Construction at Boone Pickens Stadium is on schedule and operating within budget, but all other projects planned for OSU’s Athletic Village must wait until the BP Capital hedge fund grows, Athletic Director Mike Holder said.
“Our goal is for the new facilities to have a positive impact on the recruitment of
prospective students,” Holder said. “These facilities are not just about the athletic department but the entire university. We are building toward a better future for everyone associated with OSU and Stillwater.”
Holder said Cowboy Athletics, Inc. has acquired all but two of the structures contained in the proposed site of the Athletic Village.
The next phase of the construction schedule calls for the demolition of streets, movement of utilities and grading of the site south of McElroy Road, Holder said.
He said these preparations are for future construction of the grass practice fields for football and the Sherman Smith Training Center.
Cowboy Athletics, Inc. initially invested $202 million at BP Capital in early 2005, and the investment needs to surpass $400 million for construction of the Sherman Smith Training Center to begin, Holder said.
Holder said the mission is to attract the brightest young people, give them a quality education and convince them that the state of Oklahoma is where they should live and pursue their dreams.
Architect Gary Sparks of Sparks Sports said the next projects that construction crews will complete are the outdoor fields and the indoor practice facility.
Sparks said he is unaware of any similar projects like OSU’s Athletic Village in the country.
“When all of that is completed, I think it’s going to be spectacular,” Sparks said.
Psychology junior Leah Roper said she is eagerly awaiting the village’s completion.
Holder said Boone Pickens has given OSU an opportunity to create a brighter future. With Pickens’ generosity comes a tremendous responsibility, he said.
Holder said a lot of work still needs to be done and many more donors need to step forward to support the cause.
“This is the time for everyone to ask the question ‘What can I do to make a difference in the future of my university?’ and there is no better place to create positive energy than Saturday afternoons in Boone Pickens Stadium cheering for the Cowboys,” Holder said. “Everyone needs to put on their game face, saddle up and ride for the OSU brand.”
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