First-year University of Maine baseball and softball coaches Steve Trimper and Stacey Sullivan, respectively, will be two of the primary benefactors of a new recruiting tool.

Construction on a year-round, air-supported, dome-type facility began last month and is expected to be completed later this year.

Bangor philanthropist Larry Mahaney, after whom the school’s baseball stadium and clubhouse are named, is supplying the $1 million for the lighted 200-by-200-foot facility. It will stand 55 feet high at the center and will have a FieldTurf surface similar to the one at Husson College’s Winkin Baseball Complex. It is being constructed where the tennis courts used to be located.

In addition to the baseball and softball teams, it will also be used by the football, field hockey and men’s and women’s soccer programs.

The ceremonial groundbreaking will take place Wednesday at 4 p.m.

“It’s going to be awesome,” said Trimper. “It’s a huge upgrade for us. Mr. Mahaney, once again, is more generous than anyone could have imagined. This will give us the ability to practice when the weather isn’t so great. And FieldTurf feels like natural grass.

“It will benefit us big-time,” added Trimper.

Trimper pointed out Mahaney intends to have the inside of the dome painted blue which will be advantageous because his players will be able to pick up the white baseball against the blue backdrop.

“Most of the domes I’ve seen have been white [inside] and the white wall with the white baseball doesn’t work that well,” said Trimper.

He said rival recruiters will try to dissuade players from attending Maine by pointing out how cold it is in Orono.

“But now we’ve got a great practice facility,” said Trimper.

Sullivan said recruits in states such as Pennsylvania and New Jersey are always asking her about the weather, how many home games they have and where do they practice [inside].

“When I mention the bubble [dome], it has been an eye-raising thing. It raises the level of our program.” said Sullivan, who played at UMaine. “It will absolutely help us attract more kids.”

She said the dome could be big enough for her team to have a full scrimmage.

“My players are extremely excited about it. It will provide us with more of a realistic atmosphere before we’re able to go outside,” said Sullivan. “It will give us better angles than the field house did. We could only use two outfielders in the field house.

Mahaney announced he was willing to raise $500,000 to build a domed facility five years ago but then-President Peter Hoff and other high-ranking school administrators declined his offer.

The primary reason given for their rejection of his proposal was the cost of maintaining the facility.

Hoff’s estimate was $50,000 per year but Mahaney disagreed, saying it would be in the vicinity of $30,000.

The rejection significantly strained the relationship between Mahaney and the university for several years.

At the time, Mahaney said, “My support of the university is hanging by a thread. I’m very, very discouraged. This has killed my enthusiasm. We have an administration with a nickel-and-dime attitude.”