Empire Challenge Offers Top-Notch Facilities by Casey Newton The high school all-stars participating in the Outback Steakhouse Empire Challenge will enjoy state of the art facilities when they practice at the New York Jets Professional training facility and then go head to head in the game itself, to be held at Hofstra University recently renovated stadium. The players will spend the week before the game practicing at Weeb Ewbank Hall, a two story, 54,000 square foot facility located on the Hofstra University campus in Hempstead, NY. Named for the Professional Hall of Fame coach, Ewbank Hall is the Jets year round training facility, ticket office and office complex. The training complex for players and coaches since 1974, it became the franchise headquarters in 1990. "The opportunity afforded the players for the Boomer Esiason's Outback Steakhouse Empire Challenge to practice and train at our facility is a tremendous one," Said Steve Gutman, Jets President. "It allows the participants a chance to see the environment in which NFL players and coaches work. Embank's football operations were completely overhauled in 1997 when a polymer Teflon air support structure was installed over the 60 yard Astroturf field. The structure provides the team with an all weather, fully lighted facility in which to practice. The fields state of the art drainage and watering capabilities, allowing the team to work out in almost any weather conditions. Located on eight and a half acres, Ewbank's upper level houses offices for accounting, pro scouting, college scouting, marketing, video operations, business operations and coaches. The second floor also features an 85 seat auditorium, classrooms and offensive and defensive meeting rooms. Downstairs, the locker room contains 70 permanent lockers, a hydrotherapy pool and sauna. Also on the lower level are public relations offices, a media work room and studio, a reception area, ticket operations, strength complex, equipment operations, a training room, mail operations and players lounge.