Monthly updates on the development of sports venues and mixed-use districts from Brailsford & Dunlavey

Vol. 5, Issue 5

May 2025

Photo credit: iStockPhoto

Building a sustainable future with college sports

How college athletics can become a powerful driver of campus-wide sustainability

University athletic departments are uniquely positioned to lead the charge on campus sustainability. In this new thought leadership piece, B&D sports venue expert David Almany and energy leader Dave Karlsgodt explore why sustainability should be a strategic priority for college sports programs, outline the essential first steps, and highlight the key players that make success possible. You'll also get a sneak peek of our upcoming Campus Energy & Sustainability podcast that features the University of Michigan's sustainability leaders.

👉 Click below to read more.

B&D ON THE ROAD

L-R: Chris Dunlavey, Ryan Alpert, Marvin Lewis. Photo credit: B&D, Alpert, Lewis.

Catch B&D at NACDA 2025

Chris Dunlavey to speak at Sports Business Journal panel on athletic districts

If you're heading to the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Convention in Orlando, don’t miss B&D Co-CEO Chris Dunlavey as a featured speaker on the Sports Business Journal panel, “Developing Athletic Districts; How to transform the experience, for game day and beyond,” on June 10.

Dunlavey will be joined by Ryan Alpert, deputy athletic director and chief operating officer at the University of Tennessee, and Marvin Lewis, athletic director at George Mason University, where they will explore how schools can reimagine their venues, athletic campuses and surrounding districts to better serve fans, athletes and communities 365 days a year. The conversation will be moderated by SBJ Publisher Abe Madkour.

📅 Want to connect at NACDA? Click below to set up a time to meet with the B&D team.

Schedule a meeting

CENTERS UPDATE

High-demand spaces, high-return strategies

How a strategic partner unlocks the full potential of sports venues and arenas

As college sports venues take on more roles—from supporting varsity athletics to serving academic programs and community events—managing them has become increasingly complex. To help navigate these demands, some institutions are turning to third-party operators like CENTERS, which provide professional management for scheduling, logistics, and revenue generation. Schools such as Longwood University, Harper College, and the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire have partnered with CENTERS to streamline operations and balance competing priorities across their campus and community users.

👉 Click below to read more.

Established in 1998 by Brailsford & Dunlavey, CENTERS was the first company in the U.S. to provide campus center management services for campus life facilities including sports venues, recreation and wellness facilities, student centers, performing arts venues, conference facilities, and more. Visit or view for more info.

CONTACT B&D's VENUES PRACTICE GROUP

Go to venues.bdconnect.com to learn more about Brailsford & Dunlavey's Venues practice group. Interested in speaking to us about a sports venue or mixed-use project? Contact David Almany today.

© 2025 Brailsford & Dunlavey. All rights reserved. Venues News & Insights addresses the most pressing issues facing the development of sports venues and mixed-use athletic districts. It is published monthly by Brailsford & Dunlavey, one of the country's leading development advisory and program management firms in the sports venue sector. To learn more, go to venues.bdconnect.com. To view our job openings, go to bdconnect.com/careers. To unsubscribe, click on "UNSUBSCRIBE" below.