Construction on the Intercollegiate Athletics Center, which will be named for former US President Bill Clinton (SFS ’68), will begin this summer, University President John J. DeGioia wrote in an email Tuesday. A formal announcement was made at halftime during Tuesday’s home game when a banner was unfurled which read: “The Bill Clinton Intercollegiate Athletics Center: He Went Here.”
“It was very appropriate to have President Clinton’s name used on this facility,” Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Lee Reed told The Heckler. “He went here.”
According to Vice President of Public Affairs Erik Smulson, the university did not consider any other namesakes for the IAC.
Clinton served as the President of the United States from 1993 to 2001 and, in 1992, became the first Georgetown graduate to be elected President of the United States.
In his two terms as President, Clinton presided over continuous economic expansion and said he “watched” basketball sometimes.
“To be able to now have him and his name on this great facility, people will now remember his legacy forever. It couldn’t have happened to a better, more deserving President alum,” said Reed.
The IAC will replace the adjacent Clinton Arena as the primary athletic center for Georgetown.
The $60 million IAC, which is funded by the Campaign for Georgetown, will serve all 29 varsity programs and will include practice courts, suites and offices for the men’s and women’s basketball programs, locker rooms for the men’s and women’s soccer and lacrosse teams, meeting rooms, weight training and sports medicine facilities, a study lounge for athletes and a new space for the Hall of Bill Clinton Fame.
“That’s nice, but this is getting a little weird, guys,” said a representative from Clinton’s office.
Although the 130,000 square-foot IAC will be exclusively used by varsity student-athletes, Reed viewed it as a win-win because he believes that the center’s effect of freeing up Clinton Field House will benefit the wider Georgetown community.
“And it’s actually more of a win-win-win because maybe Bill will come back more if we name this last thing after him,” said Reed.
