LARAMIE, Wyo. (June 25, 2024) – The University of Wyoming received a transformative gift to its Difference Makers Campaign, paving the way for the revitalization of the west side of War Memorial Stadium and the creation of a new state-of-the-art swimming and diving facility.
“We are deeply honored to support the revitalization of War Memorial Stadium and the construction of the new swimming and diving facility,” says Trudi McMurry Holthouse, executive director of the McMurry Foundation and daughter of Mick and Susie McMurry. “This gift reflects our family's commitment to enhancing the University of Wyoming’s athletic programs and providing outstanding experiences for students and fans alike.”
Susie McMurry and the McMurry Foundation have generously donated a combined $3.5 million to support the War Memorial Stadium renovations and the construction of the new UW Aquatics Center.
This gift—a combined $2.5 million from the McMurry Foundation and a previous $1 million from the late Susie McMurry—will greatly enhance the game-day experience for football fans and boost the competitive edge of UW’s student-athletes. With this donation, the funding goal for the Difference Makers Campaign is nearly complete, leaving only $500,000 left to be raised.
“What a truly magnificent gift to support our athletic program, our university and our fans,” says UW President Ed Seidel. “It is wonderful to see the continuing generosity of the McMurry Foundation and family to strengthen UW in countless ways over the years.”
The McMurry Foundation, established by philanthropists Mick and Susie McMurry, of Casper, continues to make a profound impact on the UW community.
“The investment in War Memorial Stadium will impact thousands of people across Wyoming for generations,” says Tom Burman, UW athletics director. “Coupled with the McMurry Foundation’s leadership of the Wyo Sports Ranch, these two projects will reach the vast majority of people in the state.”
In recognition of this remarkable investment by the McMurrys, the new premium club area on the War Memorial Stadium’s west side will be named the Wyo Sports Ranch Club, after the Wyo Sports Ranch in Casper—a 131,000-square-foot sports complex for youth and amateur sports tournaments.
The Wyo Sports Ranch is a nonprofit organization and a public-private partnership that stems from the work of Tyler and Trudi Holthouse of McMurry Companies, with the lead gift from the McMurry Foundation. The facility honors Susie McMurry’s passion for youth and Mick McMurry’s passion to “build a better Wyoming.”
“My parents, Mick and Susie, always believed in investing in Wyoming's future,” Holthouse says. “By supporting these projects, we are continuing their legacy and ensuring that future generations have the best facilities to foster their talents and build lasting memories.”
The stadium’s new premium club area will offer UW football fans a unique experience with exclusive access to an indoor space featuring premium food, drink options and a full-service bar.
Enhancements on the west side will include improved Americans with Disabilities Act access; 216 new premium loge-style seats; 3,000 new permanent chairback seats with increased legroom; renovations to the media and broadcast center; upgraded lighting for better visibility; and a new public concourse with improved amenities.
The chairback seating, bleachers and access points will be completed this summer. The new premium club area, loge-style seating, improved restrooms and concessions, and the media and broadcast center will be finished by summer 2025.
Opened in 1950, War Memorial Stadium is the oldest stadium in the Mountain West Conference. At an altitude of 7,720 feet, the stadium is the highest stadium in NCAA Division I football. Since 1950, it has gone through a number of upgrades and renovations. In 2010, the Wildcatter Stadium Club and Suites were added to the east-side stands and, in 2018, the McMurry High Altitude Performance Center to support student-athletes was completed.
The Difference Makers Campaign also includes support for a new UW swimming and diving facility with a 50-meter pool, locker rooms and seating areas. Additionally, this new facility will serve the youth of the state, offering a 50-meter training opportunity that is currently unavailable in southern Wyoming.
This new swimming and diving facility has been sorely needed at UW, Burman says. Although the John Corbett Building has served swim teams for more than three decades, the current facility is more than 50 years old and is inadequate to support a collegiate swimming and diving program.
The generosity of the McMurry family has been seen by programs across UW’s campus. The late Mick and Susie McMurry and the McMurry Foundation have been longtime supporters of UW, giving generously to many UW initiatives—the nursing program, the Western Thunder Marching Band and the Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center, among many other areas.
“The Holthouse and McMurry families and the McMurry Foundation are incredible partners for the University of Wyoming,” says John Stark, president and CEO of the UW Foundation. “This remarkable gift will greatly enhance our football game-day experience and provide our student-athletes with outstanding new facilities. It’s a huge step forward for UW Athletics and another example of how the McMurrys are always paying it forward.”
To learn more about the Difference Makers Campaign, visit www.restorethewar.com. To learn more about Casper’s Wyo Sports Ranch, visit https://wyosportsranch.com/
*UW Press Release by Nick Seaman
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