The West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG) and Army West Point Athletics Association (AWPAA) will break ground on the Michie Stadium Preservation Project in spring 2024.
With the initial private funding necessary to break ground now secured, the donor-funded project, which will rebuild and modernize the current East Stands, is slated for completion in summer 2026. During this time, Army West Point will continue to welcome fans at Michie Stadium for men’s and women’s lacrosse, football, graduation, and other special events.
“This historic effort is only possible because of the incredible collaboration, teamwork, and leadership across West Point in getting us to this point,” WPAOG President and CEO Mark Bieger ’91 announced. “The Long Gray Line leaned in tremendously to ensure this iconic stadium will continue to serve as a beautiful and safe public portal showcasing the Corps of Cadets and the Academy to the nation they serve.”
Bieger partnered with Army West Point Director of Athletics Mike Buddie, influential graduates, and WPAOG fundraising stewards to plan and execute the aggressive fundraising strategy to bring the project to fruition.
“This project has been a critical need for over a decade, and we are thrilled to be breaking ground on such a transformative facility,” Buddie said. “It is a remarkable testament to the generosity and loyalty of the West Point community that we were able to raise $170 million in funding.
“This aspirational project more than tripled the scope of the next closest gift-funded project in the Academy’s history,” Buddie continued. “To have secured two individual lead commitments of more than $20 million and several commitments of more than $5 million is humbling and overwhelming and speaks to the impact of the West Point experience. This project will support the entire Corps of Cadets and our fans, not just football and lacrosse cadet-athletes.”
The Michie Stadium Preservation Project will preserve and protect Michie Stadium’s 100-year history and tradition while providing a world-class experience for cadets, graduates, families, and fans. The Corps of Cadets seating section will stretch from end zone to end zone, ensuring that the cadets are a central focus, as well as an amplifying source of game-day support for the cadet-athletes on the field.
Featured amenities of the preservation project will include premium seating and improved concessions. In addition, the surrounding landscape will be reconfigured to improve accessibility, while capitalizing on the panoramic views of Lusk Reservoir, the Cadet Chapel, Fort Putnam, and the scenic Hudson Valley.
“We’re celebrating 100 years of Michie,” said Football Head Coach Jeff Monken. “It has a tremendous history—five national champions, Heisman Trophy winners that have played here, and legendary coaches. It’s time to take this stadium to the next level for the next 100 years—but there is so much more to this project than just Army Football. It’s a representation of the excellence of this institution and the men and women who serve in the United States Army every single day. It’s the excellence that we demand, the excellence that’s expected from our cadets and our Army.”
