The Kansas City Roos’ men’s basketball team will have a newly renovated locker room thanks to a large donation from a supporter of the organization.
KC Athletics announced on Aug. 31 that Herb and Bonnie Buchbinder donated a large sum to help improve the men’s locker room. In turn, the athletics department decided to change the name of the facility to “The Buchbinder Family Men’s Basketball Locker Room.” Herb has a close relationship with UMKC, as his contributions to the organization led to his induction to the Roos’ 2015 Hall of Fame.
“We are deeply grateful for the generosity of Herb and Bonnie Buchbinder,” Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Dr. Brandon Martin said Thursday morning. “This gift undoubtedly provides tremendous momentum with recruiting and the day-to-day experiences for our student-athletes.”
According to KC Athletics’ Director of Communications Jerod Fox, the goal is for the project to be finished by the end of September. All donations given to the department will go towards the renovations.
The existing locker room will be modernized in multiple ways. This space will be upgraded with lighting and graphics. A nutrition and team instruction area will be added to help accommodate the player’s needs. All-new furniture and audio/video technology will round out the improvements.
All of these changes are a building block to bigger things for the department.
“These renovations are part of a short-term plan to improve training and competition spaces in the Swinney Center,” the press release said. “They are also a part of a continuous effort to align with the Roos’ athletic facilities master plan and the university’s strategic priorities.”
Roo News will keep you updated with this story.
