WVU Athletics
WVU BOG Approves Premium Seating, Major Project at Football Stadium
The WVU Board of Governors approved director of athletics Wren Baker’s plans for premium seating at both the Hope Coliseum and Milan Puskar Stadium.
While announcing the news during a presentation on Friday, Baker said he expects the projects to bring in an estimated $5 million annual for Mountaineer Athletics, according to West Virginia MetroNews.
Baker has spent the better part of his tenure at athletic director surveying past and present coaches and athletes as well as season ticket holders in an effort to mold his plan to best serve the athletic department.
Unlike what’s needed to add premium seating to the Hope Coliseum, Baker’s plan for Milan Puskar Stadium will take several years to complete. WVU will tear down the current existing press box and build an expanded tower with a new state of the art press box and luxury suites in its place.
New signage added to WVU’s Hope Coliseum. (WVSN photo by Mike Asti)
Baker has referred to the current press box as “an eyesore, a big concrete structure” multiple times since arriving in West Virginia in 2022.
Baker estimates the worth will cost about $150 million and begin after the 2026 football season. The goal is to have the entire tower finished for the 2028 home opener.
And for anyone curious about where the money is coming from, Baker revealed that it’s all going to be founded by donors and other private founding.
“Some we’ve already collected, some once the project is approved we’ll be able to paper those agreements and get the money in. But all private funds,” said Baker.
