BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Western Kentucky University and WKU Athletics are cheering. Ground was broken for Hilltopper Fieldhouse and a new football press box at the new fieldhouse.

What You Need To Know

  • Western Kentucky University breaks ground on a pair of new buildings

  • Hilltopper Fieldhouse will house WKU Forensics and Esports programs, as well as provide practice and training space for the Big Red Marching Band and Hilltopper Athletics

  • Construction is set to begin later this year

  • The press box is expected to be complete by next football season and the fieldhouse in 2025

The fieldhouse project is expected to be finished late in 2025. Construction will begin later this year. The press box construction will start first, in December, and it should be completed in time for WKU’s football season in 2024.

WKU President Timothy C. Caboni said, “The WKU Indoor Fieldhouse represents the embodiment of our commitment to provide our students with opportunities for growth, achievement and success.”

He added, “This state-of-the-art facility will serve as a hub of innovation and collaboration, uniting four diverse and dynamic aspects of our campus life—athletics, forensics, Esports and the Big Red Marching Band. It will be a place in which dreams are realized, skills are honed, and competitive passions are ignited.”

Hilltopper Fieldhouse is being built on land that currently is home to the football practice field, in between Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium and Nick Denes Field.

Caboni said the current press box is ready to be refurbished. Caboni said,
“Our current press facilities are beyond their useful life, and replacing them with a new press box, situated atop the Harbaugh Club, will provide the amenities that members of the media experience at other stadiums and will demonstrate the brand of Hilltopper hospitality we strive to offer all our guests.”

The new press box will house the television broadcast, radio booths, coaches’ booths, working press and game operations. Premium suites will also be in the new facility.

WKU Director of Athletics Todd Stewart said, “In the last 10 years alone, we have invested close to $15 million into our facilities and will have made nearly $60 million in total upgrades, improvements and additions by the time the Hilltopper Fieldhouse is complete in 2025. At that point, we will be in the best position from an athletics facilities standpoint in the history of our university.”

K. Norman Berry Associates Architects in association with HKS Architects for the project will oversee the project.