Marietta College (W.Va.) Finishing $3.6 Million Stadium Renovation

MARIETTA – For years, the Marietta College Pioneers haven’t really felt at home in Don Drumm Stadium.

After all, they had to get dressed and ready for their games across the road from the field on which they played.

That will change very soon as the $3.6 million stadium renovation project is on schedule to be completed by Aug. 1 with the finishing touches on the new press box and locker room facilities at the stadium.

“People have been noticing what’s going on there basically since November. It’ll be good to kind of show the finished product to the community,” said Marietta College Sports Information Director Dan May.

The outside of the new press box is essentially complete, with only some inside work remaining to meet the Aug. 1 deadline for completion.

In addition to the press box, the new four story building will also house the Pioneers’ locker room, meeting rooms for the offense and defense, as well as coaches offices, a VIP room and an intern’s office.

The first floor will consist of the tunnel that has been part of the stadium for years, while the second floor will be the Pioneers’ locker room.

On the third floor will be the meeting rooms and the intern office as well as a coaches locker room. The fourth floor will be the press box and the coaches offices.

Once the facility is complete, the stadium that has housed the Pioneers and Marietta High School Tigers will truly feel like a home field advantage.

“We dress there. We practice there. We’re not walking back and forth across the street. Now it’s our house,” said Marietta College Athletic Director Larry Hiser.

While the outside of the press box complex is essentially done, there remains interior work that still has the facility bound by construction codes requiring hard hats and steel toe shoes.

Still, the biggest portion of the work is done with furniture and equipment installation one of the biggest obstacles remaining to the Aug. 1 deadline.

After completion, the press box will be opened to the public for tours.

“We want to have some community open houses so people who are curious can come in, have a bottle of water and walk through the facility, but we can’t pinpoint that date yet,” Hiser said.

The completion of the press box will have a dramatic effect on more than just the appearance of the stadium.

“In terms of a recruiting aspect and just a team atmosphere it’s going to help a lot just being in one place,” May said.

Though the renovations will give Marietta College a top notch facility, the Pioneers won’t really see that benefit for this year, as the current recruiting class is set.

“We’re gathering names for the fall of 2012. We’re really hoping this thing has its biggest impact on the fall of 2012 athletes,” Hiser said. “It (stadium) puts us at the top of the pack for a facility of Division III magnitude.”

While the Pioneers are the ones seeing the biggest upgrade, the Tigers will also benefit from the renovation project.

Marietta High School will now move into the former college locker room, which has already been renovated, while the visiting team will move into the Tigers’ former locker room.

The Tigers will have access to the press box and all common areas of the facility, but will not have access to the team locker room for the Pioneers or the laundry facility and meeting rooms.

“They’re going to enjoy a renovated facility as well,” Hiser said.

Marietta College opens its season at home on Sept. 3 with a 7 p.m. game at Don Drumm Stadium.

The Tigers open their season with a home game against Morgan at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 26 at Don Drumm.