Plaster Center

The Robert W. Plaster Center is a state-of-the-art facility that hosts a variety of university and community events, including national track and field championships, career fairs, Special Olympics events, and Commencement.

Dedicated on April 21, 2015, it is named for the founder of Empire Gas Company and a philanthropist who created the Robert W. Plaster Foundation.

At 154,000-square-feet, it is large enough to park two Boeing 787 Dreamliners, nose-to-tail. Its construction was a collaborative effort funded through the City of Pittsburg, support from the county, student fees, and private donors.

Surrounding the field is the 300-meter Harvey Dean Track, one of the finest in the U.S. and named after alumnus and Pitsco, Inc. CEO Harvey Dean. Along the southern wall is seating for up to 1,500 fans.

Overlooking the track and field is the 11,000-square foot ProMaxima Strength and Conditioning Center, funded by an alumnus who built his company into one of the top names in commercial fitness equipment.

PSU began a multi-year contract with the Four State Farm Show in 2021 that relocated it from the all-outdoor venue south of Pittsburg where weather often was an issue. Using the Plaster Center allowed the show to offer more than 400 climate controlled indoor booths to exhibitors and vendors, while more than 500 booths including large machinery had an ideal location outdoors.