OSU announces sites for new veterinary hospital, agronomy center

OKLAHOMA CITY — Locations for two major taxpayer-supported construction projects at Oklahoma State University were revealed Tuesday.

A $330 million veterinary teaching hospital and a $50 million Agronomy Discovery Center will be built west of OSU’s Stillwater campus in a farmland area, the university announced. 

The Oklahoma Legislature agreed to fund most of the cost of both projects, but the university is still raising millions of dollars in private donations to cover remaining expenses. An OSU spokesperson did not immediately answer whether either project has an expected completion date.

State lawmakers dedicated $250 million in 2025 to build the veterinary teaching hospital. The 275,000-square-foot facility, to be built north of State Highway 51 west of South Western Road, will accommodate larger student enrollment than OSU’s current animal hospital, enhance educational opportunities and improve animal owners’ access to advanced veterinary care, the university announced.

Once finished, the hospital will serve large and small animals while also providing space for teaching and research. OSU College of Veterinary Medicine dean Dr. Richard Prather said the facility will help the university’s competitiveness in attracting top students, faculty and researchers.

“Our mission is to provide state-of-the-art veterinary care for every patient, from companion animals to livestock,” Prather said in a statement. “This care not only improves animal health and supports the people who depend on these animals, but also helps safeguard a strong and sustainable food supply for our state and nation.”

The future hospital will be built on a portion of the current OSU Agronomy Research Station in a part of Stillwater dedicated to farmland. Crop research will continue on the northern portion of the site, particularly the Magruder Plots, one of the longest-running wheat research experiments in the U.S., the university said.

The new OSU Agronomy Discovery Center will be constructed about half a mile away on the northwest side of the intersection of West Virginia Road and South Western Road.

The state Legislature appropriated $40 million this year for the agronomy center, which OSU said will be a “cutting-edge research and education hub that supports wheat breeding, crop science, soil fertility, forage and turfgrass research.” It also will expand OSU’s current agricultural research programs.

House Bill 4054, which provided the legislative funding, requires OSU to raise $10 million in private donations for the agronomy center by July 1, 2027, to receive state funds for the project. The university said 51 donors had pledged a collective $8.7 million as of Sept. 1.

“Together, these projects demonstrate OSU’s commitment to Oklahoma while positioning the university as a national destination for talent and leadership in agriculture and animal health,” OSU President Jim Hess said in a statement. “Most importantly, the discoveries made here will not stay on our campuses. They will reach pastures, farms, veterinary practices, businesses and communities across all 77 Oklahoma counties, turning knowledge into practical solutions that improve lives.”