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There’s a new task force huddling up in the Missouri athletics department. Charged with developing a “modern Mizzou model,� the “3M task force� has assembled to tackle what changes might be necessary as revenue sharing arrives in the college sports universe.

That cloudy topic, along with plans for the renovation of Memorial Stadium’s north concourse, were among the main themes of a Thursday University of Missouri System Board of Curators meeting that included a presentation from Mizzou athletics director Laird Veatch on his first eight weeks on the job.

The House settlement — the result of a legal process that will permit schools to share revenue directly with athletes — seemed to be a key point of interest for MU administration.

“While I’ve really tried to emphasize to our staff and coaches that we need to stay focused on the current programs, the current year, the competitive season, the academic support of our student-athletes,� Veatch told the board. “It will unquestionably require a lot of attention and detail in the months ahead.�

But he spent most of his six-minute remarks talking about the stadium project and ongoing fundraising efforts.

Mizzou has secured 10 seven-figure commitments toward the $250 million renovation, which is expected to be half-funded by donations, Veatch said. An anonymous $50 million contribution kick-started the pool of money that will go toward the project, but sourcing dozens of millions more in funding has been an immediate priority for Veatch.

He has met with 70 donors already, he said, also telling the board that the athletics department has sold nearly all of the mezzanine-level suites that will be part of a new-look Memorial Stadium north concourse as well as half of the future field-level suites.

Tethered to fundraising for the stadium, curators voted to name three Memorial Stadium gates after donors who have pledged $1 million toward the facility’s north concourse renovation. The three donors and families who will be recognized on the gates had previously made significant donations before backing the latest project.

Veatch also announced that MU has chosen Kansas City-based construction firm Whiting-Turner as its construction manager at risk for the Memorial Stadium north concourse renovations. The firm is assisting with cost estimations, scheduling and procurement strategies, per meeting documents.

As part of that process, Mizzou identified a need for an “enabling project� to “order materials (and equipment) for the project with longer lead times for targeted occupancy in the fall 2026 football.�

Curators greenlit up to $9.5 million in spending to secure those supplies in advance to keep the renovation on pace.

They also approved the inclusion of Memorial Stadium renovations as a priority — alongside other academic and research facilities — for upcoming state appropriations requests, which could lead to $100 million in state funding going toward the project. The list of priorities “authorizes (UM System President Mun Choi) to work with state officials on obtaining capital funding,� according to a meeting document.

That money will be factored into the overall budget for renovations and come from the same funding sources, according to a request for the enabling project included in meeting materials.

“Here in the next few months, we will be finalizing our funding plan, we’ll be moving forward with all of our fundraising efforts,� Veatch said. “Now that I’ve made my way around the state, I will be able to assist our development team as we continue to secure more support for the project.�

The overhaul of the north end zone will involve the construction of premium seating on that end of the stadium — though the famous rock M and part of the grass hill will remain.

In other administrative business, the board voted to maintain its current composition of the Mizzou Intercollegiate Athletics Special Committee, which has the power to oversee the MU athletics department. St. Louis attorney Bob Blitz will remain the group’s chair, with Todd Graves, Jeff Layman and Robin Wenneker rounding out the committee.