SDSU to Break Ground, Name Basketball Performance Center

San Diego State University will officially break ground on a new 23,500-square-foot basketball performance center on Wednesday, August 27. The university also has announced the building will be named the Jeff Jacobs J.A.M. Center, in honor of the supporters whose key donations made the facility possible. The name was approved by the California State University Board of Trustees on Tuesday.

Preliminary site work has already begun where the Jeff Jacobs J.A.M. Center will be located, just south of the Fowler Athletics Center and east of the football practice fields. The facility, which will support the continued growth and development of the SDSU Men’s and Women’s basketball teams, includes two full-length courts, eight baskets, locker rooms, film rooms, team lounges, athletic training room and coaches locker rooms.

“Sixteen years ago I was approached by Rick Bay and Steve Fisher to get involved with San Diego State University.  Since then, it is remarkable how much progress the university has made both athletically and academically,” Jeff Jacobs said.  “This performance center is a testament to the incredible job Steve Fisher has done.  I am very proud to contribute with my brother Hal and great friends Steve Altman and Jim Morris to play a small part in ensuring that the Aztec basketball program remains prominent on the national stage and a very attractive entertainment option for the San Diego community."

Community effort

Hundreds of supporters contributed to the effort to make the Jeff Jacobs J.A.M. Center a reality. In addition to the naming gift from Jeff Jacobs, Hal and Debby Jacobs, Steve and Lisa Altman and Jim Morris, creating the name “J.A.M.” Center, sizeable donations were made from the Manna Charitable Foundation and the Walter and Betty Zable Foundation. The total cost of the project is $14.5 million, of which $12.5 million in private funding has been raised. No state funds will be used to construct this building.

“It is an important time for San Diego State athletics.  Interest and support of our entire program, especially in men’s basketball has been growing in a significant way,” said SDSU Director of Athletics Jim Sterk. “I want to thank everyone who has contributed to the Jeff Jacob’s J.A.M. Center.  This project would not be moving forward without the leadership and gifts from great Aztec supporters like Jeff and Hal Jacobs, Jim Morris, Steve Altman, Terry Atkinson, Ron Fowler, Jack Goodall, Jeff and Kate Jeffrey, the Zable and Manna Foundations, to name a few.  While we are putting a shovel in the ground, the work is still going on to fully fund this project.”

The project was designed by JCJ Architecture and is being built by The Hunt Construction Group. It is expected to be completed by August 2015.

Go Aztecs

The eight-time Mountain West champion men’s basketball program has been to the NCAA tournament a school-record five consecutive seasons. The Aztecs have posted nine straight seasons with 20 or more victories, advancing to postseason play in each of those campaigns. SDSU is one of seven schools in the country that has gone to the last four NCAA tournaments and won at least 23 games in each of those seasons.

“We are, like all San Diego State fans and alumni, very excited about the formal announcement of the groundbreaking on Aug. 27, and the naming of our new basketball performance center, the Jeff Jacobs J.A.M. Center,” said SDSU Men’s Basketball Head Coach Steve Fisher.

“Many people have been so involved in bringing this to reality, none more than the Jacobs family and Jeff Jacobs in particular, and Jim Morris, and Steve Altman. So many people were involved in knowing the value for all of San Diego State and for everything this university stands for. It will be one of the crown jewels on our campus and it will benefit, not just athletics and basketball, but the university and community in general. We can’t wait for it to open.”

The women’s basketball team has won five Mountain West championships and advanced to postseason play in four of the past six seasons. For the 2014-15 season, SDSU returns three starters and eight letterwinners from head coach Stacie Terry’s inaugural campaign. In 2013-14, Terry tied for the second most victories by a first-year coach in program history as the Aztecs produced a first-team all-conference selection for the fifth time in the last six seasons.

“This is such an exciting moment for the Aztec basketball program. I am thrilled with the way the community has rallied around the Jeff Jacobs J.A.M. Center project; it's a true testament to how much support there is in San Diego for our university and the athletics programs that give us so much pride,” said Women’s Basketball Head Coach Stacie Terry. “Having a state-of-the-art facility such as this will allow us to recruit and train the best student-athletes in the nation. The J.A.M. Center is going to bring our game to a whole new level, and I couldn't be more grateful to have this basketball classroom for my players.”

Campaign for SDSU

The fundraising effort for the Jeff Jacobs J.A.M. Center is part of the $500 million Campaign for SDSU. The Campaign launched in 2007 to create new opportunities for student success and to help SDSU continue to develop as a leading public research university.

For more information on the Basketball Performance Center, contact the Aztec Club at 619- 594-6444. Gifts to the Aztec Basketball Performance Center can be made online.