Middlesex County and Middlesex College officials gathered on a frigid Tuesday morning with warmer thoughts in mind to break ground on two new facilities at the school: a Student Center and Multipurpose Community Venue that will host baseball and other sports.

Scheduled to open in 2026, the athletic facility will be designed for concerts, cultural events, baseball, soccer and lacrosse. Officials say the 3,500-seat outdoor venue will meet Big Ten, NCAA, Minor League Baseball and FIFA standards, and include eight private boxes, concession stands, and spaces for gatherings and special events.

It’ll also serve as a future home for a good portion of Rutgers University baseball games, with their current field having received major upgrades in recent years – with lights, turf and new scoreboard – but lacking in seating capacity, as well as media and suite accommodations.

There also could be the potential for Greater Middlesex Conference schools to play games there, including county tournaments for soccer, lacrosse and baseball.

Slated to open for the 2026 season, Terminal Construction Corporation is expected to complete the work in approximately 22 months using entirely union labor, and funded by state, federal and county money.

“Rutgers Athletics is proud to continue its partnership with Middlesex County and break ground on the new Multipurpose Community Venue,” said interim Rutgers Athletic Director Ryan Pisarri. “This project represents a significant investment in the success of our baseball program. Middlesex County has been an incredible partner in this process and has gone above and beyond to make this venue state-of-art for our players and staff.”