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The Michigan State University Board of Trustees will consider scaling back the previously approved Spartan Gateway District plans during a meeting Friday.
The development was planned to include a hotel, restaurants, housing, parking, mixed-use buildings and a $150 million Olympic sports arena to hold wrestling, volleyball and gymnastics events.
President Kevin Guskiewicz said in April that the development at the southwest corner of campus would become one of the main entrances to campus.
But “evolving facility needs in Athletics” warrant considering options for the Gateway District to be more centrally located on campus at a “scale more appropriate for the location ultimately selected via the planning process,” according to the agenda item.
The revised plan would “explore opportunities to utilize existing facilities to support Olympic supports” and place a “stronger focus on retail, office space, dining and housing.”
The future of Jenison Fieldhouse was unclear under the original plan, with Guskiewicz calling it a “tired building” and saying it would be difficult to predict the state it would be in by the time construction of the new arena was complete.
The proposal was written by Athletic Director J Batt, Senior Adviser to the President Harold Balk and Vice President for Strategic Infrastructure Planning and Facilities Daniel Bollman.
If approved, the university would seek bids from developers to plan the scaled back project. The university had previously selected the Gillespie Group to develop the original plans.
The university will provide “minimal” financial investment, with its primary role being to enter a long-term ground lease with the selected developer, who will fund the facilities not owned by MSU.
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