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Finlandia University in Hancock, a new and exciting addition to the college and the town is underway, as the school broke ground on a new sports complex this week.
A groundbreaking ceremony took place for the first phase of the soon-to-be Finlandia University Athletic Complex, which will house the various Finlandia Lions teams.
But, Finlandia president Phillip Johnson says the sports complex will be much more than that.
"Make no mistake about this; it may be that Finlandia University is hosting this groundbreaking, but this groundbreaking is a community event. It's for this community; it's from this community; it's all about this community," he says.
The first thing to be built will be McAfee Field, a playing field named for university trustee Alexander McAfee and his family, who have supported the project financially.
The field will be home to Finlandia's men's' and women's' soccer teams, as well as a men's' football team in the future, but it also will host Hancock Central High School's varsity and junior varsity sports programs, as well as community youth sports associations.
In addition, a later development at the sports complex will be a 25,000-square-foot fieldhouse, as well as a softball field, practice fields and tennis courts.
It's at the site of the former Condon athletic field in Hancock, which Finlandia got in a deal with
Hancock Public Schools, which also includes the middle school building in downtown Hancock. That will be renovated into a growing College of Health Sciences.
As another part of the deal, Finlandia is partnering with Hancock Public Schools to provide scholarships and educational services to the school district.
Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Phillip Johnson, Finlandia University
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