A capital bond bill proposal for the state of Delaware was introduced this week and on the agenda was a note that could be encouraging to Delaware State stakeholders.
House Bill 475, the state’s Capital Improvement projects budget for FY 2025, featured a note about a feasibility study for a convocation center for DSU that was met with approval by the joint committee for Capital Improvements, “[recognizing] the need for such a facility at Delaware State University and in Central Delaware.”
“The Committee will work towards exploring options for funding the building of the facility in future fiscal years,” the item continues. “In support of the continued development of the Convocation Center, Delaware State University shall work with stakeholders comprised of local healthcare leaders in the planning of a Health Institute to be incorporated within the Convocation Center.”
A new convocation center would be a timely addition for DSU, as the university has pledged to begin upgrading its athletic facilities. In January, the University met to announce fundraising efforts of 10 million dollars to begin projects such as a football field house and locker room improvements for the Hornet football team, as well as women’s lacrosse, women’s soccer, and a women’s golf simulator.
The longer-range project would be a brand-new grandstand for Alumni Stadium, which has been largely unchanged since 1957.
A convocation center would most likely serve as a replacement for Memorial Hall’s gymnasium, a former barn converted into an arena in 1982. Memorial Hall’s 1,800-seat capacity is 16th from the bottom in NCAA Division I. A previous convocation center feasibility study was published in May 2014.
