Investing more than $100 million in renovations and expansion to campus buildings is one of the topics the MSU Board of Trustees will vote on at its Friday meeting.
The expansion and renovation proposals to Spartan Stadium, Snyder and Phillips halls and IM Sports-West, along with an overview of the 2002-03 university budget and the release of preliminary enrollment numbers for the class of 2007, will all be addressed at the meeting, which begins at 2 p.m. at the Administration Building.
The estimated costs of the three building projects total $86.2 million.
University Engineer Robert Nestle said the projects are still at the developmental stages, but he expects board members to support the proposals.
"These are all very different projects," Nestle said. "Before you can get to the point where you discuss spending this kind of money, there's a lot of discussion and careful thought on the merit of these projects."
University officials plan on expanding Spartan Stadium by adding luxury boxes, club seats and a lounge area to the stadium. Nestle said the project could begin as soon as the end of the football season and is estimated to cost about $63.7 million.
The trustees will also vote on plans to renovate Snyder and Phillips halls. Nestle said the proposal calls for a complete gutting of the bathrooms and the mechanical and electrical systems in the building.
The project is estimated to cost $17.5 million.
A third large-scale project might also begin soon. The creation of a multi-level fitness center in the courtyard of IM Sports-West has also been proposed to the trustees. The center will be 12,000 square feet. Nestle said additional renovations to the ventilation systems at IM Sports-West locker rooms will also be completed.
Nestle added that trustees will vote to select an architect for the project. The renovations are expected to cost $5 million.
The installation of new ventilation systems in the Chemistry, Biochemistry and Food Science buildings have already begun, and will cost about $29.2 million.
All of the projects will be funded through bonds.
No trustees could be reached for comment on Wednesday night.
University spokesman Terry Denbow said a stagnant economy will not change the goals of university policymakers.
"The meeting will indicate that we are about getting things done," he said. "This is a board and administration that will not allow significant budget problems to halt the university's momentum."
