Schwan Regional Event Center

About

The Schwan Regional Event Center is more than an athletic field. It’s a multi-purpose facility that can be utilized in a number of ways by groups both large, and small.

The $16 million facility opened in 2008 and was renamed the Schwan Regional Event Center in May 2013, in appreciation of The Schwan Food Company, a generous corporate supporter of SMSU since the university welcomed its first students in 1967.

There are eight suites at the Schwan Regional Event Center. They can be used for meetings and other events, as well as sports viewing. There is also a Commons area outside of the suites, which can host meetings, speakers, etc. Catering is available through Campus Dining Services.

The playing service is named Mattke Field, in honor of former Director of Athletics Glenn Mattke, who was also the University’s first basketball, baseball and men’s golf coach. It is home to Mustang and Marshall High School football and soccer teams.

The versatile facility offers a number of meeting and event options. For further information, contact the Scheduling Office at 507-537-7110
or email scheduling@smsu.edu.

Make a Reservation

Reserve this space for your events

Contact Information

Phone: 507-537-7110
Email: scheduling@smsu.edu
Office Location: Founders Hall 118
Website: Scheduling Office

Parking

View Campus Map

General Parking Information:

Through traffic will be closed off during all Football events. Mustang Trail will be blocked at the West entrance to the RA Parking lot and the North East corner of the Regional Event Center.

Free parking will be allowed only in the A, B, and C lots and the Green lot. Overflow parking is also available at Mattke field and on Stadium drive. Persons parking in the A and B lots may walk to the Regional Event Center by entering campus through the Student Center or Bellows/Charter Hall entrances.

Street parking on Mustang Trail will be prohibited on game day.

Reserved tailgating spaces will be sold in the RA lot. Access will be limited to the West entrance. Reserved parking will be allowed in the RA lot and Bellows/PE lot.

On special event days, when access to the RA lot is limited, reserved parking will be in the Bellows/PE lot, along the North section of Mustang Trail, East of the Regional Event Center, on Stadium Drive.

Tailgating Policy:

Tailgating will be encouraged in order to boost school spirit and camaraderie.

Individuals attending Southwest Minnesota State University are expected to conduct themselves in a manner respectful of the nature and character of the University. Persons acting in a disruptive, disrespectful, disorderly manner may be asked to leave the premises or be subject to arrest. Students may also be charged with a violation of the SMSU Student Conduct Code.

Parking lots are open three (3) hours prior to kickoff and one hour after the game concludes. Parking spaces are limited and tailgating must be confined to a small area around your vehicle. Traffic aisles and parking spaces can not be blocked at any time. Spectators wishing to park together must enter lots at the same time. All spectators will be asked to leave the parking lots at kick-off time.

Southwest Minnesota State University does not sanction the consumption or possession of alcoholic beverage by underage persons; nor does it sanction the violation of any federal, State or local law.

All participants will be responsible for complete cleanup of their tailgating area. This includes proper disposal of garbage and charcoal. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THE GRASS FIELDS ARE USED DAILY BY SMSU STUDENTS FOR RECREATION. Putting trash in proper receptacles is appreciated.

Statistics & Structural Information

About the Field:

ProGrass turf covers 106,000 square feet.
Final mixture includes 140 tons of rubber and approximately 60 tons of sand.
The surface has a less than one percent crown to the field.
The crushed rock provides all of the drainage for the field.

The Regional Event Center field is constructed in a three step process. The base is comprised of six inches of crushed rock topped by two more inches of smaller crushed rock. That crushed rock is then topped off with the ProGrass surface.

Landscape fabric and a drainage system are below the crushed rock. It takes about seven to nine days to sew it together followed by shearing (cutting out) the yard markers, the numbers, the soccer lines, and any logos.

The third process involves applying a mixture of rubber and fine sand in exact proportions over the surface of the turf through a process of lifts or passes over the field. Each lift drops a small amount of the mixture into the strands of the turf, which are then slowly lifted so that, when the mixture is fully applied, the field feels like real grass and does not have the concrete feel of artificial surfaces of years ago.