CARBONDALE - Athletics have been surprisingly successful at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, considering the school's most popular facilities are some of the oldest in their respective conferences.

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McAndrew Stadium, home to a football team that reached the Football Championship Subdivision national semifinal last year, was built before World War II ended. Still, SIUC has reached the playoffs five straight years.

SIU Arena hosted a men's basketball team last November that had the nation's best home-court winning percentage over the last seven years. Built in 1964, the Arena had four sellouts in 15 home games last season. And that was a school record.

To get SIUC back on an even playing field when it comes to recruiting is Saluki Way, a two-year facility facelift with a price tag of $83 million. To pay for it, SIUC raised student fees, got $20 million from the city of Carbondale and hit the fundraising trail.

"Whenever you get something new, you hope to move to the upper echelon, and that's what we're doing," said Jason King, SIUC assistant athletic director in charge of facilities. "Our facilities are outdated, and this will get us where we need to be."

First up for the project is a new football stadium northeast of SIU Arena. It comes at an estimated cost of $25.3 million.

Next up is a renovated arena at a cost of $29.9 million, which will take shape over two years during the offseason of the Saluki men's and women's basketball teams.

Also include in the plans is the relocation of a few tennis courts, lighted recreational ball fields and a new office building that will be attached to the arena.

A little more than $1 million will be budgeted for six new tennis courts and moving the lighted fields near the football team's practice field.

The new office building will become the arena's new main entrance and will house football and basketball personnel. It will also include a new ticket office. This part of the project will cost an estimated $11.3 million.

The remaining funds will go toward construction costs, new furniture, new audio-visual equipment and other "soft costs," King said.

In a statement released the day the project was approved by the SIU Board of Trustees in November 2007, SIU President Glenn Poshard said the plan will revitalize the east side of campus.

"The new football stadium and improvements to the arena are long overdue and will go a long way toward revitalizing the east side of campus," Poshard said. "I also am confident that, in addition to helping recruit quality student-athletes, these facilities will help recruit other students who will be impressed by our commitment to moving the entire university forward."

SIUC might not rise to the top of the Gateway and MVC arenas, however, as two city-owned sports sanctuaries will probably still hold those positions even at the end of Saluki Way.

North Dakota State's Fargodome, a $48 million facility built in 1992, seats 18,700. Owned by the city of Fargo, the Fargodome has drawn an average of more than 14,000 per game each season for the last three years. The Bison, who join the Gateway this season, have gone a combined 27-6 during that stretch.

SIUC Athletic Director Mario Moccia admitted the Fargodome might be nicer than the Salukis' new stadium will be, but he said the school's new football home in 2010 will be comparable to some of the nicest in the league.

"I haven't seen North Dakota State or South Dakota State, but I understand North Dakota State plays in the Fargodome, and it's probably the top of the food chain, from what I've seen, when it comes to facilities," Moccia said. "But they don't own that. As far as an on-campus facility, I think it will be, by far, the nicest stadium in the Gateway. Our football stadium will be a huge recruiting advantage. A huge shot in the arm for attendance, on a lot of different levels."

Creighton's Qwest Center Omaha is held in similar regard in the Valley.

The 17,272-seat arena, owned by the city of Omaha, helped the Bluejays come in 15th nationally in average home attendance for men's basketball. Also the host of the NCAA women's volleyball championships this year, the 1.1 million-square-foot facility has hosted the 15 largest basketball crowds in Nebraska history.

With 276,000 men's basketball fans last season, Creighton broke its own Valley single-season record.

The Saluki Way project won't include everything SIUC's coaches asked for.

Lights at Abe Martin Field, the home of the baseball team, were not included. And Moccia and King will watch the plan unfold out of offices in Lingle Hall, where they will remain even when Saluki Way is finished. That building will remain a big part of the athletic department.

Saluki Way will, however, bring the Salukis respect they couldn't buy.

King has heard the jokes about McAndrew Stadium, SIUC's 17,324-seat home since 1938.

But within a budget SIUC can handle, he's about to see what people say about a structure everyone moving up and down U.S. 51 will see.

"When we put this thing together, I think the community is going to be proud of what we've done," King said. "McAndrew Stadium, let's face it, is not the most attractive facility. Now, when people drive 51, they're going to see something they can be proud of.

"We're not building the Taj Mahal by any means, because we don't have the resources," King said. "But we're doing everything we can within our resources to really make it nice."

todd.hefferman@thesouthern.com / 351-5087