A state commission approved plans to renovate a Camp Randall facility as part of the second phase of the University of Wisconsin’s plan to build a new center for student athletes to train.

The State of Wisconsin Building Commission approved Phase Two of UW’s plans to build the Student Athlete Performance Center at a meeting yesterday, which will renovate existing facilities.

In the next step to construct the “Athletic Village,” the UW Athletic Department expects to renovate the Dave McClain Athletic Facility with the installation of a new theater and roof.

Phase Two of the plan alone is expected to cost almost $35 million of the total budget of $76.8 million for the project. The majority of the funds will come from revenue borrowing, but $3.65 million in gift donations will also be put toward the project. None of the project is funded by tax revenue from the state, Brown said.

UW System Vice President of Capital Planning and Budget David Miller said the plan might cost more than original budget projections at a meeting of the Higher Education Subcommittee of the State Building Commission held Wednesday.

“As the project team is getting the final pricing of components, like the scoreboard and looking at the entire project, it appears that Phase Two might include an increase to the total project cost, with some minor changes,” Miller said.

Miller also added some of the increased funding will be put toward preparations for the final and third phase of the plan, which will most likely be presented to the commission next month.

Rep. Dean Kaufert, R-Neenah, chair of the subcommittee, said he approved the plan because it would allow UW to offer facilities and services like better locker rooms and on-site tutoring for incoming athletes.

“We are monitoring it along the way, but the key thing is that we become a first class facility in the Big Ten,” Kaufert said.

He also said although the Legislature approved the $76 million, they would not support any additions that extend beyond the original budget. Any additional funding would have to come from private gifts or donations, he said.

If completed on schedule, the estimated date of completion for the project is Jan. 1, 2014.

The McClain Facility will house football locker rooms, an instructional space, locker rooms for football coaches and an equipment area. Renovations to the McClain facility were necessary because of its outdated locker rooms, weight rooms and training areas, Athletic Department spokesperson Justin Doherty said in a previous interview.

The plan also expands Camp Randall and connects the McClain Center and stadium with a tunnel, Gary Brown, director of Campus Planning and Landscape Architecture, said in an email to The Badger Herald.

“The overall design for the addition includes elements that create a more collegiate athletic feel to the north end of the Camp Randall Stadium … the site landscape has been designed to unify the overall pedestrian experience with simple paving patterns, more trees and improved areas for bike and moped parking,” Brown said.

He also said all projects incorporated include cost-efficient and sustainable features that would minimize energy use. UW Athletic Facilities are seeking Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification, an internationally-recognized environmental efficiency award.