by Cedric ‘BIG CED’ Thornton

August 22, 2024

A $1.8M donation by the Arthur Blank Family Foundation made this possible

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Clark Atlanta University Athletics announced that construction for a newly redesigned field turf was completed on August 16 and was made possible by a donation by the Arthur Blank Family Foundation.

The new turf was constructed at the school’s Panther Stadium. It was started earlier this summer on June 1, and will be ready just in time for the upcoming academic season for the Clark Atlanta Football team. Arthur Blank, the co-founder of The Home Depot, also owns two professional sports teams in Atlanta: the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and MLS’ Atlanta United FC.

“As Athletic Director, I am profoundly grateful to the Arthur Blank Family Foundation for their tremendous gift of $1.8 million, which has made our vision for the new red football field a reality. Writing the grant for this project was a labor of love, driven by my commitment to providing our student-athletes, alumni, and the entire CAU community with something truly special,” said Dr. Jerel Drew in a written statement.

The Clark Atlanta Panthers football team will start the new season on their new home turf on September 7, at 2 p.m. when they play against Allen University.

Clark Atlanta University isn’t the only HBCU to benefit from the gracious donation of the Arthur Blank Family Foundation. Three other schools took advantage of the $6.5 million that the foundation has given out to refurbish the colleges’ football fields.

Three other schools were given grants for their new football fields.

• Albany State University in Albany, Georgia, had its grass football and soccer field converted to artificial turf.
• Miles College in Fairfield, Alabama, changed from natural grass to turf at its practice facility.
• Savannah State University in Savannah, Georgia, replaced the turf at the current football and soccer field at Ted Wright Stadium.

“The positive impact of athletics is a driving force throughout our portfolio of businesses,” said AMB Sports and Entertainment CEO Rich McKay. “Arthur Blank and his Family Foundation recognize and prioritize community impact through sport, and supporting these historical institutions is a natural extension of our values. We are honored to partner with LISC, the NFL Foundation, and these universities to enhance the playing surfaces, with the shared goal of creating more opportunities for the students and surrounding communities alike.”

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