When the Lamar University Cardinals return to the gridiron, it will be thanks in large part to the
generosity of donors like Walter Umphrey and his partners at Provost Umphrey law firm.
“It’s very clear to all of us that we would not be talking about football if it wouldn’t be for the wonderful support we’ve received from our friends, donors and alumni from this region and across the state,” said President James Simmons. “You have to single out this gift as the cornerstone of the project. Some wonderful people have also stepped in to help us get to the total we needed to make it possible.”
In recognition of a $3 million gift from the Beaumont-based law firm and an additional $1 million from Umphrey and his wife, Sheila, the name “Provost Umphrey Stadium” will grace the soon-to-be renovated facility where fans will cheer on the Cardinals. The gifts are part of LU’s $100 million Investing in the Future comprehensive campaign. Umphrey, a Port Arthur native who founded the law firm in 1969 with David Provost, said he and the five senior partners all agreed that making the donation was a valuable investment in the region.
“We feel that Lamar University is the future of Southeast Texas, and, to have a complete university, you have to have a complete athletic program,” Umphrey said. “It attracts students and creates interest. It’s a stimulant for them to live on campus.”
A former athlete himself, Umphrey received a football scholarship to Southern Methodist University, where he began his studies before finishing his undergraduate and law degrees at Baylor University. Sheila Umphrey, who owns The Decorating Depot Inc., studied art at the University of Colorado and at Lamar. The couple had nothing but praise for recent progress at Lamar University, where he earned a few English credits in summer classes and where their son graduated.
“Jimmy Simmons has done a heck of a job since he’s been president,” Umphrey said. “He has done magnificent things in regards to having several dormitories built, the recreation center for the students and any number of things.”
Senior partner Dave Wilson ’75 attended many Lamar games as a student and remembers football as an important part of student life, especially for those who lived on campus as he did for his first two years. He left Lamar for the military for eight years then returned to complete his studies. “It gave me a great start in everything that I wanted to do and was part of the basis of where I am now. It was a great learning experience. I think Lamar is great for the area,” Wilson said.
Though none of the other partners graduated from Lamar, there are connections. James Payne took a summer English class on campus, and his wife, Tracie (Wilson) Payne ’97, completed her master’s degree at Lamar. Chip Ferguson’s wife, Michelle (Beard) Ferguson ’02, is an alumna, and his stepson is a student. Along with partners Bryan Blevins Jr. and Joe Fisher II, all agreed to participate in this gift, which was critical for transforming the return of football from a dream to a reality.
Renovations to the stadium, which has not been home to a Cardinal football team since 1989, are expected to begin in April after The Texas State University System issues bonds to help pay for the project. The debt will be repaid using revenue from athletics, student-approved fees and private donations.
The dramatic stadium upgrade is expected to take 12 to 14 months. During the renovation, the facility will get all new bench seating, new restrooms, new concession stands and a new walking surface beneath the bleachers. A major component of the project will involve making the stadium more accessible for the disabled. Ramps will be modified to lower the slope, making movement easier for those in wheelchairs. Additional seating for the disabled will be part of the finished facility. Throughout the stadium, concrete surfaces will be repaired, and insulation will be replaced. The playing field will see improvements, including artificial turf for the field, new goalposts and a new scoreboard to keep track of Cardinal touchdowns. New lighting will be installed throughout the stadium. Gerald McCaig, associate vice president of facilities management and operations said fans who visit the stadium after the upgrade “will definitely see the difference.”
The stadium project goes hand-in-hand with construction of a new athletic complex. Construction of the new building will follow the same timeline as the stadium renovation. Home and visitors locker rooms will be inside the athletic complex. The building will house football coaches’ offices, a sizable weightlifting and physical conditioning room, and a large trainers’ area for taping up players and rehabilitation of injuries, McCaig said. Storage for field equipment and players’ gear will be inside the building as well. Plans for the new facility include several meeting rooms for studying game films and playbooks and for players to focus on their academic studies. Together, the two projects to provide a home for Cardinal football will cost an estimated $26 million, of which $7.5 million has come from private donors, including Provost Umphrey law firm.
“We didn’t give the gift necessarily for football. We did it for Lamar University,” Umphrey said when the gift was announced. “(The partners) thought it was a great idea.”
