December 20, 2021 • FacilitiesFootball

OSU’s Investment into Athletic Future

When it comes to the never-ending arms race of upgrading college athletic facilities as an investment to garner potential recruits and fans alike, Oregon State is ensuring they are not left behind. 

Reser Stadium’s $324.5 million upgrade — including a new wellness clinic operated by Samaritan Health Services, an interactive welcome center, upgraded seating, and concourse layout — is not only planning to boost the Beavers’ gameday experience but also its financial bottom line. 

OSU leadership is expecting a windfall of new revenue from premium seating at OSU football games, conference rentals, increased enrollment, and the medical facility to pay for the project and then some — with enough left over to cover the $35 million pandemic-related deficit the athletic department is already facing. Other major revenue increases, according to university projections, are more than $102.5 million in increased net tuition from added students lured by the stadium welcome center, more than $95.3 million in net insurance billings from the new medical center, and just under $52.5 million in partner leasing from the medical facility.

The 35,000 sq ft., four-story wellness clinic is being built on the southeast corner of the stadium to provide whole-student care services, including counseling, primary care, x-ray, and laboratory services. 

The 360-degree concourse will allow spectators to traverse and experience new spaces and amenities on the west side with improved sightlines and other amenities for fans. It will provide a connection in the bowl and on the concourse, enabling a unified fan experience. Urban streetscape elements will be incorporated in the expanded concourse, which is known as ‘Beaver Street’, and which will act as a crossroads between the south concourse and the existing open-air north terrace. A revolutionary design of the concourse will make it different from a regular football one, turning it inside out to enable an open-air direct view of the field to spectators.

investmentA new state-of-the-art, interactive Student Welcome Center will serve year-round as an on-campus first stop to introduce prospective new students and their families to Oregon State University. The welcome center will be located within the southwest corner of Reser Stadium and also will serve gameday fans and other university visitors year-round by sharing examples of OSU’s extraordinary teaching, research and discovery, and community outreach that serves Oregon, the nation, and the world. Additionally, the welcome center will offer conference and meeting facilities for use by faculty, staff, and students.

Within the welcome center, prospective students and their families will receive an introduction to the many excellent undergraduates and graduate degree programs OSU offers. Multi-media and interactive displays will introduce visitors to OSU faculty, alumni, and university stakeholders who have contributed to community progress, environmental stewardship, culture, and economic prosperity since 1868. 

Though the Beavers are expected to cut its seating to the “mid-to-upper 30,000s” from its current seating capacity of 43,363, the big financial investment is expected to draw even bigger returns. The university estimates the project will generate more than $624.7 million in new revenue over 50 years, which the university says is a conservative estimate.

Reser Stadium is expected to be finished in the summer of 2023.