February 6, 1999

Media Contact: John Rosenthal (619) 594-5547

 

Latest Moores gift is SDSU's largest ever from individuals

 

President Stephen L. Weber today announced the largest individual cash donation to the Aztec Athletic Department ever received by San Diego State University -- a $7.5 million gift from John and Becky Moores, owners of the San Diego Padres baseball club. The Moores had previously made gifts totaling $9.7 million for construction of the Tony Gwynn Stadium for Aztec baseball and partial funding for an athletic administration building. The latest donation brings the Moores' total support of SDSU to more than $17.2 million.

The funds are earmarked for construction of a varsity tennis complex, a softball stadium and a new athletic administration building. The administration building will include the Aztec Hall of Fame, sponsored by the Wise Foundation, as well as a state-of-the-art learning complex for San Diego State student-athletes.

"We appreciate the Moores' confidence in the increasing academic quality of the University," Weber said in announcing the gift. "We've been gratified by the same level of confidence from record numbers of applicants who would like to attend SDSU, from other donors who have given record amounts of support, and from research funding agencies who support our faculty research projects. We also appreciate how the Moores' have helped SDSU build athletic facilities that will provide our student athletes everything they need to excel," Weber added.

"I cannot adequately express the gratitude we feel toward John and Becky Moores," said Aztec Director of Athletics Rick Bay. "These projects will be a cornerstone in the development of the west side of the campus as it relates to the University master plan encompassing Aztec Walk, the east-west campus spine. The impact on our tennis and softball programs cannot be measured."

The current gift will enhance the initial plans for the athletics building with tentative ground-breaking scheduled for January, 2000. Planning for the tennis and softball facilities will begin soon.