COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. ? The Big 12 Conference will make a record payout of $89 million to its member schools this year, up from $83 million a year ago.

Big 12 Commissioner Kevin Weiberg made the announcement at the conclusion of the league’s spring meetings.

“We also project some nice growth through the 2007-08 fiscal year with locked-in numbers pushing $110 million,” Weiberg said. “This is a nice progression for the conference from a first-year figure of $53.7 million for the 1996-97 fiscal year.”

Weiberg said the site for the 2004 Big 12 football championship game is still undecided. The 2003 game will be at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium.

The 2004 game, Weiberg said, will be played at a location near a North Division football school, and that probable bids were being processed from Kansas City, Denver and St. Louis.

All discussion and legislation approved during the meetings was subject to the approval of Big 12 Board of Directors at June 9-10 meetings in Kansas City.