Paul StinsonThe University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) will improve academic and athletic facilities and increase student housing using a $245 million bond. The Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) Board of Trustees approved the funding to add almost 1,000 beds, build a softball stadium, renovate women’s athletics facilities, improve arts buildings and renovate a hall.
Building the student residence facility will cost $165 million, covering most of the bond issue. The school will begin the project by demolishing Kincannon Hall to make room for three residence buildings. The housing complex, totaling 337,000 square feet, will provide an additional 981 beds and student amenities. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2024.
The bond will provide $42 million to build and renovate multiple women’s athletics facilities. The university will build a softball stadium, including dugouts, seating, a press box, restrooms and other amenities. The project includes renovating the existing indoor team facility, playing field and the concessions and restrooms building. The stadium will also include coaches’ offices, training and treatment space, a team lounge and locker rooms.
The university will renovate the existing soccer complex to add more concessions, additional restrooms, a larger press box, a ticket office and direct parking access. The university will also upgrade the seating with additional shade covering, a student seating area and a shaded standing-room-only area.
Ole Miss will study the rifle facility to determine how to best improve its amenities. The university will then improve lockers and restrooms, followed by building a firing range and team storage.
The university will renovate and upgrade an on-campus sports center, called Gillom Sports Center. The project includes installing a videoboard and fixing the HVAC for the volleyball competition area, realigning the coaches’ offices and enhancing student-athlete spaces.
The IHL Board of Trustees approved $17 million to develop an early learning and evaluation center to provide clinical and educational services to children up to 6 years old. The university will house the facility in the on-campus South Oxford Center. The project will include upgrades to common areas and building infrastructure.
Ole Miss will use $12 million to develop a master plan for the art, theatre and film departments and build additional performance spaces. The university will build a scene shop, rehearsal area, recording studio and ensemble space.
The remaining $9 million will go toward renovating an administrative building called Vardaman Hall. The university will install an elevator to improve building accessibility. In addition, the university will renovate the building to correct envelope issues, install an energy-efficient utility system and update the structure to comply with modern building code and ADA standards.
