<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=43ChR8_1H4eMShU00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=43ChR8_1H4eMShU00" width="900" height="1200" ></figure>Students are outraged that the University Sports Complex’s million-dollar grant isn’t being used on the current facilities; however, the initial million wasn’t intended to fix those issues. Instead, it is a part of a $4 million plan to renovate the entire building, according to Loyola’s athletics director, Brett Simpson. However, students like Maxfield Mabius want these facility issues to be resolved now. Maxfield Mabius, a sophomore business student who frequents Loyola’s gym, has a few complaints about the state of the gym that he thought the million-dollar grant would resolve. “One million could easily refurbish the gym, not even, more like $100,000. I hate this place. Some of the machines are so outdated and janky. They literally got $1 million, and there are still broken machines and have been missing stuff for over two years,” Mabius said. Although Mabius believes $1 million seems like enough to renovate the gym and its equipment, Simpson explained how it is only a part of Loyola’s plan for a full-scale renovation.“The $1 million gift received last year marked an important first step toward the estimated $4 million renovation project. Since then, the university has continued to advance its fundraising efforts, with the start of construction contingent upon securing the total necessary funding,” Simpson said.Renovations would revamp the entire complex, including several parts of the building and the equipment students have complained about.“The reimagined University Sports Complex will feature enhanced locker rooms, an expanded weight room, upgraded athletic training, and sports medicine facilities, a new concession area, and new offices for Loyola’s expanding coaching staff,” Simpson said.Even with this plan in place, students like Mabius are infuriated because there haven’t been any immediate changes.“Compared to other colleges, our gym is a laughing joke. I think it’s absurd that you can have one-of-a-kind machines, such as the leg extension, be broken for over four months. A single student’s yearly tuition could pay for most of the repairs and replacements. They act like their budget is zero dollars a year,” Mabius said.A freshman member of Loyola’s baseball team, Logan Katz, felt the gym’s facilities underserved Loyola’s sports programs that rely on it for practices and exercises. “It is pretty worn down and pretty small, so when trying to work out it gets pretty crowded, ” Katz said. “We’re very limited in what we can do in the weight room, so I feel like more money could [bring] more opportunities to the teams.”Despite the current complaints, Simpson is committed to improving the University Sports Complex with students in mind.“Improvements to the University Sports Complex are part of Loyola’s ongoing commitment to responsibly and strategically enhance campus facilities and the student experience,” Simpson said.Dutch Buckley, a sophomore business major who goes to the Loyola gym almost every day, felt students weren’t being considered.“Four million dollars is preposterous. If your goal is to improve the student experience in the gym, then I think four machines would drastically change the experience: a set of cables at about $1,000, an incline press machine at about $800, a Smith machine in the same range, and a chest-supported seated row machine,” Buckley said.Buckley felt that other students weren’t asking for much when it came to repairs and replacements; they just wanted the bare minimum.“Loyola’s gym is undoubtedly lacking compared to other university gyms. I don’t expect Loyola to have top-of-the-line equipment. We’re asking for the bare minimum, or what I think is the bare minimum; having important machines broken for a long time is just unacceptable,” Buckley said.Ryan Ramson, another student who frequents the gym, also considers functional equipment as the bare minimum.“If that’s their plan, then whatever, but that doesn’t mean they can’t fix the equipment,” Ramson said.Other than functional machines, Buckley wanted the complaints and concerns of him and other students to be heard.“It just doesn’t make sense to me, and I think not consulting the student body about these funds that are directed towards improving their experience is a critical mistake,” Buckley said. “It doesn’t make sense to allocate funds to benefit the student body and not ask them what they want.”</div></body>

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Students are outraged that the University Sports Complex’s million-dollar grant isn’t being used on the current facilities; however, the initial million wasn’t intended to fix those issues. Instead, it is a part of a $4 million plan to renovate the entire building, according to Loyola’s athletics director, Brett Simpson.

Students furious over gym conditions

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Students are outraged that the University Sports Complex’s million-dollar grant isn’t being used on the current facilities; however, the initial million wa

Students furious over gym conditions

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