ASU officials announced Friday that an Arizona businessman has made yet another multimillion-dollar donation to the University.
Ira A. Fulton, CEO of Fulton Homes, Inc., donated $3 million to ASU's Decision Theater for the New Arizona, said ASU spokeswoman Nancy Neff.
"It's a large gift in terms of impact on the community," Neff said.
The Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering bears Fulton's name from a $50 million donation to the school in June 2003. Fulton later made a $50 million donation to BYU's engineering college in November 2003, now called the Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering and Technology.
Fulton has donated more money to ASU than any other single University benefactor, Neff said.
Fulton has offered to match donations dollar-for-dollar made to the engineering school in the next year.
He also gave a $5 million grant to the College of Education in August 2003.
The centerpiece of the research theater, which first opened at ASU this fall, will be a 270-degree semi-circular screen for scientists to visualize different outcomes of state issues including environmental problems like urban sprawl and drought.
"This project demonstrates how computer technology can be instrumental to the future of Arizona," Fulton said in a press release. "As the Valley grows to be one of the greatest cities in the world, we will be able to use this tool to make responsible decisions affecting our future."
Visitors will be able to wear special glasses to view 3-D imagery in the theater.
"This is a critical time for the whole state in terms of growth and development," Neff said. "This gives a chance for scientists at ASU to have an impact on decisions before they're made, to impact air quality and things like that."
The theater will be constructed inside the Brickyard at Mill Avenue and Seventh Street.
A sample theater already sits in the Brickyard. Construction is scheduled to begin this month and end in May.
Neff said the gift was "critical" because the theater had previously had no other funding.
The Decision Center for the Desert City, a program that will use the theater facility in its research, was funded by a $6.9 million grant from the National Science Foundation earlier this fall, Neff said.
Reach the reporter at nicole.saidi@asu.edu.
