Sukup Family Gift Will Name End Zone Club

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State University announced today that the new club area in the south end zone of Jack Trice Stadium will be named the Sukup End Zone Club – after the Sukup family of Sheffield, Iowa – pending final approval from the Iowa Board of Regents.

The athletics department also released updated renderings (click here) of the interior of the club, which feature corrugated steel signage and fixtures fabricated at the Sukup Manufacturing plant.

The Sukup family has a long history of generous giving to Iowa State University, including Sukup Hall (the University's Biorenewables and Engineering Laboratory Complex), the Sukup Basketball Complex (home for Cyclone men's and women's basketball) and the Hixson-Lied Student Success Center.

The Sukup End Zone Club will be a two-level premium seating area featuring a climate-controlled lounge equipped with Wi-Fi service, HD televisions and a kitchen that will provide extensive food and beverage service to club seat holders. The indoor club space will have a capacity of 3,000 and is expected to also be used by the University and the community for large scale social and banquet type events.

“This is going to be an impressive facility, not only a striking feature of the expanded Jack Trice Stadium, but also a beautiful part of the new connection between the stadium and Reiman Gardens,” said ISU President Steven Leath. “We are so grateful for the generosity, enthusiasm and commitment of the Sukup family in support of this project as well as the many other projects they have supported on our campus.”

Eugene and Mary Sukup founded the Sukup Manufacturing Co. in 1963 and the family continues to run its operations today. The company – which began by making equipment to dry and store grain – is the world's largest family-owned grain bin manufacturer. Sons Charles and Steve are President and Vice-President/CFO of the company.

Eugene and Mary Sukup received honorary ISU degrees in 2010. Charles earned two degrees ('76 & '82 agricultural engineering) from Iowa State, Steve received an ISU degree in industrial engineering ('79) and the third generation of the Sukup family has earned six degrees from ISU.

“We are so proud to be a part of this transformational project to close in the south end zone of Jack Trice Stadium in spectacular form,” Charles Sukup said.

“This project really demonstrates the commitment that Iowa State University is making for its football program and we are pleased to be associated with its completion,” Steve Sukup added.

The Sukup End Zone Club will be a premiere gathering space on Cyclone football game-days and its full-glass front entrance will be a dramatic visual at the entry to campus on University Boulevard adjacent to Reiman Gardens.

“We are extremely grateful to the Sukup family for their continued generosity in support of the Cyclones,” Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard said. “Additionally, I want to thank numerous additional Cyclone supporters who have stepped up to make this project a reality with their financial support of the vision. The closing in of the south end zone and reshaping the campus entrance by Reiman Gardens will impact Cyclone football for generations to come.”

Pollard noted that overall fundraising for the project is approaching $50 million. He added that ticket sales for the club have been strong and, as it continues to take shape, he's confident even more fans will want access to the club.

Tickets to the club cost $750 each for Cyclone Club donors at the Cardinal ($500 annually) level and above.

Iowa State University Athletics

Related Videos

Sponsors