MSU makes headway on construction, with more to come

Construction began for MSU’s new on-campus hotel on Sept. 19. The start of this project highlights MSU’s record-breaking infrastructure updates in recent years, which administrators said are designed with student and stakeholder needs in mind.

The hotel’s groundbreaking comes amidst the busiest building period in University history. According to Associate Vice President for Facilities Management John How, these on-campus construction projects are meant to improve student life, support academic programs and ensure responsible use of taxpayer and student resources.

Named after lyrics from MSU’s fight song “Stand Up and Cheer,” The VIM is privately owned under a long-term lease agreement between the University and CrossHarbor Capital Partners. 

The hotel will be 123,000 square feet and will have 138 rooms and suites as well as 5,300 square feet of event and meeting space, according to co-founder and managing partner of CrossHarbor Capital Partners Sam Byrne.

“[MSU] is, I think, the most important economic engine for the region,” Byrne said. One of the main goals of this hotel is to revamp MSU’s hospitality program, according to him. 

“I’m excited to have the opportunity to explore all the different aspects of the hotel and restaurants and to have hands-on experience opportunities,” said business hospitality major Bailey Gensburg during the groundbreaking ceremony. “I think it's going to be essential to helping the program grow to have the hotel here.”

“I think this will be awesome for the underclassmen because The VIM will allow students to apply their learning in a real hotel setting,” said hospitality management major Amelia Kirt. 

According to Byrne, the project should be done in 24 months if weather allows.

The VIM is not the only development under construction on campus. The University has five major projects underway, according to MSU’s RMA 2025 Conference Current Construction Projects page. 

“In no other two-year period have we had this amount of construction and investment,” How said. “It’s really an investment in our success as an institution.”

One of the most significant developments is Jones Hall, the future home of the Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing on the corner of 11th Avenue and Grant Street. The facility, which is expected to open in fall 2026,is part of a statewide expansion of nursing schools made possible by a $101 million donation from Mark and Robyn Jones, according to How.

The future Gianforte Hall is also under construction on the southern side of campus. This building will primarily house the School of Computing along with programs in film, photography and music education. It is being funded by a $50 million donation from the Gianforte Family Foundation and is scheduled to open in 2026, according to How. 

How also cited the recently completed Kennedy Stark Athletic Center, the impending relocation of MSU’s facilities yard to make way for Gallatin College and the transformation of Grant Street into a pedestrian-friendly corridor as additional examples of campus infrastructure updates.

“The vast majority of the work on Grant Street happened during the summer, when the number of students on campus is low,” said Interim Vice President for Communications Mike Becker. “We wrapped up as much as we could before fall classes began so that the corridor would be open.”

Becker and How acknowledged that students have other on-campus desires, including parking, air conditioning in residence halls and updated classrooms. According to How, MSU consults directly with the Associated Students of MSU (ASMSU) on these issues.

“We went to ASMSU last fall and asked them to weigh in on which classroom projects they felt were most important,” How said. “That feedback directly shaped our renovation plans for this year.” 

For example, the Student Memorial project was initiated and led by students and is representative of the incorporation of student priorities into campus development, according to How. 

Despite the many infrastructure updates, parking remains a primary concern. “Over the last two years, we’ve invested about $14 million in parking across campus,” How said. “At the stadium lots alone, capacity increased by about 50 percent.”

He noted that additional parking upgrades are planned, including paving and expanding the gravel Moose Lot near 19th Avenue and Lincoln Street.

“We’ve heard students loud and clear on parking,” How said. “We’re always looking for ways to improve inventory.”

According to Becker, balancing student expectations with available resources is one of the toughest issues for the University. “Part of the challenge is just helping students understand what investments are already happening,” he said.

Becker and How also said that construction priorities reflect a broader responsibility to students and taxpayers. “We are stewards of student resources,” How said. “We want to make sure students are getting the most value out of what they invest here.”

Looking ahead at MSU’s future, How said the long-term goal is simple. “Every decision we make is about students. We want every student’s experience here to be wonderful — and we want to leave campus in better shape for future generations.”

To learn more about current projects, visit  https://www.montana.edu/rma2025/projects_main.html.