(03-12-2026 04:07 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote: JAX--new end zone facility and future IPF (?)
No longer a need for the question mark on the IPF. The University secured a very large donor and officially named the project the Ken and Jenny Howell Football Indoor Practice Facility.
It's definitely happening. The only question now is when construction will begin.
We have several projects on campus drawing to a close (notably the Randy Owen Center and Phase I of the West Village) so my guess is, they'll start construction once those are complete.
The new facility will also become the base for the Big Red Marching Band, with dedicated storage and support space for the band, as well as a venue for year-round, all-weather practice.Tim and Sarah Ford Fieldhouse. Dedicated Today. Completed.
Generational Impact!
122,000 SQ FT Total
87,000 SQ FT of open practice space
INCREDIBLE Building. An Historic Day at Western Kentucky University.
Truly state of the art. I was "wowed" at the event.
It will serve many functions and help every sport at WKU.
FOOTBALL IPF--Full 100 yard practice field, full end zones, ample sideline space, filming-viewing balcony, Very high ceiling, hanging goals posts, superior lighting--all a 30 second walk from the locker room and weight room in the stadium next door.
NEW BASEBALL Clubhouse---joined and under same roof; 21,000 SQ FT, all new locker rooms(very luxurious), 39 state of the art lockers, weight room, nutrition center, team room, coaches’ offices and hitting facility with four batting cages and a flexible multi-use space. Additionally a balcony with two suites overlooking the field on the third base side.
Also new home of National Champion Forensics (Debate team). WKU has won the National Forensics team title and individual championship----Several times. Classrooms, debate and study room offices.
Also new home of WKU E-Sports---latest equipment and technology to support the team who recently won a major tournament.
WKU Marching Band--The new facility will also become the base for the Big Red Marching Band, with dedicated storage and support space for the band, as well as a venue for year-round, all-weather practice. WKU has the largest band among all Kentucky universities.
(This post was last modified: 03-25-2026 04:28 PM by TOPSTRAIGHT.)
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Here are some renderings from 2023--actual construction turned out better--but these will give you an idea of how things look.
Murphy Center supposed to be complete at some point in 2029. This wil run simultaneously with some upgrades to the home side of the football stadium, which may include some sort of on-field premium seating.
Announcment on which hotel brand soon.
Baseball field getting turfed.
Softball offices being built to move softball coaches to their stadium, instead of our older basketball gym.
Murphy Center supposed to be complete at some point in 2029. This wil run simultaneously with some upgrades to the home side of the football stadium, which may include some sort of on-field premium seating.
Announcment on which hotel brand soon.
Baseball field getting turfed.
Softball offices being built to move softball coaches to their stadium, instead of our older basketball gym.
Absolutely none of this matters until we clean house of bad coaching hires and other leadership, however. Afraid that much of this money may go toward raises and extensions, keeping the current admin & their coaching buddies fat and happy.
Currently the 65+ old-fogey crowd continues to milk that government teat.
(This post was last modified: 04-13-2026 05:31 PM by KAjunRaider.)
Murphy Center supposed to be complete at some point in 2029. This wil run simultaneously with some upgrades to the home side of the football stadium, which may include some sort of on-field premium seating.
Announcment on which hotel brand soon.
Baseball field getting turfed.
Softball offices being built to move softball coaches to their stadium, instead of our older basketball gym.
Absolutely none of this matters until we clean house of bad coaching hires and other leadership, however. Afraid that much of this money may go toward raises and extensions, keeping the current admin & their coaching buddies fat and happy.
Currently the 65+ old-fogey crowd continues to milk that government teat.
There’s so much upside in the boro if we just get the right leadership in place.
Murphy Center supposed to be complete at some point in 2029. This wil run simultaneously with some upgrades to the home side of the football stadium, which may include some sort of on-field premium seating.
Announcment on which hotel brand soon.
Baseball field getting turfed.
Softball offices being built to move softball coaches to their stadium, instead of our older basketball gym.
Absolutely none of this matters until we clean house of bad coaching hires and other leadership, however. Afraid that much of this money may go toward raises and extensions, keeping the current admin & their coaching buddies fat and happy.
Currently the 65+ old-fogey crowd continues to milk that government teat.
There’s so much upside in the boro if we just get the right leadership in place.
Yep. Unprecedented growth.
Changes, they are a'coming, but damn I wish they'd come more quickly.
Hard to believe not long ago, with basically the same staff in place, we were winning all-sports trophies. Our folks have lost their fire and grown fat & happy.
(This post was last modified: 04-15-2026 08:24 AM by KAjunRaider.)
I know it’s easy to spend others’ money, but why didn’t yall extend seating to the ends of the end zones on each side? It seems like it could’ve been included in with the press box addition and not that much more…certainly cheaper now, then later? Would’ve made the stadium look SO much better.
I guess it’s simply not needed and not a priority…I get it.
I know it’s easy to spend others’ money, but why didn’t yall extend seating to the ends of the end zones on each side? It seems like it could’ve been included in with the press box addition and not that much more…certainly cheaper now, then later? Would’ve made the stadium look SO much better.
I guess it’s simply not needed and not a priority…I get it.
Can't touch those stands for right now because of ADA. If they do any sort of structural work on it they'll have to bring it all up to code. The visitor and homestands were built in the 80s. Part of the reason the only upgrade they've done is adding chairbacks. We likely won't see anything done until they decide to horseshoe the stands inside of the stadium. Not sure the school could stomach more than $67M at the moment for football upgrades. Sam likes to keep institutional debt fairly low and after opening the medical school athletics capital projects were placed on the back burner until some previous school project's bonds fell off the docket.
MO State will be renovating about 8,500 square feet of space inside the historic 86-year-old McDonald Arena into a locker room, and reopening a game day tunnel that runs to Plaster Stadium’s field. Other parts of the project include converting about 8,000 square feet in the arena into a weight room, about 3,000 square feet for a training area and 2,200 square feet for equipment storage and laundry.
Money for the upgrade will come from privately raised donations, which have increased thanks to the team’s ascension into the NCAA’s Football Bowl Subdivision. The game-day tunnel was filled in as part of the 2014 project that upgraded the east stands and removed the track from around the field.
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