BELLERIVE — The University of Missouri-St. Louis campus is under consideration as the site for a potential public recreation complex for north St. Louis County, officials confirmed Tuesday.
A study commissioned by the university identified land next to the UMSL North Metro Station as a potential location because of its proximity to public transit and Interstate 70, said Steve Walentik, UMSL communications director.
But no further plans have been made, and the university did not provide a cost estimate or other details.
“UMSL leadership has made no commitments to any projects, but will entertain conversations about serving as a solution that benefits the region and the campus,†he said.
Walentik said the study came in response to a request late last year from “St. Louis County leadership†for the university to look at the feasibility of hosting a public recreation facility first proposed in 2019 as part of an agreement for the county to help fund the expansion of America’s Center downtown.
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A separate study, commissioned by the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission (CVC) and released in September, recommended a complex that would include an indoor track venue to meet a unique market demand for high school and collegiate track events. But the study did not propose a site or other details.
As a part of finalizing late last year, UMSL asked the firm consulting the university on the plan to view possible options, Walentik said. The firm drew preliminary renderings showing where the facility could be located.
“There are preliminary drawings that have renderings of what a facility could look like but they’re not detailed and they’re mostly to show location of the facility,†he said.
The confirmation came in response to a written statement by St. Louis NAACP President Adolphus Pruitt that said UMSL’s campus master plan, approved by the Board of Curators in November, included designs for the recreation facility proposed by the CVC.
The UMSL master plan identified areas of land owned by the university that could be available for future projects, including in a campus athletics corridor in which the university would be “taking advantage of a potential partnership with St. Louis County.â€
But the plan makes no references to a new recreation facility or indoor track facility.
The study commissioned by the CVC proposed an indoor, 200-meter track facility that could host multiple events, including NCAA-level tournaments, year-round for between 4,000 to 5,000 spectators.
The CVC study did not estimate a total cost for the project, but pointed to similar facilities elsewhere in the country that ranged from the $2.5 million JDL Fast Track in North Carolina to a $68 million sports center in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
The study also did not recommend any particular location for the facility, or present architectural designs or other details.
Pruitt’s statement was in response to a Post-Dispatch report, published Monday, that Council Chair Rita Heard Days was suggesting the county issue $80 million in special obligation bonds to pay for the project, despite there being no publicly identified location or concrete plans.
“I want to make sure that everybody understands the project has made major steps and is moving forward and is doable,†Pruitt said.
CVC President Kitty Ratcliffe said Tuesday that she had one remote teleconference meeting with UMSL Chancellor Kristin Sobolik on Oct. 17, in which Sobolik said the university was interested in housing such a facility and presented a draft of the campus master plan to show where it could be located.
Ratcliffe said she has had no further conversations with UMSL officials or Days about the project.
“The councilwoman made very clear to me that she was very interested in UMSL as a site but I’ve not seen any specific plans or anything further,†she said.
Originally posted at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8.