Charlotte businessmen and twin brothers Mark and Will Adkins have made a pledge of $1.5 million toward Coastal Carolina University's proposed football field house. It is the largest pledge the university has ever received from alumni. The gift is in addition to a $300,000 pledge the brothers, who graduated from Coastal in 1989, made to the project earlier this year. Their total commitment to the field house project is $1.8 million.

Originally from Huntington, W.Va., the Adkins brothers own a land development business, Waterfront Group Inc., based in Cornelius, N.C. The company, founded by the brothers in 1993, employs 120 people and conducts projects throughout the Southeast.

Situated at the north end of Brooks Stadium, the proposed $8.6 million, 43,000-square foot facility will house football coaches' offices, a 9,000 square-foot weight room to accommodate CCU's 17 Division I sports, new locker rooms, meeting rooms, an academic study lounge and 2,100 additional seats in the end zone in the front of the building. The facility will also house the Buddy Sasser Hall of Fame. Additional seating for Brooks Stadium will be in front of the building. Ground breaking for the field house is expected in 2007.

"Coastal's football program has been a major factor in the growth of the institution over the past few years," said Mark Adkins, "and it gives us a feeling of pride to be able to help, and to be a part of that growth."

The brothers, who both majored in business administration, live in Cornelius, N.C., where they are next-door neighbors.