Construction is underway on a $40 million Athletic Education and Fitness Complex at El Camino that will replace Murdock Stadium.

The landmark stadium had been on campus since 1949 and was named after the founding president, Forrest G. Murdock.

On a recent tour of the new complex, Tom Brown, director of facilities, said the new 8,000-capacity stadium is more than halfway complete.

“Construction is expected to be done by the end of the year,” Brown said. “The project is 65 percent done.”

The modern training facility will have a field made of synthetic turf for football and soccer. Randy Hartman, program director for Lend Lease corporation, said the new complex will support various facilities including an indoor swimming pool and a gymnasium with a full sized competition basketball court.

“We have a lot of teams on different projects,” Hartman said. “You always would like things to be a little faster, a little quicker but it’s going really well.”

Other upgrades include a running track and field facility, as well as state of the art athletic training rooms. John Schaible, construction manager for Lend Lease corporation, said in a month they will have field prep going on.

“Once it’s done, it will be a very nice building,” Schaible said. “It hurts the football team a little bit not having anything these years but when this is done, they won’t have any trouble recruiting. Everyone will want to be able play where everything is new.”

The new stadium is expected to retain its name and continue to host EC graduation ceremonies.

“The plan is to be done before graduation and have the ceremony in this stadium,” Hartman said.