The weight room used by athletes at the R. Kirk Landon Football Fieldhouse will now be named the Doctors Hospital weight room thanks to the Doctors Hospital Center for Orthopedics & Sports Medicine.
At a press conference held on Dec. 16 at the weight room, Executive Director of Sports and Entertainment Pete Garcia and Doctors Hospital CEO Nelson Lazo talked about the new name and the partnership that FIU and Doctors Hospital has.
“Today’s really a special today not just for FIU athletics but FIU in general,” said Garcia. “We’re very fortunate to continue the great relationship with Doctors Hospital, Nelson Lazo, the CEO, has been very kind to us as we build this program and they’ve made even a bigger commitment moving forward.”
Doctors Hospital, which is a part of Baptist Health South Florida, has been affiliated with FIU for 20 years, but the success that athletics had lately helped in the decision of having their name connected with the weight room.
“The expansion of everything that’s happened on this campus, the football team which is playing great and brings them to new levels along with some of the other teams in the university has played a big part,” said Lazo. “Our relationship is so -that we feel so a part of this university that we want to continue to be on this campus and expand what we do.”
Garcia did not give a specific amount on how much FIU athletics will get from Doctors Hospital, but did say the first thing on the list will be to work on the expansion of the stadium that is expected to be finished by Sept.1.
Doctors Hospital is also the sports medicine provider for the Miami Heat, Florida Panthers, Sony Ericsson Tennis, the Orange Bowl and most high schools in Miami-Dade County. Lazo hopes that with the new name and signs put around the campus, it can help in promotion.
“For us it provides the ability to participate more on this campus and provides us with tremendous exposure,” Lazo said. “I’ve been to several of the games this year and there was a tremendous amount of traffic and exposure on game day here, even on days when there was not a game. So we want to be a part of this campus and be a part of the building and growing of the program.”
The weight room is in use by approximately 400 student athletes consisting of 17 sports teams everyday.
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