The latest push to secure state funding for a new multi-purpose stadium for Jackson State University has stalled once again. According to a report from WLBT 3 in Jackson, House Bill 117 — introduced during the 2026 Mississippi Legislative Session by Representative Robert Johnson — has died in committee.
The measure would have appropriated $40 million from the State General Fund to the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning. The funding was designed to serve as “seed money for planning, design, and initial building stages” of a proposed new stadium project.
The appropriation would have taken effect on July 1, 2026, if approved.
Instead, the proposal now joins a growing list of similar stadium funding efforts that have failed to advance through the Legislature in recent years.
Where This Leaves Jackson State’s Stadium Future
The bill’s death comes just weeks after renewed public urgency around the issue.
Jackson City Councilman Kenneth Stokes publicly urged state leaders to help fund a new stadium. Stokes tied the proposal directly to the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s planned expansion of the Cancer Center and Research Institute.
The current Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium — where JSU football has played since 2011 — sits on property viewed as central to UMMC’s long-term development plans.
“Governor do your job. Give Jackson State this new stadium so we can have the cancer center built right,” Stokes said in remarks circulating online at the time.
The framing marked a shift in tone. What had long been a football-and-facilities conversation suddenly became part of a broader economic development and public health debate.
A Funding Gap That Remains
Rep. Johnson previously estimated that a new stadium project could total approximately $250 million, meaning the proposed $40 million appropriation would have represented only the first phase of a much larger public-private funding model.
According to WLBT, Johnson said earlier this year that he would continue pushing for a new stadium. He also indicated he would consider legislation to secure funding for renovations to Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium if a new-build effort fails to gain traction.
That fallback option may now take on increased relevance.
Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, which opened in 1950, remains a historic landmark for Tiger football. However, its long-term viability has frequently been questioned amid redevelopment discussions, infrastructure concerns, and competing land-use priorities.
What This Means Moving Forward
The bill’s failure does not necessarily end the conversation. Proposals similar to House Bill 117 have surfaced in multiple sessions before. However, without legislative momentum, the timeline for any state-backed stadium solution becomes increasingly uncertain.
For Jackson State, the debate now returns to familiar territory:
- Continue pursuing a new multi-purpose facility through state and private funding channels
- Or pivot toward renovation and modernization of “The Vet.”
For the moment, though, the scoreboard reads the same as it has in recent years:
No new stadium funding — at least not yet.