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Johnny Allison Donates $5M to Arkansas State Athletics Department

2 min read

Johnny Allison, chairman of Home BancShares Inc. of Conway and an Arkansas State University alumnus, has made the largest personal gift commitment in the A-State athletics department’s history: $5 million.

The gift from Allison was announced at a news conference Tuesday. A-State said it will use the money on an expansion of its football stadium, which is named for Home BancShares’ Centennial Bank.

Part of the expansion includes increasing Centennial Bank Stadium’s press box to 35,741-SF and adding 42 loge boxes, 20 suites and 300 club seats. The suites will average 433 SF.

The total cost of the project is yet to be determined. Jerry Scott, assistant athletics director, told Arkansas Business in an email Tuesday afternoon the maximum price has not been set and the estimate is likely to fluctuate. 

Construction is set to begin this fall and be completed in time for the season opener next year. AECOM is the architecture firm on the project, partnered with Brackett Krennerich Architects of Jonesboro. The construction company is Ramsons Construction of Jonesboro.

“This is a monumental occasion for Arkansas State University made possible by one of our most successful and recognizable alumni, Johnny Allison, and his family,” Terry Mohajir, athletics director, said. “We’ve taken a major step today in our mission to strengthen our national brand and provide first-class facilities for our student-athletes and fans.”

Allison is a 1969 A-State graduate and was a member for the 1968 football team. He served from 1979-84 on the Board of Trustees, including a year as chairman in 1983. Allison was named an Arkansas State University Distinguished Alumni in 1998.

“It is our hope that this contribution from the Allison family, together with the Centennial Bank contribution, will go a long way toward making the dreams of the athletes at Arkansas State University come true,” Allison said.

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