Missouri football explores Memorial Stadium expansion for 2014

Memorial Stadium's overhaul will begin this winter, when work on west side press box improvements will commence. Whether the full $46 million stadium project can be completed by the 2014 season is still in question, says Mizzou associate AD Tim Hickman:

"There are just so many variables," Hickman said in an interview this week. "We're still hopeful, but we also know it's a strong possibility it's not going to work."

The west side improvements will cost $9.75 million and will add 120 'premium' seats to the former press box space. The more extensive east side upgrades have already been contracted out - JE Dunn of Kansas City will handle the project - and still need evaluation from all parties involved to see if a 2014 completion date is reasonable. When the project was announced in June, 2015 was the target date. The east side stadium expansion will add about 1,200 seats under an overhang.

Most other parts of the university's $102 million facility upgrade project are on schedule, though nothing is scheduled for completion until 2014. The $4.5 million softball field renovation is experiencing difficulties, since other facilities hem in University Field.