Robert W. Plaster Center
The Robert W. Plaster Center is a state-of-the-art facility that will host a variety of university and community events. University, city and state officials broke ground on the Plaster Center during a special ceremony on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014 and the building was officially dedicated on April 21, 2015. The Plaster Center is named for Robert W. Plaster, the founder of Empire Gas Company and a philanthropist who created the Robert W. Plaster Foundation. Established in 1983, the foundation is dedicated to helping students by funding projects for colleges and universities.
The $13 million, 154,000-square-foot facility was completed in Spring 2015, It includes a 100-yard turf field, an 11,000-square-foot modern strength facility, a 300-meter track and seating for up to 1,500. It also includes locker rooms for men’s and women’s track & field and football, offices and meeting rooms. There is additionally a fully functional catering kitchen, a staging are for both athletics and community events, as well as first-rate equipment and laundry rooms.
Harvey Dean Track
The Harvey Dean Track is one of only six university owned 300-meter tracks in the nation. The surface of Harvey Dean Track is Mondo Super X Performance; the same surface used at the 2011 Daegu World Championships and eight of the most recent Olympic Games. This prefabricated synthetic rubber track surface is comprised of two different layers that provides unparalleled support, elasticity and spike resistance. The Harvey Dean Track also features room for nearly 1,500 spectators with a large concourse area and two raised viewing areas. It’s the perfect area to watch world-class competitions or to simply watch fellow community members exercise.
Enclosed within the Harvey Dean Track is a 100-yard-turf field. Its size and partial end zone provide the perfect setting for situational and team drills. A netting system surrounds the entire field, allowing multiple athletic teams to practice at one time. This area can also host large-scale community events such as conventions, trade shows and business fairs. Two large overhead doors on the east wall provide easy access for large vehicles and trailers.
ProMaxima Strength and Conditioning Center
The room where Champions are made. Stretching across more than 11,000 square-feet of space, the ProMaxima Strength and Conditioning Center is state-of-the-art in every sense of the word. The equipment is made in America with U.S. steel, this is the same equipment used by all branches of our armed services, as well as collegiate teams and first responders throughout the nation. Pittsburg State fans will appreciate the fact that ProMaxima is owned and operated by a Gorilla and former football player, Bob Leppke (B.S. ’69). Mr. Leppke understands the importance of quality and hard work. It’s why every piece of ProMaxima machinery is triple-tested to ensure that its customers are getting the very best.
More than 1,200 individual pieces of equipment fill the ProMaxima Strength and Conditioning Facility. That equates to more than 20,000 pounds of free-weights, treadmills and lift stations. The room itself is nearly triple the size of the old strength and conditioning center and allows multiple athletic teams to work out at the same time. The wide-screen monitors on the walls are controlled by the Strength and Conditioning coach whose offices are located on the west side of the facility. Each monitor is computer controlled and can display individual workout routines for team members.
Another key addition to the ProMaxima Strength and Conditioning Center is the Freeman Health Fueling Station. This station is stocked with carbohydrates and high-nutrient liquids from local vendors, which gives our student-athletes the proper fuel mixture to get the most out of their workout routines. It’s another indication of why we believe the ProMaxima Strength and Conditioning Center is where Champions are made.
Football Locker Room
Ask anyone who played Gorilla football and they’ll tell you that the locker room is more than a storage area, it is a sanctuary reserved exclusively for those who have earned the right to wear the Gorilla uniform. This locker room pays tribute to our proud Gorilla tradition and shepherds it into a new era. The 120 lockers that fill the room were designed and manufactured by Hollman, the nation’s premiere locker manufacturer. Other clients of Hollman include the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bulls, University of Arkansas, Oklahoma State University and Navy. Each locker includes a keyless entry pad, wood veneers and USB and power outlets.
Longtime Gorilla football fans will quickly notice that the two lockers at the front of the room belong to Harlon Hill Award Winners, and Pittsburg State Hall-of-Famers, Ronnie West and Ronald Moore. The lockers have been recreated to be exactly as they were when these two Gorilla legends played at Carnie Smith Stadium. An advanced ventilation system has been installed in this locker room to ensure a comfortable, germ-free environment. This locker room spills out into a large multimedia room that can be configured in a variety of ways including as a team meeting area, coaching strategy sessions and much more.
Track & Field/Cross Country Areas
The second floor is the home of Pittsburg State’s Track & Field and Cross Country programs. The offices across from the elevator are reserved for the head coach of the men’s and women’s teams and their assistants. The reception room, with its open layout and amazing view, provides the perfect area for coaches to greet potential recruits and their families. Each office features a wide-screen monitor and the privacy necessary to counsel and coach student-athletes. Across the hall is a conference room and team meeting room reserved especially for members of our men’s and women’s squads. The large table and 70” wide screen monitor provides the perfect setting for team meetings, strategy sessions and performance reviews.
Additionally, this area hosts two high-quality locker rooms for the men's and women's teams. Custom-made by Hollman, the nation’s premiere athletic locker manufacture, each locker contains a power outlet and privacy lock. Ninety-six lockers grace the walls of these two rooms and each room features advanced ventilation systems to ensure a comfortable, germ-free environment.
Video Control Room
The technical heart of the Robert W. Plaster Center, this control room operates both the Plaster Center sound system and Crown Automotive Video Board. Crown Automotive may be located in Lawrence but the heart of a Gorilla beats in its owner, Miles Schnaer. Miles (B.S. ’70) understands the importance of quality and his attention to detail can be seen in the size and detail of the Crown Automotive Video Board which stands nearly 16 feet tall and 29 feet wide. It provides ample space for scoring results and live, HD video feeds and offers a large viewing angle for both spectators and competitors.
Wiring for broadcast quality cameras has been put into place throughout the arena. These will be able to be remotely controlled to live stream competitions, record practice and for special events. The video board is controlled by the “LaunchPad” Clip Server and Control System. The Plaster Center will utilize the FinishLynx”digitized timing system and Hy-Tek data management program for all competitive events. These are among the best timing and data systems in the world. It takes a lot of power to be heard clearly in a building this large. Fortunately, the Plaster Center sound system is up to the task. JBL loudspeakers, nearly 60 in all, are strategically located throughout the facility and controlled by the state-of-the-art BSS London Blu-10 touchscreen.
