Thornton's Donation to Complete Academic Center Fundraising

The long-planned Academic Center for Excellence to be constructed directly into the south end zone of Papa John's Cardinal Stadium is one step closer to becoming a reality. The university announced today that Thornton's has agreed to match all donations between now and December 1 to the the Cardinal Athletic Fund, up to $3 million, for the completion of this project. A donation of $6 million will complete the necessary fundraising. Construction would then break ground some time in the 2014-2015 academic year.

The Academic Center for Excellence, while housed in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium, will be a resource for all University of Louisville athletes. If you would like to know more about the plan or how to donate, you can check out the specifics here. Here's one view at how the center will look once construction is complete.

In addition to the Academic Center for Excellence, the athletic department has already received approval to expand the current weight room facility and is still finalizing a feasibility study on expanding the football stadium to further enclose the north end zone.