West Point athletics ready for touchdown with $145M stadium project
At the United States Military Academy at West Point the start of construction is anticipated for a $145 million project to help modernize the iconic 38,000-seat Michie Stadium. In July of last year, the Army West Point Athletics Association (AWPAA) announced initial plans for the launch of the Michie Stadium Preservation Project. It said the organization would be working the West Point Association of Graduates to raise $95 million in support of a project to reconstruct the stadium”™s East Stands and provide additional enhancements.
AWPAA explains that it is “a New York not-for-profit corporation organized on Oct. 14, 2015 to provide an extraordinary Division I athletic experience at the United States Military Academy (”˜USMA”™). This intercollegiate athletic program supports the USMA mission to build leaders of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country.”
“What we are doing is demolishing the East Stands; it”™s currently a standalone structure,” West Point”™s Athletic Director Mike Buddie told the Business Journals. “We”™ll be knocking it over then rebuilding it to include seating for the cadets that will run end zone to end zone across the entire length of the field and then above that will be club seats, loge seating and then suites as well.”
Buddie said that the new, modern 162,000-square-foot structure will be fully winterized, concessions will be upgraded and there will be a new area for relocating the existing Athletics Hall of Fame where the heritage and history of Army athletics are celebrated. There also will be a gift shop and outdoor walkways including a new Victory Plaza area.
Buddie said that the East Stands portion of the Michie Stadium project is anticipated to cost $110 million. Another feature of the project, the Athletic Center of Excellence, will be about $35 million, for a total project cost of $145 million.
Michie Stadium was first opened in 1924. It was named in honor of West Point Cadet Dennis Mahan Michie who, in 1890, organized, managed and coached the academy”™s first football team. Many people recognize the stadium from its role as periodic host of Army-Navy football games as well as West Point graduation ceremonies.
The stadium originally held 16,000 people and underwent gradual expansion. In the 1930s, a press box and field lighting were added. In 1962, the East Stands structure was added and in 1969 an upper deck was added to the West Stands. A new press box was built in 2003.
Buddie said that the plan actually provides modern high-quality seating options for patrons who choose that.
“For fans who love being outside in the elements or maybe are on a budget, those aren”™t going away. This is a brand new option for those who find it attractive,” Buddie said. “The other 75% of the stadium will remain historic and affordable and family friendly, all the things that are important for us on game day.”
Buddie said that Michie Stadium is an important place at West Point where the academy “shakes hands” with the public.
“As we try to attract young men and women to attend our academy oftentimes their first experience with West Point may be watching it on television in which case Michie Stadium needs to be appealing or in person,” Buddie said. “Obviously having a modern, sleek facility that allows us to compete with Michigan, Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Missouri as we have been in the past five years, it”™s important that when any Army team has a public-facing persona we”™re competitive.”
Buddie is no stranger to all variations of sports stadiums having played for both the New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers. He was a pitcher and played on the Yankees”™ 1998 World Series championship team. He was with the athletic departments at both Furman University and Wake Forest prior to joining West Point in 2019.
“What”™s so unique about West Point is that not only do the cadets have to focus on their academics in addition to their athletic preparation but they”™ve also got military training which is in itself a full-time job,” Buddie said. “One of the things I stress in my job is to be as economical as possible, as humanly possible, so we can be 100% prepared, maximize the time that we utilize for the cadets to train in their sport because they”™ve also got homework and military studies that are really important. Our goal is for them to be leaders of character so that when they go out to the Army as second lieutenants they are as prepared as they can possibly be.”
Buddie said that honor and character are at the forefront in all of the academy”™s sports activities and those themes permeate everything they do.
“We utilize our athletics, whether it”™s the wrestling mat or the swimming pool or the football stadium to further educate and train and inspire these young people to be honorable,” Buddie said. “As a civilian who operates the athletic department … I am thankful to be surrounded by those who have chosen to serve and dedicate their lives to serving our Constitution. If you”™ve ever been to West Point you can”™t help but walk away with a feeling of patriotism.”
Buddie explained that a decision was made to fund the new stadium project privately rather than having the government pay for it in part because the academy has numerous graduates who have done extremely well in the field of business. He said about $115 million has been raised so far from private donations. He said that individuals or businesses interested in donating can obtain more information by visiting michiestadium.com.
“We are fortunate to have people who feel strongly about the cadet experience and the importance of modernizing Michie Stadium,” Buddie said. “We”™re going to get it done completely through private donations and potentially some financing options.”
Buddie explained that AWPAA is very careful about commercial tie-ins or perceived sponsorships and very strict guidelines apply when businesses are looking for a tie-in with athletic programs. He said they do not have corporate naming opportunities, for example.
“There are opportunities for business sponsorships and partnerships that we have like other university athletic programs, but we”™re very particular on how we allow those corporate entities to put their logos,” Buddie said.
Buddie said that the design process for the East Stands is complete and designs are almost complete for the Athletic Center of Excellence that will be attached and built as a second phase of the project. There will be 18 luxury suites in the stands that already are completely sold-out according to Buddie along with 70 loge boxes that are close to being sold-out. About 600 club seats are expected to then be offered. He said the Pentagon”™s review of financial aspects of the project is almost complete.
“After the 2022 season or toward the end of the ”˜23 season we”™re anticipating about 20 months of construction,” Buddie said. “Our goal is to have it 100% done, ribbon cut, celebrated, for the home opener in 2025.”