forward to spending more time there.
"When I first got here it wasn't that up to par,'' Perine said. "Now it's a 10. It's pretty nice."
The team's new lounge is already a hit with Zuniga, especially the oversized leather recliners pointed toward video screens on the wall where the players can watch movies, play video games and hang out with teammates.
"We had couches but we didn't have recliner chairs,'' Zuniga said. "A room like this, we'll just sit down and hang. It's well-deserved coming off the season we had."
Construction on the project started the week after the Garth Brooks concert at the Swamp in late April. Over the past two months, workers transformed the locker room into a modern space aimed at providing current players full amenities and to help impress future players on recruiting visits.
The locker room will continue to be the home of the Gators football team until the projected $85 million Florida Football Training Center is complete. Once that facility is finished, the locker room will continue to serve as the game-day locker room for the Gators.
Franks said he didn't have much time to check out his new locker before he had to change clothes and get ready for the flight to Alabama, but as far as initial impressions go, he gave it two thumps up.
"It's an awesome locker room,'' Franks said. "You come in there and you have a place that people are excited to go to."
The $1.5 million redesign includes new lockers, lighting, graphics, technological updates and various renovations that give the players a more modern home away from home.
They look forward to spending more time there.
"When I first got here it wasn't that up to par,'' Perine said. "Now it's a 10. It's pretty nice."
The team's new lounge is already a hit with Zuniga, especially the oversized leather recliners pointed toward video screens on the wall where the players can watch movies, play video games and hang out with teammates.
"We had couches but we didn't have recliner chairs,'' Zuniga said. "A room like this, we'll just sit down and hang. It's well-deserved coming off the season we had."
🗣 T O G E T H E R #GatorStandard pic.twitter.com/2xviQE8Rhs
— Gators Football (@GatorsFB) July 15, 2019
Construction on the project started the week after the Garth Brooks concert at the Swamp in late April. Over the past two months, workers transformed the locker room into a modern space aimed at providing current players full amenities and to help impress future players on recruiting visits.
The locker room will continue to be the home of the Gators football team until the projected $85 million Florida Football Training Center is complete. Once that facility is finished, the locker room will continue to serve as the game-day locker room for the Gators.
Franks said he didn't have much time to check out his new locker before he had to change clothes and get ready for the flight to Alabama, but as far as initial impressions go, he gave it two thumps up.
"It's an awesome locker room,'' Franks said. "You come in there and you have a place that people are excited to go to."
Players Mentioned
Road to Gameday: Florida Football
Thursday, April 30
Road to Gameday: Florida Football Spring Game (Season 2)
Wednesday, April 29
Jon Sumrall Postgame Press Conference 4-11-26
Saturday, April 11
Buster Faulkner Postgame Press Conference 4-11-26
Saturday, April 11
