Supporters of Oklahoma State University Agriculture gathered June 27 to celebrate the grand opening of the Lionel K. Bentley Turfgrass Center.

The Turfgrass Center, located on a 100-acre facility, north of The Botanic Garden at OSU, is named in honor of the late Lionel Bentley of Washington, Oklahoma. The new center will specialize in ornamental and recreational turfgrass research, creating adaptive turfgrasses and developing eco-friendly pest management solutions.

Bentley graduated from OSU in 1970 with a bachelor’s degree in agronomy with a focus on turf management. In 1984, he retired from the City of Norman as director of the Parks and Recreation Department to pursue Bentley Turf Farms, a full-service turf establishment and erosion-control company.

Bentley was known as a turfgrass sod pioneer in Oklahoma, offering customers U-3 bermudagrass, Tifway bermudagrass and his own Gracemont bermudagrass. He developed his turf-type tall fescue sod and was among the first in the state to offer Meyer Zoysia and El Toro Zoysia.

Bentley’s wife, Lou, made the gift in memory of her husband. Her gift directly supports The Code Calls, OSU’s $2 billion comprehensive fundraising campaign. The center embodies one of the campaign’s core pillars – powering progress – and will drive turfgrass innovation and solve real-world problems in the industry. Lou Bentley said it was rewarding to observe her husband’s passion for turfgrass, including his ongoing research and experimentation, as well as his continued association with the OSU turfgrass program.

The Turfgrass Center’s modern facilities will support faculty and students and serve as a welcoming environment for workshops, field days and industry collaboration. It will directly support the research and discovery that ensure Oklahoma remains at the forefront of turfgrass innovation.

The OSU Landscape Services design team worked closely with project stakeholders to create the donor recognition display and landscape spaces. Sustainability and long-term maintenance were important considerations throughout the design process, said Nick Ouellette, OSU Landscape design manager.

The donor recognition monuments were fabricated from locally sourced stone, and the decorative rock mulch used throughout the installation aligns with OSU’s landscape standards.

This project also provided a valuable learning opportunity, as an OSU landscape architecture student intern played a significant role in developing design concepts and renderings, Ouellette said.

The facility marks a significant milestone for the OSU Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture as it continues to expand opportunities in turfgrass education and research, said Justin Quetone Moss, head of the department.

The turfgrass industry contributes more than $40 billion per year to the U.S. economy and $1 billion per year to the Oklahoma economy. OSU turfgrass scientists have contributed 11 turfgrass varieties used on golf greens and fairways, residential yards, sports fields and in commercial production.

OSU’s latest turfgrass variety, Endarra 81, is the most drought-resistant grass to date. It also has longer-lasting color and strong resistance to leaf spot. After more than a decade of progress, Endarra 81 is currently grown at sod farms in five states and is expected to become more widely available to homeowners in 2027.

Additionally, two OSU faculty members recently received federal funding for new turfgrass-related research projects, bringing more than $1 million in research funding to the program.

Used at some of the most recognized sporting events, OSU turfgrass varieties have appeared at the Olympics, the Kentucky Derby, the PGA Championship, the World Cup, the Super Bowl and professional baseball and football stadiums.

OSU Agriculture is dedicated to improving the quality of life of Oklahomans through science-based information and education. It includes the Ferguson College of Agriculture and two state agencies: OSU Ag Research and OSU Extension.

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Oklahoma State Athletics and the Osage Nation are partnering in a landmark collaboration that celebrates a shared commitment to education, land, and the future of Oklahoma. As part of the partnership, uniforms for all Oklahoma State University athletic teams will feature an Osage jersey patch beginning with the 2026-27 competition season.

The relationship builds on years of collaboration between the Osage Nation and Oklahoma State University. Located just minutes from the OSU-Tulsa campus, Osage Casino Hotel Tulsa has become a visible part of the university community through its support for the Osage Casino Hotel Student Union in North Hall, which opened in 2020 and has since become a popular gathering place for students to study, dine, and connect. Since then, partnerships between the two institutions have continued to expand across multiple areas of mutual interest.

“Oklahoma State Athletics is building momentum in this new era of sport. Osage is proud to be able to support the student athletes and programs across the athletic department. We’ve built a strong connection with the university through other projects, and this brings the relationship to a broader stage. It’s about visibility, opportunity and continuing to invest in the future of our people and our communities.” Kimberly Pearson, Chief Executive Officer of Osage Casinos and Hotels.

OSU Athletic Director Chad Weiberg said Cowboy and Cowgirl student-athletes will proudly represent both Oklahoma State University and the Osage Nation in competitions all over the country.

“Oklahoma State Athletics is grateful for the people and the innovative leadership of the Osage Nation for making this historic partnership a reality,” Weiberg said. “There is a deep connection of shared values between Oklahoma State and the Osage Nation, and this partnership is the latest confirmation of that relationship.”

For Osage Nation Principal Chief-Elect Joe Tillman, the partnership represents both a personal and professional milestone. Tillman attended Oklahoma State University on a football scholarship and played for the Cowboys from 1978 to 1981. He said the collaboration reflects the strong ties between two institutions dedicated to responsible stewardship of land and investing in future generations.

“Through collaboration and innovation, both Oklahoma State University and the Osage Nation share a commitment to strengthening agricultural productivity, promoting responsible stewardship of land, and creating sustainable economic opportunities for future generations,” said Chief-Elect Tillman. “The Osage Nation and Oklahoma State have already built strong partnerships through our Department of Natural Resources, Education Department, and Osage LLC. We are excited to expand those relationships through this next chapter of collaboration while creating new opportunities for Native representation, visibility, and engagement.”

As Oklahoma’s land-grant university, Oklahoma State has long served farmers, ranchers, rural communities, and working families through education, research, and outreach. Likewise, the Osage Nation Reservation - the largest reservation in Oklahoma - encompasses a diverse agricultural landscape that includes cattle ranching, hay production, farming, and extensive land management operations. Together, the two institutions share a deep investment in the prosperity of rural Oklahoma and the responsible stewardship of the land.

The agreement, which was facilitated in partnership with Learfield’s Cowboy Sports Properties, also marks a historic first for Oklahoma State Athletics, as the Osage patch becomes the first sponsor mark ever displayed on varsity athletic uniforms in the university’s history.

“Bringing together Oklahoma State and the Osage Nation creates an opportunity to tell a uniquely Oklahoma story on one of the most visible stages in college athletics,” said Andrew Wheeler, Learfield’s Executive Vice President, Sports Properties. “It’s a win for the entire Oklahoma State community and we’re proud to have helped make that vision a reality.”

Weiberg said this partnership with the Osage Nation reflects how OSU Athletics is evolving in the new landscape of college athletics.

“It is an early confirmation of what is possible with our department’s new organizational restructure to generate new revenue growth and commercial activity,” he said. “I’m grateful to our team leads in Brakston Brock, Andrew Hamor, Jesse Martin and Steve Keasler for their work with the Osage leadership and Cowboy Sports Properties.”

For updates on Oklahoma State Athletics, visit okstate.com or follow @OSUAthletics on X. For more on the Osage Nation, visit osagenation-nsn.gov.

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The City of Stillwater’s June Tax Apportionment Report reflects April 2026 transactions that were reported to the Oklahoma Tax Commission in May 2026 and apportioned to the City in June.

In comparison to June 2025, the City saw increases in General Sales Tax, Stillwater Utilities Authority (SUA) Sales Tax, Use Tax, and Transportation Sales Tax collections.

Go to https://stillwaterok.gov/financialcenter for more information about the City of Stillwater budget, taxes, and monthly reports for sales, use, and visitor taxes.

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