Dear Faculty, Staff and Students,
Last week, the
Blue Demon Challenge was an overwhelming success, as we exceeded our goals with gifts from 6,069 individual donors for a grand total of $6,303,329. We are incredibly grateful to all our wonderful donors and to our university community for their support, as we continue to make great strides with our
Mission: Forward campaign.
As we celebrate the success of the Blue Demon Challenge, we’re excited to share continued fundraising momentum for the
DREAM BIG Campaign within DePaul Athletics. Over the past year, generous gifts — combined with a growing groundswell of support from Blue Demon fans — have helped us secure $20 million in cash. Reaching this initial milestone provides the foundation required to move forward with the next step for the athletics practice facility.
After a multi-year process, the project will advance to its next phase, with on-site work scheduled to begin in July 2026. In addition to providing world-class training facilities for our student-athletes, the new space also will provide space for university events and student engagement activities.
The facility will ultimately be funded entirely through philanthropy generated by DePaul Athletics, including donor contributions and corporate partnerships. If needed, the university may use short-term borrowing to keep the project on schedule, repaying any loans in full as gifts are received.
Construction timeline and funding
The university recently gained final zoning approval from the City of Chicago, which was the final step in a multi-year process.
In Sept. 2024, 43rd Ward Alderman Timmy Knudsen
gave his formal support for the project after the university updated the facility plans to incorporate feedback from our Lincoln Park neighbors. The university also agreed to support formal landmarking of the exteriors of Byrne Hall and Cortelyou Commons. More background on the project and what the community can expect from the completed building can be found in an update from
last February.
We expect on-site work to begin for the facility in July with plans for a groundbreaking ceremony in late summer 2026. We anticipate the grand opening for the practice facility will be in fall 2027.
The divisions of Advancement and Athletics will continue to fundraise throughout construction to secure the remaining costs of the project. We want to reaffirm that the project will be 100% funded by external and corporate contributions.
Athletics drive visibility, pride, and growth
As the university continues to navigate challenges, we are prioritizing strategic initiatives that will elevate the university's brand and generate revenue to increase our investments in academics and student services at DePaul. This strategic investment in athletics is one way we can foster long-term financial health for the university.
Success in athletics — specifically, the men’s and women’s basketball programs as the highest profile sports with the greatest level of media exposure — has the capacity to elevate the university’s brand, increase institutional awareness, and drive significant enrollment. Recently, we broke a record for student attendance during the men’s basketball team’s win over our rival, Marquette University. These joyful moments, cheering together as Blue Demons, help to boost student engagement and belonging.
The DREAM BIG Campaign aims to provide state-of-the-art facilities for every single student-athlete. The construction of the practice facility will free up much-needed space in the recently renovated Sullivan Athletic Center and McGrath-Phillips Arena for student intramurals, university events and community rentals. We invite you to read more about the campaign on the
DREAM BIG website.
Thank you to our wonderful DePaul community for all your support throughout this process that helped us achieve this next step. We will continue to keep you informed with future updates about the project.
Sincerely,
Robert L. Manuel
President
DeWayne Peevy
Vice President and Director of Athletics
Katie Fraumann
Senior Vice President
Division of Advancement and External Relations