With a clear field of vision and a strong, continued commitment to deliver a state-of-the-art baseball facility to the university and community, the Marshall University administration today presented a revised baseball stadium project statement which was unanimously approved by the Board of Governors during a special called meeting in Huntington.
The decision comes after a board meeting in April where President Brad D. Smith thanked Herd Nation for its patience and passion as the final details, “dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s,” were being worked out for the stadium.
The new stadium will be built along a parcel of land located at 2nd Avenue and 22nd Street, adjacent to the Marshall University Dot Hicks Field.
Smith said while the project was initially slated for property on 5th Avenue, the newly designated site was selected because it will be developed at a lower cost, with an accelerated time to completion and will leave the 5th Avenue and 24th Street site for future development opportunities for the community.
“Marshall is ready to see this long-anticipated ball field come to fruition,” Smith said. “Our partners, including the City of Huntington, are ready. Our intention to build this ballpark has never wavered and while we encountered a major hurdle in the COVID pandemic, it’s never dampened our enthusiasm to see this project to its completion.”
Marshall Board of Governors Athletics Committee Chair Chris Miller said today’s action is warmly welcomed by many.
“The Board of Governors continues to be supportive and steadfast in its commitment to have a baseball stadium on the campus of Marshall University,” Miller said. “Too many times we have heard, ‘I will believe it when I see it’ and we are all eager to hear the sound of equipment moving dirt to begin construction of our new baseball facility.”
Huntington Mayor Steve Williams said he is confident there will be collegiate baseball played in the city in the coming months.
“I’m pleased that President Smith, Athletic Director (Christian) Spears and the Marshall University Board of Governors have settled on an aggressive plan for the construction of the new baseball stadium,” Williams said. “My conversations with them have reinforced my confidence that I have a determined and trusted partner in Marshall University. Marshall is the heart of our city, and I am enthused that we can take on big projects that will benefit our university, city, state and region. We are demonstrating what ‘We are Marshall’ means.”
In the coming weeks, the university will begin the RFP process to identify a development partner with the goal of making a final selection in October to begin moving dirt. Detailed criteria, including a public-private partnership and a desired construction timeline of 15 months, will be part of the initial request. Initial work on the 2nd Avenue site will include an environmental analysis and other pre-development tasks.
Fundraising for the baseball stadium continues through the Herd Rises campaign and Athletic Director Spears is confident and focused on the future.
“This is why this university and community are so special,” Spears said. “We don’t back down, we don’t quit. We partner, we collaborate, we include, we find a way, we believe…and here WE ARE, ready to move forward with a new location, timeline, budget, and plan. Many have questioned, many have demanded and now we need many to give…I am just so grateful to this community because I know they will.”
Spears said there are multiple ways for donors to give including texting GOHERD to 801801 or by calling the Big Green at 304-696-4661 or going online to herdrises.com.
The goal is for the stadium to be ready for the 2024 season.