As part of the change, the university would also scrap plans for a new academic or health-care building and additional parking structures, and consider new sites for the district away from the southwest corner of campus. That new location could also require the district to be further downscaled to accommodate existing structures. 

When the board first voted to move forward with the plan in April, Trustee Mike Balow voiced concerns about the project being partially funded by the already-stressed general fund. In May, the university announced it would rein in spending from the general fund.

The modified plan, according to the proposed motion, will have a "stronger focus" on retail, office space, dining and housing.

The university would also begin accepting new proposals from developers. McCann said that Gillespie Group and Goldenrod Companies, selected in April to build the gateway district, are no longer the joint developer for the project. Barton Malow Co. was also intially tapped to construct the now-shelved arena. Trustee Sandy Pierce sat on the board of the firm.   

McCann said it would be premature to speculate on how much the project will cost the university until a developer is selected, though the agenda item says any contribution from MSU is anticipated to be funded through philanthropy and its general fund. The anticipated cost will be identified if the board approves proceeding with the development after reviewing proposals.

MSU’s plans to develop a mixed-use plaza surrounding an athletics facility bear similarities to initiatives pursued at other universities. The University of Kansas and George Mason University are both planning to add dining, retail and entertainment spaces in the areas surrounding their athletic facilities. Goldenrod Companies, one of the firms originally set to build MSU’s gateway district, is developing a similar project at Iowa State University. 

Updates at the library and Beal Botanical Garden 

The university could also begin planning a remodeling of the heavily trafficked space outside the main library’s north entrance.

The changes would include removing the two fountains and installing more green space, outdoor seating and group work areas. The university hopes the redesigned spaces will be "a showpiece for the university" that catches the eyes of prospective students.

The preliminary estimated cost is between $10 million and $11 million, that the university will fundraise for.

The Beal Botanical Garden could also see significant changes, as the board considers redesigning the garden to include a new building, new pathways and ponds around the garden. Those efforts are meant to help "restore Beal to its wilder past" and enhance support for teaching and research in the garden.

The plan would be carried out through a series of individual projects expected to cost $12 million in total, with each project proceeding independently once adequate funding is secured.