Soon, the 400 members of the Minuteman Marching Band no longer will have to suit up in parking lots or in school buses or in the back seats of cars. Nor will they have to store their equipment five miles from campus.

Construction of a state-of-the-art practice and rehearsal building for the Pride of New England is scheduled to begin next spring near the Mullins Center and athletic fields. When it’s complete, all band operations will be under one roof and include amenities such as instrument and uniform storage, locker rooms, and rehearsal space that accommodates all musicians. The long anticipated home for the award-winning band is the result of a campus pledge of $4.5 million for the project, a $30,000 leadership gift from the UMass Amherst Alumni Association, and a $400,000 commitment from 1,114 band members, alumni, parents, and friends.

Band Director George Parks is thrilled with the overwhelming alumni support for the new building. “No matter when alumni were in the band, they shared the same experiences: mud, rain, sleeping on gym floors, long bus rides, and pride of seeing audiences react with emotion and enthusiasm to their exciting performances,” says Parks.

For UMass Amherst band campaign information go online to umassband.com.