Order premium seats now and reap benefits

WHEN IT COMES to Cougar football, Dan Meyer is an evangelist. As WSU's assistant athletic director overseeing ticket sales and the annual fund, he's burning the midnight oil these days spreading a simple message: This Friday is the deadline for damn near hand-picking your location in the new premium seating section that will be built as part of the Phase III renovation of Martin Stadium.

Cougar fans who make a commitment to buy premium seating by this Friday -- Dec. 18 -- will receive priority, in terms of location, ahead of those who make commitments after Dec. 18.

"Phase III premium seating will continue to be sold after December 18 until the seating capacity is completely sold out," Meyer says. "However, all purchases after December 18 will be seated behind the customers who made their commitment by this Friday, regardless of donations to the project or the customer’s Ticket Priority System (TPS) rank."

SIDE-VIEW OF THE PLANNED PREMIUM SEATING TIER ON THE STUDENT SIDE OF THE STADIUM. Color renderings of the frontal view are at the bottom of this page.

The centerpiece of Phase III is the construction of 2,200 suite, loge and club seats in a gorgeous edifice on the north side of the stadium. The incentive WSU is giving to people who commit to buying those premium seats by this Friday is driven by this fact: Once 80 percent of the premium seats are claimed by fans, WSU can leverage the bond market to help finance construction.

At the recent town hall meetings held by WSU Athletic Director Jim Sterk, it was reported that suite and loge commitments are nearing 100 percent but that 60 percent of the 1,200 club seats are still there for the taking.

If everything comes together in the time line Sterk wants, the ambitious Phase III renovation can be completed in time for the 2011 season. It not, it will be the 2012 season.

Meyer notes that to secure premium seats now only requires a down payment -- a $300 deposit per seat -- with full payment not due until spring 2011 at the earliest.

For more information on Phase III, including a video summary, click HERE. Or contact Meyer at 509-335-0236 to make a commitment.

The importance of Phase III to the Cougar football program cannot be overstated, Meyer says. The 2,200 premium seats created will nearly double the revenue the school generates from home football games, from about $2 million currently to approximately $4 million. And second, having a jewel of a stadium will put a supercharge into recruiting efforts –- world-class facilities help attract world-class athletes.

ARTIST'S RENDERING OF WHAT ONE VIEW OF THE PREMIUM AREA WILL LOOK LIKE ON GAME DAY.

ARTIST'S RENDERING OF WHAT PHASE III WILL LOOK LIKE WHEN COMPLETED. THIS IS THE STUDENT SIDE OF THE STADIUM AS VIEWED FROM STADIUM WAY.