Soar with the Eagles!

I have a lot of neat experiences working for the Stadium Authority. Among my favorites is visiting facilities we built, seeing how they impact their communities in large and small ways. I've enjoyed performances at the Hippodrome, galas at the Convention Center, a murder mystery at the Geppi Museum, and numerous events at Sports Legends. This year, it was a special treat to attend the Ripken World Series in Aberdeen, and a soccer match at our most recent project, Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf.

I've said it before -- there is nothing more gratifying than watching families enjoy time together at something they all love. (Seeing happy, smiling County Commissioners is a nice touch, too.)

I've learned it isn't just about the performances that take place in the structures, it's about the lives it affects. Sports (and entertainment) engage people of all cultures and interests in a shared experience. Our projects promote a sense of community. In many cases, they provide economic development, neighborhood revitalization, and historic preservation in the process.

There's also a component in our mission that goes largely unrecognized -- education. Next Saturday, I'll be attending a long-anticipated event on the campus of Coppin State University -- the opening of a new sports arena which is the centerpiece of a Physical Education Complex three years in the making. Morgan State, beware. The Eagles will be soaring December 5th.

MSA has done university projects before, at College Park, Towson, and UMBC. All have become important parts of campus life. They've also hosted regional and national events. (Let us not forget the major chess tournament for which UMBC is famous.)

However, Coppin State, with its urban location, compact size, and modest facilities, will be truly transformed by this addition. The enormous three building center, with tracks, fields, parking lots and a new entrance, will enlarge the university size by a third. That's probably not the most important impact, though. Coppin is a wellspring of educational and cultural opportunity in a struggling community.

It is also a fully engaged partner in developing the neighborhood. Coppin likes to say they grow their own students, since they operate an elementary school and magnet middle school. Nursing students staff a neighborhood storefront clinic. Coppin does not occupy an ivory tower; it stays real.

Coppin is more than a beacon to those who never thought college possible. It provides an avenue through its outreach. Just as other structures we have built have become multiuse, year round facilities, Coppin will be a community resource, with sports and recreational opportunities as segue to higher learning.

For a preview of the Coppin Physical Education Complex, go here (and be sure to click the webcam for a real time look.) To see some of the happiest college kids in Baltimore, come to the game next Saturday evening.