Missouri

How high of a priority is an indoor facility for Missouri State football?

Published

11 months ago

May 16, 2025

How high of a priority is an indoor facility for Missouri State football?

Missouri State is in the early stages of updating its football facilities, and the construction of an indoor facility is on its wishlist as it looks to the future.

Patrick Ransdell, the school’s athletic director, said the university is weighing several options as it prioritizes the future of Plaster Stadium and the football program’s different operational needs.

“We’re in the process of having those discussions,” Ransdell said. “I think sometime over the next 12-25 months, we’re going to be able to roll some stuff out there and have some dirt being moved. But it’s going to take a long time.”

Indoor athletic facilities have been popping up at several high schools across the Ozarks. Most are funded via no-tax-increase bond issues, while Missouri State would raise money privately.

What is currently a higher priority for Missouri State football facilities?

At the top of the athletic department’s priorities, Ransdell is trying to satisfy the football program’s operational needs. That includes different meeting rooms, locker rooms, weight rooms, and offices.

Different options are being explored, such as repurposing some of the classrooms and the weight room in the building attached to Plaster Stadium’s west bleachers or renovating McDonald Arena.

Renovating McDonald Arena, built in 1940, would require upgrades to the building’s roof and air conditioning. There’s hope that the school could receive help from the state if it were considered a historic building. The idea would be to put a weight room and different meeting rooms inside, but renovating it could cost more than building something new.

What would a Missouri State football indoor facility look like and how much will it cost?

An indoor practice facility isn’t ideal for McDonald Arena, as it wouldn’t provide enough space. Coming from Appalachian State, Ransdell saw the football program try to navigate having a 60-yard indoor facility, which led to some complications when trying to practice both offense and defense simultaneously.

If Missouri State is going to build an indoor football facility, it will want one that’s an entire field.

Ransdell would also prefer the potential building to be free-standing rather than a bubble. Tulane recently announced a 65-70-yard indoor bubble for an unspecified amount. Former Missouri Valley Football Conference foe Illinois State opened a bubbled facility in 2023 for $11.5 million.

For reference, the full-football-field-sized free-standing indoor facility nearing completion at Nixa High School will cost $18 million.

“There are options and we just gotta figure out what’s best for Missouri State,” Ransdell said. “I would prefer something more permanent.”

Where would an indoor Missouri State football facility go?

Missouri State can want an indoor facility, but the lingering question about such a project is where to locate a large building. There’s not a lot of open space on the university’s campus.

According to Ransdell, the parking lot south of Grand, across the street from Plaster Stadium, is among the possible locations. The university owns just over 20 acres of land east of Dollison Avenue and west of National Avenue. About half of the land is parking, with another four acres of a detention basin.

The location would make logistical sense for the football program, especially if it constructs a building in the south endzone of Plaster Stadium with locker rooms and coaches’ offices.

While the current zoning of most of the property could allow for an athletic facility, it would have to conform to height limitations outlined in the Springfield City Code. There is no set maximum height allowable for the current Government and Institutional use district zoning, but all structures would have to be below a 30-degree bulk plane from the nearby single-family properties. That means the structure would have to be set further away from the residential properties to gain more height.

“We may need to start constructing more parking garages,” Ransdell said. “At the end of the day, space isn’t just a Missouri State problem. It’s a problem for a lot of people. What do you do with it, and how do you best utilize it? I think we’re having some discussions right now.”

Ransdell also mentioned another possibility: the former field hockey stadium, just north of Hammons Student Center, which hosts the club lacrosse program.

How would a Missouri State football indoor facility be paid for?

Ransdell reiterated that a potential indoor facility at Missouri State will take time. In a way, he said the school is backed up in its endzone and is looking to move the ball down the field when attempting to raise money for the various projects it’s pursuing.

Ransdell said it will take some creativity to create chunk plays. The school has ideas, whether it’s getting creative with its partnerships and potential deals with the city. Gaining 15 to 20 yards at a time is ideal. At some point, Missouri State will likely launch a capital campaign to advance the ball further, but Ransdell wants to see steps taken before then.

“I think, if you look over the next decade, it’s certainly a priority,” Ransdell said. “In the short term, we have to address a few needs with our football program specifically. With that said, if somebody wanted to walk in tomorrow with a $25 million check, all of a sudden, it becomes priority No. 1, and we’ll figure it out. It’s all about the direction of your fundraising and how well those conversations go with what becomes a priority.”

What will be new at Plaster Stadium at Missouri State this fall?

In the meantime, Ransdell is focused on preparing for the 2025-26 season and the changes the college sports landscape may bring with the impending final approval of the NCAA-House settlement.

Plaster Stadium is approaching the end of the installation of its new turf surface, and it will soon replace its current lights with LED. Behind the scenes, Missouri State has had to upgrade its fiber optics for ESPN broadcasts. The school is in the process of constructing an ESPN docking station outside the stadium for its trucks. It will also replace some of the bench backs throughout the stadium.

