Excitement is in the air at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson. Repairs and renovations are well underway there to improve the stadium patron experience.

On July 1, the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration assumed management and operational control of the venue, which was determined in the 2007 Legislative session.

In the last thirty days, a mission statement, facility policies and procedures to include event booking policies and procedures have been finalized and a list of short-term repairs and renovations developed. “We are on target with our transition plan. The plan addresses several components geared to increase operational efficiencies, such as, staffing, identifying short-and long-term repair and renovation needs, balancing the needs of the Stadium stakeholders, aggressive marketing and booking of events, etc.,” reports Rita Wray, DFA Deputy Executive Director, who has administrative responsibility for DFA’s newest office.

“The stadium is a revenue-producing opportunity. We are absolutely confident that the improvements will bring events here, in addition to Jackson State University’s home football games,” said Mike Lucius, General Manager of Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The repair and renovation list includes repairs to the following: south-end fence and gates, scoreboard, concession equipment, press box, carts, ATM, restrooms, ticket booth and lighting needs for parking and stadium. “We expect the repairs to the press box, ticket office and fencing will be completed before JSU’s first home game on September 6. Our goal is to have the entire list of short-term repairs and renovations finished by that time,” said Lucius. “It will depend on the cost.”

Lucius also revealed that there are some events in the works for the stadium. Just this week, the New Orleans Saints used the facility for a scrimmage and another is planned for Saturday, August 2. “This will be the first opportunity for fans to come out and see the beginning improvements and changes we’ve made,” said Lucius. “We invite their feedback.”

Michael Lucius, newly named General Manager, has a degree in public administration and accounting and 27 years’ experience in accounting, budgeting, and advising the state Bond Commission. Most recently, he handled the overall management of Mississippi-owned golf courses for the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. This particular assignment taught him a great deal about the business of caring for turf.

All the improvements at the stadium will help secure more events, which in turn increase revenue for the stadium. “We’ve already talked with several people about booking big events at the stadium, such as high school football, soccer and the U.S. Football League. But, we want everyone to know that the surrounding stadium property is also available for smaller events,” explained Lucius. “Whether you want to have a wedding reception, class reunion in one of our VIP rooms, or some type of festival on one of our parking lots or the green space inside or outside of the stadium, we are ready to provide prices for any size event.”

This new approach to doing business will pay off for Mississippi and its taxpayers. DFA has secured some grant funding to help offset the cost of one of the short-term improvements – the fencing at the end zone.

Wray states, “We are also taking a different approach to concessions. We are currently looking for a vendor who would like to provide concessions for all events at the stadium. This anticipated cost-saving measure should be a win-win situation.”

To ensure that fans can quickly enter the stadium, plans and procedures are being finalized to handle the crowds. The Jackson Police Department, Hinds County Sheriff’s Department, Capitol Police, Jackson State Campus Police, and a private security company are ready for events.

Security and safety of stadium patrons are top priorities. To prove it, DFA is working through the Mississippi Department of Public Safety Office of Homeland Security to earn the Sports Event Security Aware Seal of Approval by the Center for Spectator Sports Security Management at The University of Southern Mississippi. The seal has been earned by a number of public universities in Mississippi already. The designation is earned after a stadium improves its sport security management policies and procedures, emergency response and evacuation, recovery operations and completes training in crowd management. “We have two events when we will be scrutinized in these categories by the experts who award the designation,” said Lucius.