Houck Stadium eyed for major upgrades

Southeast Missouri State University plans to hire an architectural/engineering firm to draw up conceptual designs for renovating aging Houck Stadium.

Athletics director Brady Barke said Thursday the university is eyeing a capital improvements campaign to raise an estimated $20 million to fund the renovations.

So far, he said, nothing has been finalized. Even the $20 million figure is just "a number" and not a locked-in amount, Barke said.

Such a fundraising effort would be a first for the university, he said. "The university has never done a capital fundraising campaign for athletics in the history of the university," Barke said.

Any fundraising effort would also seek money for other improvements to athletic facilities such as replacing the Houck Field House flooring for volleyball, he said.

The university recently sought requests for qualifications. Eight firms responded. School officials and facilities management staff have been listening to presentations from the firms and are in the process of evaluating the companies, Barke said.

He said he hopes a firm could be chosen within the "next couple of weeks."

Houck Stadium, which is home to Redhawks football and soccer games, is nearly 90 years old and in serious need of major upgrades, Barke said.

The deteriorating condition of the south-side seating structure, with its concrete foundation, is a major concern, he said.

The stadium opened Oct. 3, 1930. While there have been improvements over the years -- including installation of artificial turf, video scoreboard and new lighting in 2011 -- few improvements have been made to the south-side seating area, Barke said.

"In the next few years, we need to make improvements to ensure that it remains a safe venue," he said.

Over the years, there has been discussion of adding club seating in the east end zone and maybe an open-air gathering area.

"Fans on the whole are less interested in traditional seating," Barke said. "For so many people, it is a social thing."

Today's modern stadiums are entertainment venues focusing more on the fan experience than the game itself, he said.

Making the stadium more handicapped accessible and upgrading restrooms and the press box are other items on Southeast's wish list, Barke said.

Existing restrooms beneath the south-side seats are in "rough shape," he said.

The concrete Houck Stadium archway serving as the main entrance to the stadium is a Cape Girardeau landmark. Barke said he hopes that "historical element" can be preserved as part of any renovation.

But the concrete seating structure might have to be razed and replaced with an all new seating structure, he said.

At this point, however, there are no specific improvements on the drawing board, Barke said. Rather, he views it as kind of "a blank slate" for whichever design firm is chosen.

Barke said he hopes that design concepts will be formulated over the next several months. Any fundraising campaign likely would begin with a "silent" phase, followed by a public phase.

Construction could be several years away, he said.

But the athletics director said the university hopes to capitalize on the public excitement generated by the university's 2018 playoff-winning football team as it pursues improvement plans and raising the money needed to carry them out.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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