Allison BarnetteMississippi State University has announced plans for a $60 million indoor football practice facility, funded in part by businessman and former MSU athlete Billy Howard Sr. The 110,000-square-foot building will feature areas for training, recovery and injury prevention, and will sit adjacent to the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex, which is also scheduled for renovations.
While exact bid dates have not been finalized, the project is divided into three phases. Phase A will involve relocating utilities and reconfiguring the existing outdoor practice field. Bidding for this stage is expected in late 2025, with construction running from January through May 2026.
Phase B will cover the facility’s primary construction, with bidding anticipated between March and April 2027. Phase C involves upgrades to the Seal Complex, with procurement set for March through December 2027 and construction projected to finish by mid-2028.
Pending approval from the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning, the facility will bear Howard’s name. A 1946 graduate, Howard earned the nickname “Iron Man” for playing nearly every minute of every football game during his MSU career in the 1940s.
Howard later founded Howard Industries, a Laurel, Mississippi-based global manufacturer of distribution transformers and a wide array of technology, lighting and medical products.
Howard Industries is also known for its education philanthropy, offering college tuition and book assistance for employees and supporting local schools through its “Adopt a School” program.
Rendering Courtesy Mississippi State University
