The University of Georgia held a dedication ceremony for its $59.8 million track and field facility on Wednesday. Located on South Milledge Avenue, the 37.24-acre complex features advanced amenities designed to support elite competition and training. Athletic director Josh Brooks described the project as a dream come true after five years of development.
The University of Georgia's new track and field facility, unveiled on Wednesday, spans 37.24 acres and includes 34,700 square feet of dedicated space. Centered around the Spec Towns track—a nine-lane, 400-meter outdoor oval—the site offers infield areas for long jump, triple jump, and pole vault events. Adjacent features include a throws field, shot put arena, 194 parking spaces, and landscaped grounds. Additional structures encompass a press box, observation deck, ticketing and concession stands. Beneath the stands lies a training level with an enclosed five-lane, 100-meter warm-up track, sports medicine suites, and nutrition facilities.
Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks highlighted the rapid progress during the ceremony. "We had a vision, and sometimes you set a big goal and vision and you don't really know if you're going to get there," Brooks said. "To get there in just five years and to have this facility developed, it is truly just a dream come true."
Track and field coach Caryl Smith Gilbert praised specific elements, noting that longtime throws coach Don Babbitt was particularly pleased with the throws area. She emphasized improvements like the efficient infield for meets, favored warm-up lanes on the backstretch, and indoor options for adverse weather. "We now have a facility that answers those challenges and one that everyone associated with the program is proud to show off to all who visit," Smith Gilbert said. "This is an exciting time for Georgia track and field with SEC and NCAA team titles coming last year, records at the highest level falling already this year, and current and former Bulldogs not only competing professionally and internationally but bringing medals home to Athens and their homes."
Under Smith Gilbert, Georgia has emerged as a strong program. The women's team secured the 2025 outdoor national championship following an SEC title, while the men's team placed second at the SEC meet and 45th at the NCAA championships.
The facility's schedule is already packed. It will host the Classic City Invitational high school meet on March 7, the Spec Towns Invitational from April 9-11, the Torrin Lawrence Memorial on May 2, and GHSA state championships from May 11-14. Looking to 2027, events include those plus the SEC outdoor championships.
Brooks also underscored the facility's broader impact on Athens. "Every time a child steps foot on a college campus, there's statistical information that says their odds of going to college dramatically increase," he noted. "Even if they're not coming to Georgia, the fact that a kid can come step foot on a college campus, what that means for their life, that's important to me as well."
