Clemson uses drone to show tech-filled football complex being built

Drone footage shows how Clemson's new, $55 million football operations complex was built.

Clemson opened its new Football Operations Complex last month, and the construction timeline of the $55 million project for the national champions was shown Sunday with the release of footage from a drone.

The drone first shows the project starting to see visible progress in March—three months after construction began. Then with present-day footage, the drone shows the outside of 150,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility in all its glory, including amenities like a nine-hole miniature golf course and a recreational Clemson-themed basketball court as part of the 1.5 acres.

Designed to support the day-to-day activities of the football team and support recruiting efforts, the facility is filled with technology inside its doors.

Football team amenities include a biometric body scanner and “VR Playmaker Studio.” Clemson has been among the schools to use STRIVR to train players, but did not respond to questions about what the VR Playmaker Studio includes.

Also included inside are promotional spaces such as an ESPN College GameDay broadcast studio and green room and also a social media hub. For fun, players even have access to two HD gaming lounges and an HD golf simulator.

“Clemson Football has set the new standard for the student-athlete experience,” Trevor Bechtold, a project designer and associate with design firm HOK’s Sports + Recreation + Entertainment group, said in a statement. “This project is the most forward-looking, innovative and comprehensive training facility in the nation and is a testament to Clemson’s commitment to excellence. The design balances Clemson’s focus on football, family and fun through a comfortable, amenity-rich and highly efficient design tailored to the student-athlete.”