Football Stadium Project Moves Ahead at Oklahoma State University
Natalea Watkins
Assistant V-P Communication Services
Oklahoma State University
(405) 744-6260
STILLWATER, OK-- Oklahoma State University is signing with the nation's foremost designer of sports venues and the award-winning architect of the university's new Athletic Center to reinvent its football stadium.
Athletic Director Terry Don Phillips announced the beginning of pre-design work by Tulsa-based Gary Sparks Companies and Atlanta-based Heery International, Inc.
"We are moving forward with this exciting project," Phillips said. "The extraordinary combined credentials and experience of the Heery and Sparks Team will deliver the creative talent and proven resources to tackle a project of this caliber and build a spectacular, ultra-modern, fan-friendly venue second to none. Additionally, the Heery and Sparks team provides maximum design continuity between our Athletic Center and football stadium."
Gary Sparks Companies led the architectural team behind the renovation of the acclaimed new OSU Athletic Center, which houses the legendary Gallagher-Iba Arena. The arena was named by CBS Sportsline as the nation's number one college basketball venue.
Heery International has completed 63 college and professional stadium projects. The firm launched its sports design division in 1963 with the completion of the Fulton County baseball stadium for the Atlanta Braves.
The firm?s credits include college football stadium projects at the Universities of Georgia, Florida, Virginia, Clemson, South Carolina, Arkansas, Stanford, Iowa State, Texas, Texas Tech and Utah, which is the site of the opening ceremonies for the 2002 Winter Olympics. All told, the firm has designed more than 30 college football stadiums.
"We are simply thrilled to get this project underway," said Gary Sparks, President of Gary Sparks Companies.
"Beyond my personal enthusiasm for this groundbreaking project in collegiate athletics, the entire Heery and Sparks team is committed to creating a superb football stadium. I know our project will complement the new Athletic Center and give OSU fans and student athletes an exceptional home field."
Heery International Vice President and Director of Sports Facilities, Mike Holleman, said the OSU project represents a substantial opportunity for the Heery and Sparks partnership.
"We believe collegiate sports facilities must reflect the architectural traditions of the campus. OSU is one of the most beautiful campuses in the country and enjoys the added advantage of having its major sports facilities actually located on the campus. Our joint team intends to create an architectural sports masterpiece consistent with the Georgian style of the campus and complete with all the convenient and comfortable fan amenities one can imagine."
Over the course of the next six months, the Heery and Sparks team will be working on defining the scope of the project. This step will detail the master planning, design, engineering and construction management aspects.
OSU officials said a campaign is underway to raise the private funds needed to build the new football stadium.
"No project during my 17 years as a university president, which includes seven at OSU, has undergone more careful and thoughtful consideration than our football stadium project," said OSU President James Halligan.
"I want to personally commend the OSU Regents and selection committee members for the serious and professional way in which they conducted the process."
The selection process, which began in May of 2000, culminated with an 8-0 decision by the OSU Board of Regents on March 3 of 2001. An extended and expanded process that included extensive on-site reviews resulted in the selection of the Heery International and Gary Sparks Companies partnership. An Oklahoma Attorney General?s opinion on the constitutional authority of the regents to select an architect was announced today, clearing the way for the contract.
"Four outstanding and capable firms competed for this coveted project," said Douglas E. Burns, chairman of the OSU Board of Regents.
"The high caliber of the competition brought out the very best in all the firms. In the end, however, the combined team of Heery and Sparks demonstrated a clear understanding of the scale and scope of our vision for this extraordinary project and the precise skills to deliver a world-class collegiate sports venue in a timely and economical manner."
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