Plaster Sports Complex

The Plaster Sports Complex (Formerly Briggs Stadium) is a 16,600-seat multipurpose stadium located in Springfield, Missouri. It is home to the Missouri State University Bears football, women's field hockey, men's and women's soccer, and track and field teams.

History

The stadium was built in 1941 as SMS Stadium, a Works Progress Administration project at a cost of only $60,000, before World War II broke out. Its original seating capacity was 8,500. In 1970 it was renamed Briggs Stadium, and in 1991 it was renamed the Plaster Sports Complex in honor of Robert W. Plaster, chairman of Evergreen Investments of Lebanon, Missouri. Mr. Plaster donated funds for major renovations of the stadium, including expansion of the stadium to its current capacity, including the addition of an upper deck which seats 8,500, 24 luxury suites holding 10 each, a 40-seat luxury box and a new press box. In addition, a new running track and new artificial turf were installed. The artificial turf was replaced in 2001 with a FieldTurf surface.

In addition to football and track and field, Plaster Stadium is also used for other events, including concerts, graduations and monster truck rallies.

In addition to the main stadium, the Plaster Sports Complex also includes 12 American handball/racquetball courts, including two courts with spectator seating. In addition, the complex features Health and Fitness and Athletics Strength and Conditioning centers on the second level of the stadium.

Completed in April 2006, Plaster Stadium received brand new field turf (pictured).

Between the 2007 and 2008 seasons, Plaster Sports Complex will be adding a new 2 million dollar scoreboard.

From the Missouri State official athletics site:

Home of the Missouri State football, track and field, soccer and field hockey teams, Plaster Sports Complex (PSC) was completed in 1992 as a multi-use facility for the purpose of supporting recreational and educational needs of Missouri State University students, faculty and staff members as well as providing facilities for hosting intercollegiate athletic contests in football, track and field, soccer and field hockey. After expansion and renovation, the former Briggs Stadium now comprises a grandstand with seating capacity of 16,600, an 8-lane synthetic all-weather track surface, an outside steeplechase pit, two-runways and four sand pits for long and triple jump and recently-upgraded high jump and pole vault mats and standards.

The stadium's infield was replaced in 2006 with a Field Turf Synthetic Grass surface providing a all-weather soft surface for completing warm-ups, cool-downs, running drills, strides and various other training activities.

In the summer of 2008 a nearly-$2 million jumbotron scoreboard will be added to the facility allowing for replays, graphics, live statistics and instant posting of results for various athletic events.

External links

* [http://www.missouristate.edu/psc/ PLASTER SPORTS COMPLEX]