Regents approve East Central University renovations, including $797,050 locker-room increase

The Regional University System of Oklahoma Board of Regents on Jan. 22 unanimously approved a slate of East Central University facilities projects, including a revised budget for the Elvan George Football Locker Room renovation. The Board accepted a motion to increase the previously approved amount of $1,551,167.24 to $2,348,217.00 after contractors discovered structural and mechanical issues during demolition.

Regent Amy Anne Ford, presenting the Facilities Stewardship Committee report, detailed each project and its funding source. "Requesting increase in the approval amount due to increasing locker size from original. Also, increase is due to structural and mechanical items discovered during demolition phase of the project," the motion text states. The Board also approved parking-lot and road repairs for the Stadium Apartments (new total $831,423.00), a fence replacement not to exceed $150,000, Parker tennis court remodel up to $295,000, a Linscheid Library roof replacement up to $750,000 (insurance proceeds), Pontotoc Hall renovations up to $2,650,000 (deferred maintenance/foundation funds) and Spencer Administration Building repairs up to $1,100,000.

All related motions were moved by Regent Ford and seconded by various Regents; each was recorded as unanimously approved. The Elvan George increase and the parking-lot change were described in committee as responses to unexpected conditions discovered during ongoing work; the stadium-apartment repair previously had emergency approval ratified by the Board for Dec. 8, 2025, and was funded by ECU Foundation funds.