Mizzou’s Memorial Stadium football facility project set for curator approval of architect

Mizzou Athletics will request approval from the University of Missouri System Board of Curators to hire an architect for renovations at Memorial Stadium during a Thursday morning meeting in Columbia.

A memorandum from MU detailing the project recommends Kansas City-based Populous as the architect. Populous has worked on similar football-facility projects at Kansas State, Oklahoma and Colorado.

First-year Missouri athletic director Jim Sterk — who has helped secure a fiscal-year record eight seven-figure donations, most toward the project — previously indicated a desire to begin construction after the Tigers’ 2017 football season.

The project is expected to be completed during summer 2019, the memo said.

The proposed renovation of the stadium’s south end zone will include razing the existing portion of the bowl, addressing foundation issues and constructing a new football facility.

The price tag for the project is $96.7 million dollars, with $4.31 million budgeting for “design costs through private gifts,” according to the memo.

Recruiting is listed as the primary motivation for the project, especially in an effort to keep pace within the Southeastern Conference.

“Top recruits factor access to this type of focused facilities in their decision as to which university to attend,” the memo said. “Construction of a football focused facility will enhance recruiting specifically for football but also of student athletes across all sports and academic interests since it will alleviate congestion at the (Mizzou Athletic Training Complex).”

The proposal calls for an approximately 107,000-square-foot, four-story building in the south end zone.

It will include a new team locker room, training facility, weight room, coaches’ offices, team meeting room, reception areas for the public and recruits, equipment storage and broadcast space.

Additionally, a new kitchen and dining space will be constructed for team dining and premium-seating functions.

Also included in the facility are 24 new 12-seat suites, a private field-level club and 4,000 general admission seats along with concessions and restrooms for spectators.

This story was originally published February 7, 2017 at 5:38 PM with the headline "Mizzou’s Memorial Stadium football facility project set for curator approval of architect."