STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State University has announced plans to construct a state-of-the-art $60 million indoor football practice facility, marking a major investment in the future of its athletics program.

The new facility, to be named the Billy W. Howard Sr. Indoor Practice Facility, will be built adjacent to the existing Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex, creating a cohesive training environment for MSU football players. According to the university, construction is scheduled to begin in 2027, with completion and opening projected for the summer of 2028.

The project is part of a broader athletics facilities enhancement plan, which also includes renovations to the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex to upgrade its existing amenities.

The naming rights for the new facility were secured through a generous donation from Howard Industries, honoring its founder and MSU alumnus, Billy W. Howard Sr., who graduated in 1946 and was a former student-athlete at the university.

“We are so thankful to the Howard Family and Howard Industries for their thoughtful decision to invest in the development of elite talent at Mississippi State,” Athletics Director Zac Selmon said. “We know this is a critical time in college football, and we must continue to take steps forward to elevate Mississippi State football. We are thrilled Howard Industries shares this belief with us, but we are even more excited and honored that the new facility will bear the name of Mr. Billy, as he is someone who exemplifies what it means to be a Mississippi State Bulldog. We can’t wait to continue to share his story with all who walk through the doors of this facility.”

Currently, MSU’s football team practices outdoors at the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex and occasionally indoors at the Palmeiro Center, a multipurpose facility also used by the university’s baseball program.

Once completed, the Billy W. Howard Sr. Indoor Practice Facility will offer the football program a dedicated indoor training space with cutting-edge turf, lighting, and performance technology, enabling year-round practice regardless of weather conditions. The facility is expected to enhance athlete safety, boost recruiting efforts, and strengthen MSU’s competitiveness in the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

“This is more than just a building—it’s an investment in the future of Mississippi State football and the student-athletes who will walk through its doors for generations to come,” Selmon added in remarks following the announcement.

Plans for the facility will be refined over the next two years as the university works with architects, contractors, and athletics staff to design a space that aligns with the program’s vision for player development and program excellence.

In addition to serving as a practice venue, the facility may host youth football camps, community outreach events, and other university athletic activities, reinforcing MSU’s role as a hub for sports development in Mississippi.

Further fundraising efforts are underway to support the project’s construction and operational costs, with MSU alumni and supporters encouraged to contribute to the campaign.

For updates on the project and ways to support Mississippi State Athletics, visit HailState.com.

Originally reported by Zac carlisle in WTVA.