News

Branch & Associates, Inc. selected for Liberty University's $22 million renovations to Williams Stadium

ROANOKE, VA (January 3, 2010) -- Branch & Associates, Inc. of Roanoke, Virginia has been awarded a contract for the first phase of the multi-million dollar renovations to Williams Football Stadium at Liberty University. Branch & Associates has worked on numerous statewide projects, including commercial, governmental, higher education, industrial and healthcare ventures. The Branch firm is scheduled to begin work in January with an agreement made to Liberty University to make the stadium available for use for their May 2010 graduation ceremonies. "Branch & Associates is honored to be working with Liberty University to renovate Williams Football Stadium in Lynchburg," said Stephen B. Aud, president of Branch & Associates, Inc. Mr. Aud commented that there is an extra level of excitement about this project as it commences the first major expansion to the Flames home stadium since it was constructed in 1989. "This stadium expansion celebrates great commitment to Liberty University's overall vision for growth and premier athletic program", added Aud.

In August of 2009, Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. officially announced plans for the extensive $22 million stadium renovations to Williams Stadium which includes three phases that will increase the stadium's seating from its current capacity of 12,000 to 30,000 over the next five years. The target completion date for Phase One is scheduled for September 4, 2010 and increases seating to the west side of the stadium by 5,000 and also includes a 34,000 square-foot press box. The brick and glass encased, Jeffersonian-style five-story tower will house club-level seating for qualified Flames Club donors, 16 permanent luxury suites, a banquet room that will seat up to 800 people, a 1,000-seat classroom and a state-of-the-art press area. The renovated facility also prepares the stadium for the future construction of upper desks on the west and east sides that will add a new 4,000-seat middeck for the east side of the stadium and 6,400 seats in a horseshoe-shape area surrounding the end zone in the south end of the stadium; bringing the seating capacity to 60,000.

Mr. Falwell indicated that the University selected Branch & Associates because of their list of spotlighted projects across the state of Virginia, which includes the VMI Stadium renovations and the addition to the Roanoke Civic Center.

ABOUT BRANCH & ASSOCIATES
Branch & Associates, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Branch Group, is a Roanoke-based builder providing construction management, general contractor and design-build services in multiple states. Branch & Associates is one of the top general contracting companies in the Commonwealth of Virginia as listed in the Virginia Business List of Leaders and has been included in the Top 200 of the Engineering News Record national Top 400 contractors. For more information visit www.branch-associates.com