Plaster Stadium will also feature a renovation to Dr. Richard “Biff” Williams’ suite and at least one more, allowing the school to showcase what it wants to do with the remainder of the suites. Ransdell also teased that there will be “more visually pleasing aspects” to the stadium that will be completed by the end of the summer. He declined to give it away, but said that when driving west down Grand, “you’ll definitely know whose stadium it is.”

“This has been a pretty substantial investment from the university standpoint,” Ransdell said.

News-Leader reporter Marta Mieze contributed to this report

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Missouri

Missouri bill that would split Jackson County and Kansas City gets little support from lawmakers

Published

12 hours ago

March 27, 2026

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Missouri bill that would split Jackson County and Kansas City gets little support from lawmakers

A Missouri House committee had its first hearing this week on a proposed constitutional amendment that would split Kansas City and Jackson County upon approval by voters.

The legislation is nicknamed “Jackxit,” a nod to Brexit, the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union in 2020.

Republican state Rep. Mike Steinmeyer is sponsoring the bill. He said eastern Jackson County voters feel underrepresented in the county government, and this legislation would give them the power to change that.

At the hearing, committee members listened to Steinmeyer’s presentation of the bill before asking questions and sharing their thoughts.

Democratic state Rep. Bridget Walsh Moore compared what the bill proposes to “The Great Divorce” that saw the legal separation of the city of St. Louis from St. Louis County in 1876.

Several committee members criticized a part of the bill that says if it’s signed into law, the question of whether to split the county in two would appear on the Missouri ballot every 10 years.

Moore called it a “never-ending clause.”

“There’s a provision that says every 10 years this has to go back on the ballot, whether you like it or not,” Moore said. “And we’re going to keep voting on it, until you vote the way we think you should.”

Democratic state Rep. Jeff Hales said the bill’s language suggests the question would reappear on the ballot every 10 years until it’s approved by voters.

“Why does it end when it’s approved if the importance and the value here is giving the voters of Jackson County a right to weigh in on their charter and their government?” Hales said.

Steinmeyer said that clause exists to give Jackson County voters the opportunity to weigh in on their form of government.

“It gives them the right to speak and say we want change, or we want to abolish and start over,” Steinmeyer said. “That’s all we’re asking for.”

Democratic state Rep. Ashley Aune questioned how the ballot question would protect the right of voters. Steinmeyer said it protects their right to vote and be heard, specifically on their governance.

Lobbyist Shannon Cooper testified on behalf of the city of Kansas City, the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and the Civic Council of Greater Kansas City. He said during a public comment period that the bill was “the most befuddling piece of legislation” that he’s had to testify for or against.

Cooper brought up the historic recall election of County Executive Frank White Jr. and said the recall showed the system Steinmeyer is trying to fix with this bill can work.

“If the voters are not happy, they can deal with their problems,” Cooper said. “They’ve proven that in the last year.”

No action was taken on the bill, and it is not yet scheduled for a future hearing.

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Missouri

Kansas City, Missouri, City Council voted Thursday to approve the city’s $2.6 billion budget for 2026-27

Published

24 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Kansas City, Missouri, City Council voted Thursday to approve the city’s .6 billion budget for 2026-27

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City, Missouri, City Council voted Thursday to approve a $2.6 billion budget for the city’s fiscal year of 2026-27.

The budget includes $744 million in spending for public safety, including $26.3 million for a new Department of Community Safety and $4.2 million to hire 50 new KCMO Police Department officers, along with 10 call takers and 10 dispatchers.

“Our budget respects the strong fiscal foundation the taxpayers have helped Kansas City build, maintaining a rainy-day fund of over $200 million, increasing road resurfacing, hiring more public safety and city workers, and investing in all Kansas City neighborhoods,” Mayor Quinton Lucas said in a news release from the city. “In a city that can walk and chew gum, we are proud to welcome the world while delivering strong basic services for Kansas City’s families.”

The council voted to spend $83.8 million for the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority to provide bus services, but the KCATA may have to make cuts in bus services even with a $6 million boost in funding from the city.

In addition, the council approved spending $39.4 million for citywide street resurfacing and $1.5 million for tearing down dangerous buildings.

“This budget reflects a collaborative effort across the city, and provides a clear path for Kansas City to keep moving forward with discipline, accountability and a focus on service,” City Manager Mario Vasquez said in the news release. “Thank you to the council for its thoughtful deliberation and input in crafting this budget.”

More information on the fiscal year 2026-27 budget can be found on the city’s website.

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Missouri

Missouri Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 winning numbers for March 25, 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 25, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from March 25 drawing

07-21-55-56-64, Powerball: 26, Power Play: 4

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 25 drawing

Midday: 3-2-0

Midday Wild: 7

Evening: 0-0-5

Evening Wild: 5

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 25 drawing

Midday: 2-6-3-9

Midday Wild: 4

Evening: 9-5-6-8

Evening Wild: 1

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from March 25 drawing

Early Bird: 07

Morning: 09

Matinee: 04

Prime Time: 14

Night Owl: 07

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from March 25 drawing

12-14-22-26-28

Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from March 25 drawing

35-38-41-43-62, Powerball: 08

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.

To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:

Ticket Redemption

Missouri Lottery

P.O. Box 7777

Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777

For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.

For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.

When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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