With much of the sports world at a standstill, one part of James Madison athletics is moving forward: construction on the new Atlantic Union Bank Center.

In an interview with the Daily News-Record on Thursday, JMU athletic director Jeff Bourne said despite the COVID-19 outbreak that led to the cancellation of NCAA events and a stay-at-home order from Virginia governor Ralph Northam, the building of the Dukes’ new arena remains on track to open in the fall.

But other proposed facilities projects at JMU have been pushed back two years.

“The construction of the Atlantic Union Bank Center has continued on time,” Bourne said. “But we have put all other capital projects on, for right now, a two-year hold. Sentara Park, the old Convocation Center renovation and what would been a baseball and softball renovation and a field hockey complex, those have been delayed right now for a 24-month period.”

James Madison announced in February it had entered planning stages with architects for an addition to Sentara Park, home to the Dukes soccer, lacrosse and track and field programs.

After securing a $1 million dollar gift from an anonymous donor, JMU planned to begin construction at Sentara in October. The project included two stand-alone buildings on each end of the main grandstand. One new building, planned at 2,400 square feet, will include a visiting team locker room, showers, and restroom as well as a concessions area for fans and storage space for the JMU athletic department.

JMU currently uses temporary structures for concessions and storage.

The second building, on the Neff Avenue side of the grandstand, would house another locker room, coaches meeting room, showers and restroom for the home team along with a sports medicine suite.

“Right now I’m really just kind of focusing on what I can and can’t control,” JMU lacrosse coach Shelley Klaes-Bawcombe said. “I’m still very excited the vision is there. The plan is there. Because of the private donation, the majority of the funding is there. Now I just have to call on my patience and talk about the vision and the promise that’s there in recruiting.”

Bourne said the school has left open the possibility of resuming projects at an earlier date if pandemic-related conditions eventually allow.

“If we were to find ourselves back in a position where they could move more quickly, then our university administration would consider that,” Bourne said. “We will continue to work diligently to raise money for those facilities, but in terms of the actual construction starting major work, that’s now been delayed.”

While some Division I programs face a severe budget crisis, JMU may be in a better position. Bourne said the athletic department will be “materially affected” by the pandemic and make adjustments to spending while dipping into reserve funds.

But while other schools have begun cutting salaries for coaches and athletic staff, that’s currently not part of the plan at JMU. But Bourne said coaches will not be able to host camps on campus this summer, which can be a significant source of income for some.

“We’re looking for what we call reasonable savings that don’t affect the quality of the student-athlete experience,” Bourne said. “It’s not going to affect their academic support. It’s not going to affect strength and conditioning or sports medicine or nutritional needs they have. Then if we are in fact allowed to hold completion, we will make sure they are well prepared for that.”