Colorado Mesa University just fired the starting gun on the biggest athletic facility push in its 100-year sports history. The new “Building Maverick Champions” campaign aims to transform Stocker Stadium, upgrade the famed Lincoln Park Barn, and install the largest video board between Denver and Salt Lake City. Crews break ground in June, and there is already a race to raise the final dollars.
Why CMU Is Going All In on Maverick Athletics
The campaign was officially announced this week in Grand Junction. Officials say it is a long-term effort to invest in championship-level facilities, daily operations, and gameday experiences across every Maverick sport.
The football complex is the launch point. The full project carries an $11.5 million price tag, and CMU still needs to raise $3 million from donors to close the gap.
“The football complex is the beginning of this campaign,” said Robin Brown, CEO of the CMU Foundation. She added that the school will lean on alumni, former players, and local supporters to push the project across the finish line.
The timing is no accident. Maverick football, born in 1925, just celebrated its 500th all-time win in 2025 and is staring down its 100th anniversary on the gridiron.
Inside the $11.5 Million Stocker Stadium Upgrade
The plan replaces an aging setup with a true college football home. A brand new end zone building will rise between the Lincoln Park Barn and Stocker Stadium, giving the team a permanent base on campus turf for the first time.
Here is a quick look at what fans, players, and coaches can expect once the project wraps up in fall 2027.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| End Zone Building | Coaches’ offices, meeting rooms, film rooms, locker rooms, athletic training room |
| Lincoln Park Barn | Renovated into a modern strength and conditioning center and weight room |
| Video Board | Largest between Denver and Salt Lake City, placed along North Avenue |
| Hospitality Deck | Premium gameday party deck for fans and special events |
| Locker Naming | 135 lockers available at $3,000 each, payable over five years |
Director of Athletics Rob Courtney said the construction fence will start going up within the next few weeks. “We’re planning to break ground in June this summer,” Courtney confirmed.
The build is mapped out as a 12-month project. CMU hopes to move its football program into the new home at the start of the fall 2027 season.
A Boost for Grand Junction and Local Schools
This is not just a CMU story. Stocker Stadium is also the home field for Mesa Valley School District 51 teams, and that arrangement is staying put under the new 25-year lease.
In March, Grand Junction City Council voted 5 to 1 to approve the long-term agreement. The city keeps ownership of the property while CMU funds the build, runs daily operations, and covers 80 percent of field maintenance costs.
“Most people don’t understand that we have one of the biggest athletic departments in the state. We have 29 NCAA teams, we have over 800 NCAA athletes.” Robin Brown, CEO, CMU Foundation
The upgraded venue is projected to host more than 100 events each year and welcome roughly 500,000 guests annually. That spread covers high school football, middle school games, JUCO World Series traffic next door, and community gatherings.
Courtney said the goal is a better feel for everyone walking through the gates. The wider economic ripple touches restaurants, hotels, and Grand Valley Transit lines along North Avenue.
Key Numbers Behind the Mavericks Push
- $11.5 million: Total cost of the football facility build
- $3 million: Amount CMU must still raise from donors
- 25 years: Length of the lease approved by Grand Junction City Council
- 29: NCAA varsity teams operating under CMU Athletics
- 800+: Student athletes currently competing for the Mavericks
- 8,000: Seating capacity at Ralph Stocker Stadium
- 500,000: Annual guests expected once upgrades wrap
- Fall 2027: Target date for the football team to move in
For context, the city had been spending roughly $301,000 a year to operate Stocker Stadium after revenues. The new lease payments and shared maintenance costs are expected to offset much of that subsidy, freeing taxpayer dollars for other priorities.
What Comes Next for CMU After Football
Football is just the first chapter. University leaders say several other facilities have simply been outgrown by the program’s success.
“If you’ve been to a basketball game, it’s standing room only,” Brown said. The Brownson Arena, used for hoops and volleyball, is reportedly next on the wish list once the football build is complete.
The Mavericks also play in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, where rivals like CSU Pueblo and Colorado School of Mines have already poured cash into branded football stadiums. CMU President John Marshall has openly called the conference upgrades a wake-up call for the Maverick program.
Fans can keep a close eye on the construction this fall. The 2026 Maverick football season opens Thursday, August 27, with a Stocker Stadium kickoff against Minnesota State at 6:00 p.m. local time.
For families who grew up watching Friday night lights at Stocker and Saturday Maverick games under the same sky, this campaign is more than steel and concrete. It is a quiet promise that a small western Colorado college town can still build something worth cheering for, one locker, one yard line, and one $3,000 nameplate at a time. What do you think about CMU’s bold move, and would you back the Mavericks with a donation or a season ticket? Drop your thoughts in the comments and share this story with a fellow Maverick fan.
