KANSAS CITY, Mo. — An anonymous donor has gifted the Mizzou athletics department $62 million, the school announced Monday morning.
Tigers athletics director Desireé Reed-Francois said $50 million of the donation, which is more than double the previous largest donation in MU athletics history, will be used for ongoing improvements at Memorial Stadium, including changes to the football stadium’s North Concourse.
The project, which is led by Kansas City-based architecture firm DLR Group, will include new premium seating options among other amenities and should be completed before the 2026 football season.
"This extraordinary commitment is a major step toward fulfilling our vision to transform Memorial Stadium and create the best college football game-day atmosphere in the country," Reed-Francois said in a statement. "Our pivotal stadium project is not possible without our donor, whose passion for Mizzou's success, coupled with humility, faith and generosity, are unparalleled.”
The remaining $12 million will funnel into Mizzou’s Tiger Fund — which supports the athletic department's name, image and likeness offerings for student-athletes, among other things.
"Mizzou Athletics has generated tremendous momentum under the leadership of Desireé Reed-Francois, and this historic and transformational investment reflects the university's vision for the modern model of intercollegiate athletics," University of Missouri President Mun Choi said in a statement.
Mizzou enjoyed its most successful football season since Gary Pinkel led the Tigers to consecutive SEC Championship Games in 2013-14.
Eli Drinkwitz’s squad finished 11-2, including a win against Ohio State in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl. It was the fourth 11-win season in program history and MU finished No. 8 in the final Associated Press poll.
"A gift of this kind speaks to the tremendous loyalty this particular donor has for not only our football program, but all of our student-athletes at Mizzou," Drinkwitz said. "Creating a game-day experience second to none is our goal. We can now take a significant step forward — thanks to this gift — in enhancing the atmosphere and fan amenities at Faurot Field. And we'll be able to see the lasting impact of it for years to come. As I've said before, 'Why Stop Now?'"
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