UM Board of Curators approves plans for upcoming Memorial Stadium Improvement Project
ROLLA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Memorial Stadium Improvement Project is officially a 'go' for Mizzou Athletics, following Thursday's University of Missouri System Board of Curators meeting in Rolla. The board unanimously approved the plans for upgrades to the north end zone at Faurot Field.
You can watch the full press conference with Mizzou Athletics and the UM Board of Curators, following the announcement, in the video player below.
It was the first time that MU showed the renderings for the reimagined north end zone, which carried a promise of open-air, mixed-use development along the stadium's north concourse area, as well as a potential for year-around revenue opportunities.
Mizzou said the projected completion date for the project will be 2026. There is no construction timeline at this point, but they don't expect any impacts for fans through the 2024 and 2025 season.
You can find pictures of the renderings, courtesy of the UM System Board of Curators, below.
The renovations will carry about a $250 million price tag, with half of that being paid through donations. That amount is more than double what the 2019 south end zone facility upgrades cost the athletic department.
Mizzou football coach Eli Drinkwitz was at the meeting in Rolla on Thursday. He said it's hard to put into words the level of excitement he has for the project.
"It's a big dream and it's a bold investment. You have to be worthy of that investment, not only as the coach, but as the staff and our players. We got to work really hard to make sure that the shareholders get a return on that investment," he said.
You can watch the full press conference with Coach Drinkwitz in the video player below.
The board said a big plus side to the stadium improvement project is the bump in capacity. They expect Faurot Field to hold about 65,000 people once construction is complete. Interim Athletic Director Marcy Girton said that is big for the competitive advantage.
"Our home field advantage will be outstanding. Our opponents will know they will be in for a tough day when they step on Faurot Field," she said.
There are quite a few upgrades coming to the north end zone. You can find a brief list below.
- Rock M GA seating remains
- Rock M fan club (300 people)
- Mezzanine club (500 people)
- 600 Loge Box seats
- 51 added suite
- 260 Mezzanine Club seat
- 28 Tiger Dens | club level
- Adding recruitment center, WiFi upgrades, restroom enhancements, LED field lighting and ribbon boards, etc.
In 2023, Mizzou led the SEC in attendance growth for the second consecutive season and sold out the final five home games — the program’s first stretch of five consecutive sellouts since 1980.
The committee is still working on the financials and how exactly it will all be funded, but Girton said they are in a good spot with donations that they should be able to find about half the project.
