SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- As part of the ongoing $28.5 million Springfield-Greene County Park Board facility renovation project, upgrades to Killian Softball Complex -- home of the Missouri State softball program since 2009 -- are slated to begin in the coming weeks.

Specifically, the renovation plans at Killian call for:
•    Synthetic turf installation on all six fields, including the stadium field
•    New concession areas and restrooms 
•    Additional shade and fan-friendly areas 
•    Improved field drainage system

The Killian facility will be off-line throughout the duration of the upgrade initiatives, meaning Missouri State will be practicing and playing home games at an alternate facility for the upcoming 2025 season. The Bears will temporarily relocate across town to Thompson Field at Meador Park, which is also home to Drury University softball.

"Missouri State is thrilled to see improvements being made to Killian Softball Complex," said Director of Athletics Patrick Ransdell. "As we approach our transition to Conference USA, it is imperative that our facilities are up to par. This is a great start for our softball facility. Having a turf field will enable our team to have more consistent practices, fewer facility-related cancellations and a clean new look. When it is complete, we will have one of the best facilities in CUSA."

Thompson Field was built in the early 1960's and renovated when Drury launched its softball program in 2008 with a resurfaced infield, batting cages and an enclosed press box. In addition to serving as an NCAA softball facility for more than 15 years, Thompson Field has also hosted Team USA in its pre-Olympic "Bound 4 Beijing" tour with a summer exhibition game against local college all-stars in 2008.

"Obviously, the timing of a project of this magnitude is difficult in terms of our 2025 season," said Ransdell "Everyone is working to make this year's temporary relocation as comfortable as possible. I want to thank the City of Springfield for investing in Missouri State Athletics, and I look forward to continued improvements and investment in our shared facilities." 

"We appreciate the patience and understanding of our sports partners, including athletes, coaches and fans, as Killian Softball and Cooper Baseball fields will be offline for most of the year for construction," said Ron Schneider, Director of the Springfield-Greene County Park Board. "Our local athletes deserve to play on state-of-the-art ball fields, and as construction wraps up this fall, the Park Board is proud to offer these sports facilities for generations to come."

The reinvestment initiative was recommended in the Springfield Sports Commission's 2019 Sports Tourism Strategic Planning Project, the related Indoor Sports Facility Report and 2021 Facility Impact Analysis. The Park Board's 2022 investment of $500,000 in outdoor court resurfacing and $600,000 in indoor court renovations at Cooper Tennis Complex, also used by Missouri State, were also part of the facility planning initiative. 

The Killian project represents phase two of the overall reinvestment in the Cooper Park facilities. The first phase included synthetic turf installation on eight soccer fields and will conclude this spring. 

The 127-acres included in the Cooper Park complexes were established in 1983 on land donated by the late Harry Cooper and his family. It is now the largest sports development in the Park Board system, including Killian Softball Complex (acquired in 1994), Cooper Tennis Complex (opened 1994), Lake Country Soccer (opened in 1984), Cooper Youth Baseball/Softball Complex (opened 1988), as well as a walking trail and extensive playground. The complex annually hosts more than 50 state, regional and national sporting events. 

Funding secured for the project includes:
•    $13.5 million in ARPA funding awarded by the State of Missouri
•    $8.2 million in ARPA funding awarded by the City of Springfield
•    $5.2 million in City of Springfield funding, committed in 2020
•    $631,274 contributed by the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau 
•    $1 million in Park Board funding

The Killian renovations are expected to be completed later this year to bring the complex back online for Missouri State usage for the 2026 season.