UPDATE: Athletic director Mark Hollis eyes recruiting boost from Spartan Stadium expansion project.

EAST LANSING, MI -- Michigan State University

last week.

In the not too distant future, it could be breaking in an expansive addition to the football venue's north end zone.

MSU's Board of Trustees is set to vote at its Friday meeting whether to authorize planning for an $18 million expansion to Spartan Stadium. The new addition would build added facilities onto the structure's existing north end zone facade.

The project would create a two-level addition, including a recruitment center on the concourse level, upgraded locker rooms and team spaces, media rooms and shell space for future restroom and concession areas, as well as maintenance needs, according to a memo sent to the board by MSU Vice President for Finance and Operations Fred Poston.

"The north end zone of Spartan Stadium has a number of issues that need to be addressed," Poston says in the memo. "There are Just-In-Time maintenance needs in the concourse and the locker rooms need to be upgraded.

"The stadium currently lacks a formal recruiting space and game day media space is inadequate."

All of the project's costs would be covered by MSU Athletics, which is funded independent of the university. Poston said the cost estimate may change over the course of a potential planning phase.

MSU recently completed the overhaul of its scoreboards and sound system in Spartan Stadium,

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Plans for the north end zone expansion were unveiled during the scoreboards project. The athletics department launched a

"Compared with peer institutions, game-day accommodations at Spartan Stadium are not adequate to sustain the unmatched success of the Spartan football program under head coach Mark Dantonio," the webpage reads. "In order to maintain our football program at this level, MSU Athletics must continue to invest valuable resources into facility upgrades and the student-athlete experience.

"(The) addition to the north end of Spartan Stadium (is) aimed at attracting talented student-athletes and increasing the national exposure of all 25 varsity sports."

The webpage, titled "Championships Built On Memberships," says the north end zone expansion "is a necessary enhancement to modernize Spartan Stadium."

"The construction of a North End Zone Facility will benefit not only the Spartan football program through locker room renovations, but will enhance the coverage of MSU Athletics with the addition of media rooms for pre-and-post game press conferences," the webpage reads. "Plans also include a new recruiting area to be shared by all MSU varsity sports."

Fundraising for the project is under way. MSU's Board of Trustees meets Friday at 9:30 a.m. in the Board Room of the Hannah Administration Building.

Follow Brandon Howell on Twitter: @BHowellMLive. Email him at brhowell@mlive.com or call him at 517-908-0711.

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