MANHATTAN–Prior to the Purple/White spring game Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium the next step of the stadium’s master plan was unveiled.

John Currie, Athletic Director, announced that the third phase of the six step master plan will feature a $65 million expansion to the north end zone and Vanier Football Complex.

“With more than $125 million of facility improvements completed in the last 24 months and the excitement of our fans, evidenced by the current string of 13 consecutive football sellouts, it is imperative that we build upon the tradition and success of our program under Coach Snyder’s leadership and the passion of our fan base,” Currie said.

The improvements to the Vanier Football Complex will not just serve the football program but will also serve the needs and enhance the experience for all 450 Wildcat student athletes.

Improvements include a new academic learning center, double the size of the current facility, a new 18,000 square foot Olympic-quality Strength and Conditioning Center which will include multi-story ceilings with natural light, and a nutrition center or “fueling station” for all student athletes. A new sports medicine and recovery facility will house new state of the art hydrotherapy and recovery pools along with the latest examination, recovery and physical therapy space and tools.

On top of a new weight room an academic center the football program will benefit from a new 140 seat team theater, individual position meeting rooms and new offices for the coach staff that will overlook Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The team’s locker room will also see improvements as it will be doubled in size and shaped like a football.

The new north seating bowl will include enhanced sight lines, new ADA seating and will be connected to the current east- and west- side stadium concourses for access to entrance gates and stadium concessions and restrooms.

The University is hoping to break ground on the new project at the end of the 2014 football season and have a majority of the project complete in time for the 2015 season. Additional plans call for a new structure on the north east side of the new facility by either the 2016 or 2017 season. That new structure would house the visiting team locker room, training and officials areas, plus additional office space. A new video board would also be placed on the northeast end of the stadium and will mirror a new board that is expected to immediately go up on the northwest side of the stadium.

Kansas State has already secured nearly half of the $65 million in necessary funding. The plan is for the project to be funded through $50 million of private funds with the remaining $15 million coming out of other department revenues. Fundraising did not begin until about five months ago according to Currie.

“We had zero dollars raised five months ago.In November we really made our first asks and we had around $15 million and $20 million pledged by the end of December.”

In February the Vanier Family once again made a large donation to the University of $60 million with $20 million of that designated for phase III of the Bill Snyder Family Stadium master plan.

The groundbreaking for the project will be held prior to the football game against Kansas on November 29th. Crews will then begin moving everything out of the current facility following the departure of the team for their game the next week at Baylor.