Southern Methodist University receives $50 million for sports complex

Dallas-based Southern Methodist University has announced a $50 million commitment from alumnus Garry Weber and the Garry Weber Foundation in support of renovating the university’s football stadium.

The largest gift in the history of SMU Athletics leads a $100 million campaign for the new 192,500-square-foot Garry Weber End Zone Complex at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. The complex will anchor Ford Stadium’s south bowl and connect the stadium’s existing east and west gate entries. In addition, the complex will expand guest facilities, improve pedestrian accessibility, and add an inviting breezeway that joins the stadium’s entryways to the internal field. The facility will include new locker rooms, a weight room, position-specific meeting rooms, a full-team auditorium, and a kitchen and training table, as well as facilities for football coaches, support staff, and video and recruiting services.

Weber (’58) is a graduate of the Edwin L. Cox School of Business and a former member of the Mustang football team. He is the founder of Weber Financial Inc., as well as an active individual investor in venture capital and late-stage hedge funds.

“Both SMU and Dallas have played a substantial role in my life, and I feel honored to pay it forward to the next generation of Mustang student-athletes and fans,” said Weber. “Being a member of a team means striving for success for yourself and those around you, and I’m proud to continue to be a part of Mustang football and its future success and growth. I hope that this gift will inspire SMU’s student-athletes and Mustang fans to dream bigger than they thought possible and to strive for a new level of excellence.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/freelancing)

"Expanding SMU’s Gerald J. Ford Stadium." Southern Methodist University press release 01/21/2022.