(09-04-2020 02:40 PM)Tigerx3 Wrote:  

(08-31-2020 08:47 AM)pkptigers07 Wrote:  The university is in the planning stages of a $600 million capital campaign that will run through the mid 20s. I’m doubtful a new stadium is included in that with all that is going on at the Fairgrounds, the numerous other priorities, and the current climate in higher ed. I think one lasting legacy of COVID-19 is going to be a tremendous reduction in the amount of debt that universities take on. COvid-19 and the coming demographic changes (significantly less high school grads due to declining birth rates) is going to be a 1-2 punch that really hobbles the ability of universities to continue large debt service in the short to medium term. It may even put quite a few out of business entirely.

Enrollment is up this fall at the U of Memphis.

A new stadium is not in the next campaign. I would think that would be a completely separate campaign so as not to take away from other brick and mortar projects. Stadiums have multiple levels of financing that includes naming rights, sponsorships, season seat licensing, parking revenue, advertising revenue, etc. You don't announce a major campaign in the middle of a pandemic and you don't announce a major campaign unless you have significant commitments in hand. They already have money committed towards the next campaign and it includes some projects already on the books in the planning/ pre-build stage.

Enrollment is up this fall due to some pretty extraordinary efforts to provide financial assistance to students hit hard by the pandemic. It’s hard to classify it as growth given the circumstance but it sure beats the enrollment declines that others are facing.

Personally I think the UofM is well positioned to weather the coming enrollment crisis later this decade but the popular sentiment is that small private and mid-tier state schools will be hit the hardest.

I believe the $600 million campaign will count fundraising and expenditures back into 2019. So that likely includes the parking garage, healthy &wellness center, music center, fieldhouse renovation, and some research funding. Those projects probably get us close to $150 million already.