Originally published Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 8:21 PM

Cougars might not have Martin Stadium renovation completed until at least 2012

Washington State is behind pace for committed new seats sold, slowing down progress on Martin Stadium's Phase 3 renovation.

By Bud Withers

Seattle Times staff reporter

Washington State remains well short of its goal of committed new seats for its proposed Martin Stadium remodeling, with the likely result that the project won't be completed until at least 2012.

In an advisory to donors on the WSU renovation Web site, athletic director Jim Sterk says, "I am still optimistic we can begin construction of Phase 3 this year," but notes that the Cougars need to have 80 percent of premium seats committed before seeking additional bank or bond funding and they are now at slightly more than 50 percent.

The Phase 3 project, part of a long-term overhaul for the stadium designed in part to ensure greater athletic revenue, would add 2,200 seats to the stadium in the form of 18 luxury suites, at $35,000 to $50,000 annually; 32 loge boxes (clusters of four or six semiprivate seats) at $9,000 to $15,000 per year; and 1,200 club seats, at $1,700 to $2,000 annually.

In its 2008 media guide, the Cougars had designs of the north-stands renovation with a fall 2010 target date. With the economic downturn late in 2008, fundraising was put on hold, but then restarted four months ago with the hope of taking advantage of decreased construction costs for a project estimated at $32 million.

WSU set a December deadline for appraisal of whether it could move ahead with an early-spring 2010 start of construction. A school spokesman says 13 luxury suites and all 32 loge boxes have been committed, while some 366 of 1,200 club seats are pledged.

Sterk's message indicates the school is holding to a 2012 opening for the project. He called the project "critical" for WSU's future.

Bud Withers: 206-464-8281 or bwithers@seattletimes.com

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