The LA Tech Alumni Association hosted the Dinner with President Guice event in Little Rock tonight. The dinner was at Copper Grill in downtown Little Rock (great place, by the way). There were about 40-45 people there, and the group was mixed in terms of age. I expected an older crowd when I got there, but there was a healthy mix of older, middle aged, and younger people for the event tonight.
Here is some of the news Dr. Guice talked about tonight:
Here is some of the news Dr. Guice talked about tonight:
- The interior of Tolliver Hall was (or will be) renovated. The drawings and renderings of the Tolliver Hall look really good.
- The first phase of playground renovations at A.E. Phillips (retaining wall, removal of trees, sod laying) is complete. Phase 2 (installation of playground equipment) should begin shortly.
- Dr. Guice wants A.E. Phillips to be a standard bearer for K-8th grade schools in the region.
- The renovation of Centennial Plaza is complete.
- The Forest Product Innovation Center was part of the Capital Outlay bill. The State is committing $10 million to this project. RoyOMartin is committed for $2 million and 10 years. Dr. Guice asked the Governor if the State would commit $10 million to this project if Tech raised $5 million for it. The Governor said yes. Tech is still getting the $5 million, but has commitments from RoyOMartin and Hunt.
- George T. Madison Hall will be renovated. The drawings for the renovation are underway. The project was funded by the 2023 Capital Outlay bill that just passed in the Legislature last week. GTM got to the point where the basement floor couldn't be used due to mold.
- The first phase of the Sarah and A.L. Williams Champions Plaza is underway. Dr. Guice mentioned statutes of Bradshaw, Malone, Roaf, Mulkey, and Teresa Weatherspoon.
- Dr. Guice said there will be one videoboard at the Joe instead of two as part of the renovations in the North End Zone. The new videoboard that will be installed as part of the North End Zone project will be the largest videoboard in the State of Louisiana. Videoboard will be built, then the Academic Athletics Center will be built. The renderings showed the videoboard on top of the Academic Athletics Center.
- The Academic Athletics Center was the 3rd project in the Capital Outlay bill passed last week.
- Louisiana Tech plans to remove the parking lots between George T Madison Hall and the Ropp Center. Tech will replace those spaces with a 3-story parking garage north of the railroad tracks near the pedestrian bridge.
- Louisiana Tech will start to occupy space in the LTRI in Bossier City in the next few months. Construction had been delayed due to supply chain issues.
- Tech Pointe 2 is about three months away from completion. About 2/3(?) of the available space in this building is already leased out to companies.
- This is not a done deal yet, but Radiance Technologies wants to build a microchip manufacturing plant in Ruston. About $100 million related to the CHIPS Act. Ruston's Mayor has committed a piece of land in Ruston to be donated for the plant. Radiance already is leasing space in Tech Pointe.
- This wasn't discussed in Dr. Guice's speech tonight, but I've heard Carson Taylor Hall will be renovated.
- The Alumni Association is having a pregame event in Dallas for the SMU game on September 2nd.
