The project’s future will be the topic of a Friday meeting of the University Board of Governors
By Bill Cornwell
Friday could turn out to be a historic day for long-suffering Marshall University baseball fans as the university’s Board of Governors meets in a special session to discuss developments in the baseball stadium project.
The meeting gets underway at 9 am in the Memorial Student Center Shawkey Room and a project recommendation is expected from Marshall President Brad Smith.
Board of Governors Chairman Patrick Farrell says the group is expected to consider a Capital Project statement on the baseball stadium during the meeting.
The board heard the latest developments on the project during an executive session in their meeting last week, but no actions were taken at that time.
New Marshall Athletic Director Christian Spears has called the development of the baseball stadium project his “top priority” since beginning his work in Huntington in mid-March.
Spears and university officials are now facing a deadline in order to take advantage of the eight million dollars being provided to the project by the city of Huntington through a portion of its American Rescue Plan funds. Those funds must be spent on the project by December 2024.
Bids were originally sought for the baseball facility in December 2019, but those bids came in higher than originally expected, leading to alterations in the ballpark’s design.
The ballpark was originally planned for a site along 5th Avenue and 24th Street east of the Marshall campus. University and city officials are now looking at alternative sites nearer to the Ohio River and campus.
