With a turn of the shovel, Phase 1 construction began on the new Texas A&M University Equine Complex. At a total cost of $80 million when completed, the new complex provides a home for equine science education, research, and outreach.

Eleanor Green, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, ABVP, Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences' Carl B. King Dean of Veterinary Medicine, said the initiative will bring together students, faculty, and equine industry leaders and provide a foundation for research discoveries and outreach initiatives dedicated to the welfare of the horse.

Planning for the new center began in May 2012 when the Texas A&M Board of Regents approved negotiation of a ground lease with an anonymous donor that allowed for Phase 1 construction to begin. This cornerstone gift, combined with in-kind and other major gifts, bring support generated for Phase 1 construction to approximately $35 million.

"The Texas A&M Equine Initiative is another example of the culture of excellence found across the entire Texas A&M University System," Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp said. "State-of-the-art facilities such as these are central to our mission of improving the lives of people and animals in Texas and beyond