Beyond the Classroom: President McPhee Announces Ambitious Sports and Entertainment District Development

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University, seeking to capitalize upon multi-million-dollar investments in new campus facilities and future renovations at and around Greenland Drive and Middle Tennessee Boulevard, envisions the area transforming into an entertainment and sports district for not only students but also local residents and visitors from throughout the region.

MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee shared that long-range outlook as well as a new student housing project during his traditional State of the University Address before several hundred attendees at the annual Fall Faculty and Staff Meeting held Thursday, Aug. 21, inside Tucker Theatre to kick off the new academic year.

“Our long-term vision is to create what could be called ‘The Lightning Zone,’where our students can walk from their residence halls or nearby off-campus apartments to performances or games at Murphy Center or Floyd Stadium but also stop for a meal at their restaurant of choice and meet families and friends,” McPhee said.

“A place that draws community members and visitors to attend not only tournaments, conferences, and games, but also an occasional night out — supporting local businesses and generating revenue for the city and county.”

• New student housing complex: McPhee pointed to specific investments on campus that will bolster this effort, including his announcement of a proposed public-private partnership for a new student housing complex to be built on the southeast edge of campus to replace the nearly 50-year-old Womack Lane Apartments, which had a capacity of 250 residents.

“We are preparing the site for new construction that will result in more than 550 modern, suite-style beds — delivered through private financing, but under the oversight and guidance of the university,” McPhee said. “This project gives us the flexibility to grow our enrollment, support student success, and offer affordable, high quality housing options, all without adding new debt to our books.”

The Annex Group will be the project developer, general contractor, facility manager and asset manager for the community. MTSU will provide residence life, leasing and suite assignments for the proposed complex, which would include a staffed front desk, entry and floor lounges, community kitchen, laundry room, private and small group study spaces, landscaped courtyard, and MTSU residence life offices.

The next step is securing approval of the ground lease for the project, which would allow the university to lease its land for private development. The lease will be considered by the State Building Commission in November, clearing the way for construction to begin early next year if approved and completion by fall 2027.

The project comes amid positive enrollment trends for the Blue Raider campus. While fall enrollmentnumbers won’t be official until mid-September, McPhee shared that preliminary numbers indicate first-time freshmen enrollment (up 3.34%) and overall enrollment increasing for the third consecutive year and up 2.5% from last fall’s enrollment of just over 20,000 students.

During introductory remarks emphasizing the university’s ongoing commitment to student success, Provost Mark Byrnes told faculty present that “each academic year is really full of promise and potential. … As long as we all continue to keep what’s best for students in mind, I believe we’re going to have a great academic year.”

“Student success continues to be our No. 1 priority. Our students are hard workers,” Byrnes continued. “Many of them have outside jobs and/or family responsibilities in addition to going to school, yet they still find time to study … participate in internships and other extracurricular activities and get involved in student life. But they don’t do this alone. Your work changes their lives and in doing that, changes their families’ lives for generations to come.”

Connecting the dots

Other ongoing campus projects supporting the entertainment and sports district vision:

• On-campus hotel: McPhee said the university is in ongoing negotiations to find a preferred developer for the previously announced construction of an on-campus hotel at the corner of Greenland Drive and Middle Tennessee Boulevard. The public-private partnership would serve as a real-world learning lab for Hospitality and Tourism Management students while also serving academic visitors, athletic families, attendees of Murphy Center events and conference guests.

• Murphy Center renovations: McPhee also pointed to the $72 million state-funded project to add a new, modern entrance to Murphy Center with escalators, elevators and open lobby space. It comes on the heels of multimillion-dollar arena improvements such as upgraded lighting and sound, high-definition video boards, “smart glass” outer walls and a million-dollar control center — not only enhancing the experience of fans for MTSU Athletics events but expanding opportunities for high profile concerts and elevating current events such as MTSU commencements and area high school graduation ceremonies.

• Student-Athlete Performance Center: And McPhee noted the ribbon cutting for the $67 million Stephen and Denise Smith Student-Athlete Performance Center at the end of July, described by some in the media as a centerpiece for Blue Raider student-athletes to access one of the best football and athletic training and wellness facilities in the region.

Of the Murphy Center upgrades, McPhee said the investment by the state “allows us to continue the considerable and substantial improvements of this iconic facility, ultimately expanding our opportunities to better utilize this great resource.”

McPhee also noted the other ongoing and completed projects in the campus core that are propelling the university forward academically: the $62 million relocation of the ever-growing Aerospace Department programs to the Shelbyville Airport expected to officially break ground this fall and the recently opened state-of-the-art $74.8 million Applied Engineering Building.

Career Achievement Award

A highlight of the Fall Faculty and Staff Meeting is the presentation of the MTSU Foundation Awards for faculty, including the top award, the Career Achievement Award, accepted this year by Philip E. Phillips is associate dean of the University Honors College and professor of English at MTSU, where he has taught since 1999.

Phillips is best known in academia for his scholarship on Edgar AllanPoe, John Milton, and Boethius as well as for his leadership as president of the Poe Studies Association and his roles in organizing its last three international conferences, in Kyoto, Boston, and Paris.

In accepting the award — the first member of the MTSU English Department to receive the honor, Phillips thanked and praised numerous professors who guided him through has undergraduate and graduate studies as well as multiple colleagues who’ve supported him and his many students who’ve enriched academic journey.

“Over the years in the roles of professor and associate dean, I’ve had the privilege of working closely with students and faculty. I try to give my students the same encouragement and attention that my best professors gave to me,” he said.

“… In the Honors College, I’ve had the joy of working with students from across the disciplines, encouraging them to discover their passions, to undertake research and creative projects and to apply for competitive fellowships.”

For the full list of 2025-26 faculty and staff award recipients and photos, see a separate story on mtsunews.com.

MTSU’s new academic year officially begins Monday, Aug. 25.

— Jimmy Hart (Jimmy.Hart@mtsu.edu)