Xavier football 'not gonna happen in the near term' as medical school takes top priority
Xavier Musketeers fans hoping for a revival of the university's football program will have to wait.
Xavier Vice President for Institutional Strategy and Director of Athletics Greg Christopher said that while there have been discussions about bringing football back, the university's first concern is the new College of Osteopathic Medicine.
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"We've gotten to a point where we realize it (reviving the football program) is not gonna happen in the near term," Christopher told The Enquirer. "We're still interested in it, still exploring it, but the reality is the College of Medicine is the higher priority for the university right now."
In May, the Xavier University board of trustees unanimously approved a new medical school that is set to open in 2027.
In June, Christopher told The Enquirer's Jason Williams that bringing back football was a "definite maybe," but one major hurdle would be finding a facility. That remains the case as Xavier brass first secures a location for the new medical school. So far, a site for the new medical and science complex on Xavier's main campus has not been finalized.
"There are a lot of people interested in it (football). At the end of the day, we need a facility in order to move it forward," Christopher said. "From a facility-planning priority standpoint, the College of Medicine is a higher priority. Hopefully we can get a shovel in the ground on that next year."
Cintas Center renovations
Xavier has taken a prolonged approach to renovating Cintas Center over the last seven years and major upgrades are on the way to the 10,224-seat multi-purpose arena.
Christopher explained that projects to renovate Cintas Center fall in three different categories: upgrades for the student-athlete (weight rooms, new locker rooms), making the arena the best for Xavier fans (new lighting, video board) and behind the scenes projects.
Suites at Cintas Center are in the midst of a seven-year, $30 million renovation. This summer, suites on the west side of the arena were all refurbished. Next summer, six suites on the east side will be removed to create a center court club for approximately 100 people and a gathering area, similar to Norwood Cafe or D'Artagnan Deck, on the fifth level of Cintas.
"We made the choice going into the project that fans taste some change over the last 20 years," Christopher said.
The suites were the last thing at Cintas Center that were original from when the building opened in 2000, according to Christopher.
"We can never rest on finding ways to improve this facility for our student-athletes and fans alike," Christopher said in a statement announcing the renovations in February. "Step by step, we're focused on making sure Cintas is ready for the future."
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Xavier football 'not gonna happen in the near term.' Here's why
