SEMO governors approve initial Houck Field rebuild

Southeast Missouri State University's Board of Governors OK'd plans Friday to begin renovating Houck Field.

"Athletics plays a vital role for our institution," SEMO president Dr. Carlos Vargas said in a statement from the university. "A state-of-the-art Houck Field has the ability to bring more fans, special events and numerous activities to this region and enhance growth toward a much stronger and healthier university. Rebuilding the stadium will not be possible without the support of our fans, alumni and community, and we ask you to join us as we work to create a lasting future for our university."

The first phase of the project will include demolition of the existing south grandstand structure as well as construction of a new south seating bowl and concourse with new restrooms and concession areas. Current plans indicate this phase will be complete in time for the Fall 2022 season.

The south side of the stadium was abruptly shut down last month, just as the Redhawks were preparing for their season-opening football game. At the time, Vargas said safety concerns prompted the action.

"A recent structural assessment has revealed the stadium's south grandstand structure has surpassed its original useful life and the rate of deterioration of the concrete structure has accelerated. The safety of our fans is of utmost importance and, as a result, we have made the difficult decision to cease use of the south grandstand and press box area of our stadium. This decision will result in modified game-day operations and reduced spectator capacity for the fall 2021 season," he said.

Beyond the initial work to be completed, the remainder of the South Sideline project has two additional phases, which will be completed as funding is identified.

Items to be incorporated in these phases include a locker room for the football and soccer teams, an athletic training space, centralized ticketing, and a two-level press box, equipped with operational areas and a new club level.

Future plans for the Houck Field renovations will not be limited to the South Sideline rebuild. Additional phases will involve renovation of the North Sideline seating area and construction of a new field house.

Athletics director Brady Barke said the announcement is a milestone.

"This is a huge step forward for Athletics and I'm excited for the rebuild of Houck Field to begin," he said. "Houck Field not only serves as the front porch of our university, but also the doorstep to downtown Cape Girardeau. Once complete, Houck will create a great place for our student-athletes to train and compete, a first-class venue that will attract quality students and athletes to our university and a unique gameday atmosphere for our fans."

Southeast Missouri State University contracted with Hollis + Miller, an architecture and design firm based in Kansas City, Missouri. Hollis + Miller Architects were selected through a competitive Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process to provide professional architectural, engineering, scheduling and planning services for stadium renovation and construction. Conceptual designs for a stadium renovation were completed in August 2019 and have served as the focal point of the Department of Athletics' plan to rebuild Houck Field.