Spratt Memorial Stadium is ready for the first football game of the season after a ribbon cutting on Wednesday.

The grand opening of the new Craig Field at Spratt Stadium and the completed Victory Plaza at Missouri Western State University were celebrated with a St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting ceremony.

Missouri Western Director of Athletics Kurt McGuffin spoke at the ceremony, giving a history of the stadium and all the work and support that went into the grand opening this week.

“You have to have the support of the city and the community,” McGuffin said. “The things that have happened out here wouldn’t have happened without so much help from our city, our county commissioners. This collaborative effort, I’m really proud of, that I haven’t seen very often at some of the schools I’ve been at but St. Joe takes this to heart and I think we’ve all got to be very, very proud of what’s happening (here).”

The over $7 million construction project began in May 2015. New at the stadium are a concourse, concessions area, restrooms, team store, club level, including suites, and press box. Repairs and improvements were made to the home grandstand seating. There is also new field turf, a 2,500 square foot video scoreboard and Victory Plaza. The plaza features a sculpture representing Missouri Western’s “Victory Tree” tradition. The piece was designed by Sara Hunt and fabricated by Hausman Metal Works and Roofing.

Missouri Western football opens the 2016 season at the new Spratt Stadium at 7 p.m. Thursday vs. the University of Nebraska-Kearney.