Southern Miss Reveals $25 Million Pete Taylor Park Renovation Plans: Everything to Know

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss is launching a public fundraising push to support a roughly $25 million plan to renovate Pete Taylor Park, with upgrades that would enhance the experience for players, fans and the next generation of Golden Eagles.

Athletics director Jeremy McClain and head baseball coach Christian Ostrander spoke about the project Tuesday, detailing a new player performance center, additional premium seating, improvements to The Roost and a target capacity of about 6,500 fans.

There is plenty for Southern Miss supporters to look forward to. There are also some important details to understand about what must happen before these renovations can begin, particularly when it comes to funding, construction and the areas of the ballpark fans already call home.

A $25 Million Goal, With Timing Tied to Fundraising

Southern Miss Baseball — Southern Miss' Pete Taylor Park renovations rendering. | Southern Miss Athletics

“You’re looking at approximately about a $25 million project,” McClain said. “Now, it may end up being a little bit more than that. That is our goal right now as we approach this fundraising phase.”

The announcement marks the public fundraising phase of the campaign. Before advancing into the next design stage, McClain said Southern Miss needs to reach a fundraising threshold that is roughly 60 percent of that estimate.

“The timeline is going to depend on how quickly that fundraising effort hits and how quickly people are willing to respond to that,” McClain said.

After reaching that mark, the university plans to engage further with architects and begin work on design documents. A construction start or completion date has not been announced.

McClain noted that the financing part of this project will come through philanthropic gifts, corporate opportunities and premium seating revenue, with suites and loge boxes helping support as well. Fans can contribute through the project website, while Southern Miss will also pursue larger gifts and corporate partnerships. McClain did not disclose a current fundraising total.

He also addressed a concern that will sound familiar following the recent naming agreement for Southern Miss’ football stadium: The Pete Taylor Park and Hill Denson Field names will remain. Corporate naming opportunities could involve other parts of the project, including the performance center.

More Seating Options, With a Target of About 6,500 Fans

McClain said Southern Miss is targeting a ballpark capacity of approximately 6,500 fans, although the final figure could shift during the official design stage.

The plans include eight new suites extending the existing suite area along the first-base side, renovations to current suites and new loge boxes down the left-field line.

A new Left Field Landing would provide premium seating and hospitality space with concessions and restrooms. McClain said that space could also accommodate team functions and potentially be rented for events throughout the year.

Behind home plate, the intent is to move part of the lower seating section closer to the field and lower those seats, improving views while opening circulation space behind them. The seat count in that area would remain the same.

McClain also mentioned the possibility of eventually adding a club space beneath the stadium to serve those seats. That is something that will be explored during design.

All of those distinctions mean a lot for current ticket holders, but so will pricing, seat-selection procedures and individual ticket-holder arrangements, which have not been announced at this time with the project still just in the fundraising stage.

What Changes for The Roost?

For many fans, this will be the most closely watched part of the renovation.

The plans shift The Roost closer to the action to improve sightlines, including views of home plate from spots where that has been a problem. Covered parking, power and other infrastructure improvements would address some of the area’s existing challenges.

A separate entrance near the right-field corner would serve The Roost and outfield seating, with safety and traffic flow among McClain’s priorities. The ballpark would also get a new state-of-the-art primary entrance.

McClain said he has already consulted some Roost holders and plans additional conversations during design. He also offered a direct assurance about accounting for existing spots.

“One of the things I told the architect was, we will not move forward until we have every spot accounted for,” McClain said. “It was really important to me that as we made adjustments, we protected what made The Pete special."

Better Access for Students, Families and Fans

Southern Miss also wants to create more room for students after recent sellouts limited how many could attend.

Plans include additional right-field terrace seating and standing space, with an area in right field intended for students. The first-base terrace would be reworked to improve sightlines and bring fans closer to the field.

That adjustment would reduce some foul territory down the right-field line, a change McClain said was discussed with Ostrander.

Behind center field, the plans include an improved batter’s eye, a television platform and a children’s mini ballpark. The kids’ space would help preserve another familiar part of baseball at The Pete as new seating uses some of the existing play space.

Additional concessions and restrooms along both sides of the ballpark, along with a team merchandise store near the right-field side, are expected to ease congestion and improve the fans' game-day experience.

Player Development Remains Top Priority

Southern Miss Baseball, Christian Ostrander — Southern Miss baseball head coach Christian Ostrander during Tuesday's Pete Taylor Park renovation plans press conference. | Josh House

The existing hitting facility would be relocated from the left-field line to the front of the stadium and expanded into a performance center connected to current player spaces and coaches’ offices, McClain said.

McClain mentioned cages, pitching mounds and technology for player development as part of the new facility. Ostrander emphasized the benefits of a climate-controlled space, both for using that technology and for expanding what the staff can do with players. The exact size of the facility is still to be determined.

For a program that has built so much of its success on developing players, this would be a significant part of the renovations. Ostrander also sees the facility as another selling point for recruits.

“It’s also going to be just another attractive piece that you can sell to recruits,” Ostrander said. “It matters. It does. When you’re recruiting young men that have great options to other places, anytime you have nice new things from a facility standpoint, that should really help out in the recruiting aspect, too.”

USM, Baseball, Crowd — Southern Miss Baseball's Pete Taylor Park | Josh House

Southern Miss finished 44-17 overall and 22-8 in Sun Belt play in 2026, winning the outright regular-season championship and its third conference tournament title in four years. The Golden Eagles extended their nation-leading streak of 40-win seasons to 10 consecutive full seasons.

Pete Taylor Park hosted NCAA regionals in 2025 and 2026 after serving as a super regional site in 2022 and 2023. The renovation plans represent an effort to support those expectations with improved facilities.

“I think this program’s earned this opportunity to have such a beautiful place,” Ostrander said. “We’ve already got a great place. It’s been wonderful memories and a lot of success over the years. But now we get to upgrade it to another level, and I think our fans deserve that. Our community deserves that because they make this program what it is. It’s such a special relationship with our program and the community.”

Ostrander also credited the former players and coaches who helped build the program, including Pete Taylor, Hill Denson, Corky Palmer and Scott Berry. He says getting a renovated ballpark won't change the blue-collar aspect of the program.

“We’re excited. We’re appreciative. We’re humble with it,” Ostrander said. “It’s not going to change who we are. … Again, I think this program’s earned that, and I say that very respectfully. And it’s good for us to be able to try to take that next step.”

How Would Construction Affect Baseball?

That part of the plan still needs to be finalized, but McClain expects the work to be phased, with the design process determining what could be completed during an offseason and how subsequent work would fit around baseball seasons. He did not announce a specific construction or relocation plan for home games in the event that it has to happen.

Another important note fans might be wondering about: the project would not have to wait for the current renovations at Reed Green Coliseum to finish before starting. McClain said the two projects would require logistical coordination, but Southern Miss could advance the baseball renovation once its fundraising and planning requirements are met.

For now, the next step is raising the money that will allow Southern Miss to turn this beautiful vision for The Pete into an official, detailed construction plan. Stay tuned to Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI for more baseball coverage in the coming days.

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