Latest Moores Gift is SDSU's Largest Ever from Individuals

February 6, 1999

SAN DIEGO - President Stephen L. Weber today announced the largest individual cashdonation to the Aztec Athletic Department ever received by San Diego StateUniversity -- a $7.5 million gift from John and Becky Moores, owners of theSan Diego Padres baseball club. The Moores had previously made gifts totaling$9.7 million for construction of the Tony Gwynn Stadium for Aztec baseball andpartial funding for an athletic administration building. The latest donationbrings the Moores' total support of SDSU to more than $17.2 million.

The funds are earmarked for construction of a varsity tennis complex, a softballstadium and a new athletic administration building. The administration buildingwill include the Aztec Hall of Fame, sponsored by the Wise Foundation, as well as a state-of-the-art learning complex for San Diego State student-athletes.

"We appreciate the Moores' confidence in the increasing academic quality of theUniversity," Weber said in announcing the gift. "We've been gratified by the samelevel of confidence from record numbers of applicants who would like to attendSDSU, from other donors who have given record amounts of support, and from researchfunding agencies who support our faculty research projects. We also appreciatehow the Moores' have helped SDSU build athletic facilities that will provideour student athletes everything they need to excel," Weber added.

"I cannot adequately express the gratitude we feel toward John and Becky Moores," said Aztec Director of Athletic Rick Bay. "These projects will bea cornerstone in the development of the west side of the campus as it relatesto the University master plan encompassing Aztec Walk, the east-west campusspine. The impact on our tennis and softball programs cannot be measured."

The current gift will enhance the initial plans for the athletics building with tentative ground-breaking scheduled for January 2000. Planning for the tennis and softball facilities will begin soon.