The new proposed MTSU Athletic Plaza
Middle Tennessee State University announced on Nov. 15 that it has secured funds for a $66 million project to build a new student-athlete performance center behind the north end zone of Floyd Stadium as well as make stadium improvements—the first of a three-phase, $100-million-plus plan to upgrade athletics facilities.
President Sidney A. McPhee, along with Trustees Board Chairman Steve Smith and Athletics Director Chris Massaro, revealed details on the plans during a rally-style ceremony at the Emmett and Rose Kennon Athletics Hall of Fame, just before the tipoff of the Lady Raiders’ basketball game against Vanderbilt, a contest MTSU went on to win 55–46.
Built on the site of the current weight and game-day rooms adjacent to Murphy Center, the three-story structure will house training, equipment and strength and conditioning centers. Football locker and meeting rooms and personnel offices will be moved from Murphy Center into the new facility.
Design of the new facility will begin immediately, with project completion expected before the start of the 2024 Blue Raider football season. GMC+HOK, a team that helped build similar projects at Vanderbilt, Auburn, Georgia and other universities will oversee design of the project. The State Building Commission recently approved MTSU’s plans for the project.
McPhee laid out the university’s vision for the project for those in attendance at the announcement, standing before a large LED wall that projected the architectural rendering of the transformed athletics campus.
McPhee said the project underscores the university’s commitment to providing the highest level of performance in competition and in the classroom.
Plans were unveiled at a November 2021 ceremony; photo by Emily Cole
“Imagine a place that is inviting, highly functional and home to a state-of-the-art fan experience,” McPhee said, adding that the MTSU program has decided to remain with Conference USA. “A place where our student-athletes get the training and tools they need to reach their greatest potential. A place that serves as an even greater tourism destination for Murfreesboro and Rutherford County.”
Smith, a member of MTSU’s Athletics Hall of Fame, thanked private donors for their support, which allowed the first phase to take shape and pass muster with the State Building Commission.
“Many loyal Blue Raider fans and supporters stepped forward, quietly, to give this effort the momentum necessary to bring us to this day,” Smith said.
Smith urged support of the Blue Raider Athletics Association’s ongoing Build Blue fundraising campaign, which hopes to raise $15 million over five years for the project.
At the conclusion of the announcement, Rick and Sara Stockstill donated a gift of $500,000 to the Build Blue project.
The north end zone of Floyd Stadium
Following the Student-Athlete Performance Center, phase two of the plan would feature an upgraded and revitalized Murphy Center entrance, providing a grand, fan-friendly entrance, a large interior atrium and a ticket office. Internally, a state-of-the-art training and skill center for the basketball programs, featuring a regulation NCAA court, would also be constructed.
In phase three of the plan, a multipurpose indoor practice facility would be constructed to the east of the SAPC. The climate-controlled facility would provide all 17 Blue Raider athletic programs an indoor amenity to practice and train regardless of weather conditions.
“This is transformational for our department, for our university and for our community,” Massaro said.
Coaches said the improvements will help recruit elite athletes, coaches and staff in a highly competitive intercollegiate landscape. They said the plan also will enhance the student-athlete experience by providing championship-level locker rooms, meeting rooms and state-of-the-art training facilities.
“This will be huge in recruiting and player development while playing an integral role in our program reaching its full potential,” said football Head Coach Rick Stockstill. “I am grateful to all of those who have made this possible.”
Blue Raider fans can visit buildbluenow.com to learn more about the Blue Raider Athletic Complex plans, see concept art and make a donation.
