Water damage, Amato firing costly
Published: Thu, Feb. 15, 2007 12:00AM
Modified Thu, Feb. 15, 2007 02:43AM
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closeRALEIGH -- The water damage to N.C. State's Murphy Center early in the 2006 football season and the firing of Wolfpack coach Chuck Amato after the season proved to be costly.
The damage caused by a ruptured pipe in September was more extensive -- and much more expensive -- than first believed. Athletics director Lee Fowler said the cost was about $1.1 million, much higher than the $250,000 in damages that he had estimated a few days after the rupture in the football operations center.
The rupture in a third-floor bathroom occurred while the players and coaches were at practice. The water leaked to the floors below, seeping between the walls and knocking out electricity.
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Amato was fired after a 3-9 season with three years remaining on his contract. He was owed three years and one month in salary, plus a $720,000 annuity -- about $1.42 million.
Fowler said the annuity, funded by the Wolfpack Club, has been paid. Amato recently was hired an assistant coach at Florida State and has a $200,000 annual salary. Fowler said that total will be deducted from NCSU's annual financial obligation. Amato's annual salary at NCSU was $228,960.
"The water damage and paying off coaches has put a dent in the athletics department budget," Fowler said.
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