Q: Hello,
During the NSIC broadcast of the Minnesota State Mavericks vs. Bemidji State Beavers football game the commentators mentioned that MSU Athletic Director Kevin Buisman had announced plans to replace Blakeslee Stadium.
The Blake has a long history, but its aging structure and lack of accessible areas really highlight the need for a replacement. These are needs that The Free Press has highlighted in recent years in past articles.
Could you give readers a full picture of the new stadium plans? How much will it cost? When and where will it be built? Is there a need for state bonding or funding?
In 2006 the University of Minnesota received over $130 million dollars in state funds to fund 42% off the cost to build TCF Bank Stadium. In 2007 Southwest Minnesota State University was appropriated $11 million dollars to build Mattke Stadium. In 2008 Duluth received $38 million to build Amsoil Arena specifically to host UMD Bulldogs men’s and women’s hockey. Will MSU also be appropriated state funds from the Legislature?
There were close to 7,000 fans at the MSU-Bemidji State game. How big might the stadium need to be to fit demands over the next 50, 60, 70-plus years?
A: It appears the reader misheard or the broadcasters misspoke. There don’t appear to be any imminent “plans to replace Blakeslee Stadium.”
A bit of background for folks who don’t typically attend MSU football games.
The football is really good. Going into Saturday’s road game at Concordia of St. Paul, the undefeated Mavericks were ranked No. 7 nationally in the Division II coaches poll. There’s ample parking adjacent to Blakeslee. A tailgating culture is beginning to grow. And once the game kicks off, Blakeslee provides a great view of the action. The bleachers are steep and very close to the gridiron because the stadium, unlike a lot of high school and small college fields, doesn’t have a running track between the field and the seating.
All of that is wonderful for sightlines, but the vertical nature of the stands can feel unsafe for spectators heading up the steps. The proximity of the seating’s concrete base to the field poses safety issues for players, too. And Blakeslee, now 62 years old, is crumbling, is not particularly welcoming to people with mobility challenges, and lacks adequate restrooms, locker rooms and other modern amenities.
Ask Us Guy also has faint recollections of a local sports editor suggesting the press box is less than ideal.
For all of those reasons, athletic directors and university presidents have for years considered a new stadium to be a priority for MSU.
Former MSU President Richard Davenport unsuccessfully sought funding through most of his tenure for a replacement for Blakeslee, projecting it would cost $30 million or more. A decade ago, a new stadium was one component of a comprehensive plan to update the university’s outdoor sports facilities. Fundraising came up short, and Davenport retired in 2021 saying he had identified financial sources for only about two-thirds of the cost.
Current MSU President Edward Inch, tackling the reader’s questions via a written response, said the issue is important to him just as it was to his predecessors.
“Replacing both Blakeslee Stadium and Armstrong Hall are high priorities. Both are needed,” Inch said. “We are seeking legislative support and funding for the Armstrong Hall replacement project. We are also working to secure funding for a new stadium.”
Armstrong Hall — MSU’s busiest classroom building — is seriously outdated, and the university has been working for years to persuade the Legislature to fund its replacement. Lawmakers provided $8.4 million in 2023 for design work on the Armstrong project, but the $83 million requested during the 2024 legislative session for construction of the replacement building was not approved by lawmakers. And every year that work is delayed, the estimated price tag rises.
Although the Armstrong Hall project might be more central to MSU’s educational mission, Inch doesn’t downplay the importance of a new stadium either.
“As the reader rightly pointed out, the need to replace Blakeslee Stadium has been a longstanding issue, and for good reason. Our student-athletes and community deserve a better experience than what our 60-plus-year-old stadium can provide,” Inch said. “Our goal is to create a modern, multipurpose facility that could host a wide variety of events and activities. While much work remains before we can develop formal plans, the university looks forward to replacing Blakeslee. The timeline is contingent on securing funding.”
Inch did not directly address whether state funding is an option. Davenport, shortly before his retirement, suggested that most of the money would need to be privately generated but that the Legislature might be persuaded to provide a contribution to get the project over the goal line.
Inch also didn’t tackle the question about the size of the stadium. Sen. Nick Frentz, who represents Mankato in the state Senate, said in 2022 that he would introduce legislation seeking $20 million in state funding for a $40 million multi-use stadium that would have seating for 6,500 football fans and up to 8,000 for people attending concerts and other events.
Those sorts of details can wait until a strategy for funding is addressed, according to Inch, who provided no sense of how many more seasons might pass before a new stadium rises on campus.
“Once the financing plan is set, we can develop the plans and features for a new facility,” he said.
Contact Ask Us at The Free Press, 418 S. Second St., Mankato, MN 56001. Call Mark Fischenich at 344-6321 or email your question to mfischenich@mankatofreepress.com; put Ask Us in the subject line.