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Two Fort Collins stalwarts – Colorado State University and New Belgium Brewing Company – today announced that the iconic brewery is donating $4.3 million to CSU’s on-campus stadium project.
The agreement gives New Belgium – creator of Fat Tire Belgian ale and other popular craft beers – naming rights to the north end zone hospitality area at the stadium, which will be called the New Belgium Porch.
The agreement builds on an already-robust relationship between Colorado State and New Belgium. In 2015 New Belgium co-founder and former CEO Kim Jordan announced a $1 million gift to update and renovate facilities utilized by CSU’s Fermentation Science and Technology program.
Expanded partnership
“We’re delighted to expand our partnership with New Belgium Brewing – and to honor the innovative, entrepreneurial spirit of our community by highlighting a tremendously successful, home-grown brand at the new stadium,” Colorado State President Tony Frank said. “I’ve had the privilege to work closely with Kim Jordan and more recently with Christine Perich on a variety of occasions, and I never cease to be amazed at the passion and creativity they bring to any challenge. We’re proud of them as CSU alumni, and we know that Colorado State University is just one of the many organizations that have benefited from the generous, community-minded spirit they continue to foster at New Belgium. We are truly grateful for their support of our students, academic programs and now a one-of-a-kind game-day experience for Rams fans.”
Jordan co-founded New Belgium in 1991 and was the longtime CEO before stepping down and tapping Perich as her successor. Perich has been instrumental in negotiating this agreement.
“This is another great opportunity for us to collaborate with Colorado State University and help support their athletic program,” said Perich. “We have more than 70 CSU alumni working at New Belgium, so the connection is deep and meaningful for us. It’s almost hard to imagine New Belgium without Colorado State considering all of the talent that has come out of there.”
Record-breaking fundraising
New Belgium’s gift is the latest is a series of fundraising milestones that set CSU apart from many of its peers:
- CSU recently announced it had raised $197.8 million for the 2015-16 fiscal year – the most ever raised by a university campus in Colorado.
- CSU in the spring received two anonymous $20 million gifts – one to name the field at the on-campus stadium in Sonny Lubick’s honor, and one to CSU’s Institute for Biologic Translational Therapies – and another $13 million for scholarships and infrastructure, including the Michael & Iris Smith Alumni Center at the new stadium, from alumnus Michael Smith.
- CSU set records for both academics ($166 million), and athletics ($31.8 million) fundraising in 2015-16.
- Athletics has increased its fundraising 440% since 2012 ($5.89M in FY 2011-12, $31.8M in FY 2015-16)
- To date, CSU has raised more than $635 million in its quest to raise $1 billion through “State Your Purpose – The Campaign for Colorado State University.”
“New Belgium Brewing continues to be such a tremendous supporter of Colorado State University across the board,” said Brett Anderson, vice president for university advancement. “They invest in our students and our institutional success time and time again. Their gift to the new on-campus stadium speaks to their focus on community-building and their desire to support places and things that bring people together. We are so thankful for their continued partnership and support.”
Stadium fundraising ahead of projections
The New Belgium gift continues CSU’s powerful momentum in fundraising for the $220 million on-campus stadium. More than $51 million has been raised since the project was approved in December 2014. CSU fans are gobbling up premium seating for the highly anticipated inaugural season, with more than 90 percent of the entire inventory sold 13 months prior to the first game – representing 120 percent of the amount planned within the stadium’s financial model:
- Seventeen of the 22 suites have been sold.
- Indoor club seating is completely sold out.
- Only a handful of loge boxes remain.
- Fewer than 10 percent of outdoor club seats remain.
- More than 2,300 commemorative bricks to be displayed in the north plaza have been sold, with nearly 1,600 of the bricks purchased by first-time donors to athletics.
“It is once again humbling for Colorado State to be the beneficiary of New Belgium’s generous support and vision for our future,” said Joe Parker, CSU’s director of athletics. “Together we will be able to create a unique game-day experience for our fans by introducing the New Belgium Porch; a gathering place that reflects the best of Colorado State and the culture of our community. We cannot thank New Belgium Brewing enough for their continued support.”
About New Belgium Brewing
New Belgium Brewing, makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale and a host of Belgian-inspired beers, is recognized as one of Outside Magazine’s Best Places to Work and one of the Wall Street Journal’s Best Small Businesses. The 100 percent employee-owned brewery is a Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Business as designated by the League of American Bicyclists, and one of World Blu’s most democratic U.S. businesses, and a Certified B Corp. In addition to Fat Tire, New Belgium brews ten year-round beers; Ranger IPA, Rampant Imperial IPA, Slow Ride Session IPA, Snapshot Wheat, Shift Pale Lager, Sunshine Wheat, 1554 Black Ale, Blue Paddle Pilsener, Abbey Belgian Ale and Trippel. Learn more at www.newbelgium.com.
