Fundraising for Mizzou’s proposed football facility tops $70 million with seven-figure gift

Another week brought another seven-figure donation for the University of Missouri’s proposed football facility in the south end zone at Memorial Stadium.

The Tigers’ athletic department announced Wednesday that a confidential donor made a gift of $1 million toward the project.

The latest donation pushes Mizzou over the $70 million mark in fundraising for the $75 million project.

“We are pleased to announce yet another significant gift from a very generous supporter,” Tigers athletic director Jim Sterk said in a statement. “Our fundraising success is the direct result of our donors’ belief in the direction our program is heading under the leadership of (first-year football coach) Barry Odom. People believe in his vision and they are stepping up to help in important ways.”

Odom also expressed gratitude for the impressive generosity shown by donors for the project — which will help build a new training facility and weight room, cafeteria, locker rooms, coaches’ offices and recruiting area along with adding additional premium seating in the south end zone at the stadium.

“I’ve said this many times, but we have a great opportunity to do something very meaningful with this project,” Odom said in a release. “The momentum we’ve built, and continue to further build on, is really something special. I’m looking forward to seeing it continue.”

Fundraising for the project picked up steam in September, a month after Missouri hired Sterk as its new athletic director.

The Tigers announced a $10 million gift from the Kansas City Sports Trust on Sept. 8 and an $8 million gift six weeks later from an anonymous donor.

Mizzou also announced donations of $1.675 million and $1.4 million toward the project in recent months.

This story was originally published December 7, 2016 at 12:32 PM with the headline "Fundraising for Mizzou’s proposed football facility tops $70 million with seven-figure gift."