By the beginning of the fall semester, Hughes Stadium could see a new football turf as well as a new track and field surface to welcome the returning Lions.

As of Feb. 28, the Lion Pride Restoration Project was sitting at $650,000. Sallie Beard, athletic director, is confident in a month’s time the project could see its goal being reached.

“In a couple of weeks, we will be able to bring it to a close and hopefully be close to that $1 million mark,” Beard said.

Curt Betebenner, director of the Foundation, said he believes the same as Beard. He said in a month’s time, the project could be approximately at $850,000 and be able to sign a contract to start the project and pay it off in 10 years.

Beard said the project has a real positive effect in the community, and people in the community have decided to lend a helping hand. Betebenner said with the Phonathon going on, some of the people calling up have requested to donate money strictly to the stadium project.

One of the things helping out the project is a promotional deal the athletics department secured with Coca-Cola and area Wal-Marts. For each case of 20 oz. bottles of any Coke product sold, the department gets $1 for the project, and for every two 12 packs bought, the project gets 10 cents. Kevin Greim, marketing and broadcasting director, said a person doesn’t have to buy two cases of the 12 packs or 24 of the 20 oz. bottles. It’s just that every case sold the department gets the money from that.

The participating Wal-Marts include the two in Joplin, the one in Webb City and the Wal-Mart in Carthage. The promotion started March 1 and runs through the end of April.

“That will raise around $15,000 additional, maybe $20,” Betebenner said. “Anything helps.”

The bids for the project have started coming in, and Beard said it is a confidential matter and won’t discuss the matter until they decide on one. Betebenner said if the bids come in low, they can finish the fund-raising part of the project in a month and go ahead with the building part of it. He said the athletics department will review the bids.

Betebenner said at one point Missouri Southern did play on Joplin High School’s football field in 1975. He said it was when the College was moved out to its present location.

“That was fun, that was a good deal,” he said. “But once you move out here, you can’t go back.”