Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Construction Delays Opening of MSU’s John Goodman Amphitheater

  • By Matt Jones
  • 09/15/22

Missouri State University in Springfield, Mo., recently announced that the opening of its new John Goodman Amphitheater has been delayed until late October. The project was originally expected to be completed by early summer, in time for the beginning of the 60th season of the university’s Tent Theatre program. However, local news reports that “unexpected complications and pandemic-related supply chain issues” have pushed the opening into the fall.

The project broke ground in April 2021. “We’ve been waiting for an extended period of time on a steel structure, and we wanted to make sure that the project was complete the right way,” said Dr. Shawn Wahl, Dean of Arts and Letters. “The good news is, there is an end in sight, and we’re really excited to open the new space next month.”

Matt Morris, the university’s vice president for administrative services, said that the university worked closely alongside Carson-Mitchell, inc., to work through the delays. Morris said the construction delay was caused by labor and the supply of “specialized steel trusses and the structural steel” required for such a large space.

“You don’t want to compromise any kind of quality when it comes to structural steel,” said Morris. “This is such a special facility to the university. We’re not going to compromise—we did not compromise—on that structural steel.”

Spaces4Learning previously reported that the open-air amphitheater will feature a permanent stage and 350 removable seats. The project’s budget at the time was $6.4 million, and the final product will cover 7,700 square feet.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • URI Cuts Underwater Ribbon on New Ocean Robotics Laboratory

    The University of Rhode Island recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new Ocean Robotics Laboratory at its Narragansett Bay Campus, according to a news release. Two students used a remotely operated vehicle to cut an underwater ribbon in a 30-by-20-foot test tank.

  • Fayetteville State University Opens New College of Education Building

    Fayetteville State University (FSU) in Fayetteville, N.C., recently celebrated the opening of a new $69.3-million College of Education building, according to a university news release.

  • Auburn University Debuts $224M STEM + Agricultural Sciences Complex

    Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., recently opened its new $224-million STEM + Agricultural Sciences Complex, the largest research construction project in the university’s history, according to university news. The facility measures more than 265,000 square feet and brings six departments from the College of Agriculture and College of Sciences and Mathematics together under one roof.

  • Missouri Child Development Center Completes $2.3M Expansion

    The Urban Sprouts Child Development Center in St. Louis, Mo., recently announced the completion of a $2.3-million expansion and adaptive reuse project, according to a news release. The new space includes a retail café, outdoor learning space, and a support office building.