ROLLA, Mo. 鈥 University of Missouri administration approved $250 million in renovations to the Memorial Stadium north concourse on Thursday, clearing the way for the school鈥檚 most expensive athletic facilities project to date.
Expected to be complete in time for the 2026 season, the renovations will overhaul the north end of the stadium.
Renderings unveiled after Thursday鈥檚 UM System Board of Curators meeting in Rolla show multiple levels of premium seating added above and around Memorial Stadium鈥檚 iconic Rock M.
Maintaining the presence of that landmark Rock M 鈥 the whitewashed rocks that have been arranged in an 鈥淢鈥 shape since 1927 鈥 has been a design priority from the project鈥檚 onset.
The renovations will add 2,000 premium tickets to the stadium鈥檚 capacity, including 51 new suite spaces. That will increase Memorial Stadium鈥檚 capacity to approximately 65,000, interim athletics director Marcy Girton said.
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There will also be upgrades to stadium Wi-Fi, concessions and restrooms in that area of the concourse.
Some of the premium spaces will be open year-round for events and recruiting purposes.
Curator Bob Blitz, who introduced the board鈥檚 resolution approving the project, cited the importance of Mizzou athletics鈥 reputation and remaining competitive in the Southeastern Conference as benefits before the vote. The board unanimously approved the resolution.
Other administration figures echoed Blitz鈥檚 points.
鈥淭oday鈥檚 announcement honors (fans鈥) commitments, traditions and history 鈥 but also enables us to compete at the highest level,鈥 UM System President and MU Chancellor Mun Choi said. 鈥淎nd in the SEC, we have to compete at the highest level.鈥
鈥淲hether it鈥檚 in the classroom or on the field, Mizzou must set the pace, perpetually challenging ourselves to raise the bar for the SEC and higher education in general,鈥 Board of Curators chair Robin Wenneker said. 鈥淲e share our fans鈥 and supporters鈥 passion for high standards for excellence.鈥
Half of the $250 million required for the north concourse project will come from donations, including a previously received $50 million anonymous contribution. Another $50 million will come from unspecified internal sources with the final $75 million to be debt borrowed against future revenue generated by the project.
Given that the entire UM System has $1.6 billion in debt, which fiscal officers told the Board of Curators at Thursday's meeting, that financing practice is standard and has been used for past large-scale construction projects.
The university has consulted with outside groups on how best to structure some of the fundraising, Girton said.
"We're fully on our fundraising side to raise a substantial amount 鈥 at least half," she said. "From a financial standpoint, we felt really good about this project."
Planning for the renovations began under previous athletics director Desiree Reed-Francois, who left MU in February. The athletics department's work on the project continued unhindered at the direction of interim AD Marcy Girton, allowing the department to meet the deadline of Thursday's meeting for presenting details to the Board of Curators.
Mizzou has enlisted the services of the DLR Group, a Kansas City-based architecture and design firm, for the project. DLR has worked with the University of Houston on its football stadium and on updates to the Los Angeles Coliseum. MU will pay the DLR Group approximately $15.8 million for its work on the project, according to the board's passed resolution.
A selection committee for the architect "was impressed with the creativity demonstrated in DLR's visioning process as well (as) their ability to facilitate the design using data analytics and the input of stakeholders," according to previous meeting documents submitted to the Board of Curators.
As previously planned, an expanded video board and upgraded sound system on the north concourse are already slated for summer installation to be ready for the upcoming 2024 football season
The most recent significant upgrade to Memorial Stadium was the construction of premium seating and a new team facility in the south end zone, a project that cost $98 million and wrapped up ahead of the 2019 football season.
In 2013, MU altered the slope of the north concourse鈥檚 grass hill, moving it closer to the field to expand the concourse area above.
