Michigan State University opened its 2005 football season in style, after 20 demanding months of construction – the largest facelift for Spartan Stadium since 1957. The work involved demolition of the old box seating and press space, to accommodate a 150-foot tower with suites, club seats, press tower, university offices, and expanded concourse and concessions. Sparty – the 15-foot statue that has greeted MSU fans since the 1940s – is now the centerpiece of the new three-story, glass-enclosed grand entrance.

Barton Malow was active in preconstruction, providing architect HNTB with cost models for four proposed building options, along with a detailed analysis of planning issues. Considering that the stadium would remain open during the 2004 season, logistics and scheduling were particularly complex.

More than 70,000 fans walked through the job site for home games, making safety the top concern. As construction manager, Barton Malow / Clark worked with MSU Athletics to develop an access plan: reduced construction work hours on the days prior to home games; reconfiguration of site fencing to allow pedestrian safe passage through the construction zone; a temporary will-call ticket office; standby trades personnel during games to address potential problems.

During the entire project, not a single game was rescheduled or moved to another site.