In 2013, crews broke ground on the West Sideline Expansion Project and the Vanier Family Football Complex Renovation at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Kansas State University (K-State) athletes, coaches, students, and fans we hungry for new experiences. Mortenson Company and Color Art Sports were awarded the bid.
During the West Sideline Expansion, Gary Arthur, Senior Project Manager for Color Art Sports, managed the receiving and installation of all new furniture products for the renovated clubs, suites, press rooms, media rooms and a large dining hall. He developed the schedule and worked closely with the manufacturers to create and deliver new tabletops, chairs and sofas, bringing a fresh new look and futuristic feel to the stadium.
From the very beginning, Gary helped us solve all our problems” remarked Clint Dowdle, Chief of Staff and Associate Athletic Director for Administration at K-State Athletics. “We had a transition plan that involved close to 200 people, including football players, coaches, and administrators. Moving a Hall of Fame Head Coach and 15 other coaches was something we were dreading, but repeatedly I was told how great our transition plan was. It was thanks to Gary Arthur.
Arthur developed a plan to move everything out of the Vanier Family Football Complex within 48 hours of the K-State Wildcats’ last home game and into the West Sideline Expansion. Moving the furniture created space for temporary locker rooms, meeting rooms and coaches’ offices.
Additionally, Color Art Sports moved all training and weightlifting equipment from the Vanier Complex and created a temporary training space in the indoor football practice facility to ensure the team could continue working out during the transition.
Gary was there from the very beginning and kept everything together for us. When there was a crisis, Gary was there to get us out of it”, said Dowdle. “Gary’s attention to detail is second- to-none, and his passion for his job sets him apart from the rest of the people we worked with.
Another unique detail was the sale of existing, old furniture. Gary and Color Art Sports came to the rescue by organizing and managing a team sale of all furniture items and fixtures that were not going to be used in the new facilities. The sale was a huge hit with students, athletes and the community, and, even better, nothing was wasted.
Balancing these projects included significant furniture moves and coordinating timelines. Being part of such a huge transition came with great responsibility and gave Gary a unique chance to contribute to the KSU community and demonstrate Color Art Sports’ abilities at their finest.
