Neyland Stadium to Undergo $340 Million Renovation in 2018

Tennessee announced that a second wave of renovations would be made to Neyland Stadium back in 2016. Now those plans have seen another addition to them, and they are set to go up for discussion on Thursday.

According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, the renovation plans now include “additional funding for improvements to the south end of the stadium and enhancements of the fan experience.” This is all according to an overview of the project that’s slated to be discussed by the University of Tennessee board of trustees on Thursday.

The renovations are supposed to begin during the summer of 2018.

All in all, the project will cost $340 million dollars. That figure includes a $74 million increase from the projected costs for Phase I of the project. Funding for Phase I will come from capital campaigns, athletic department earned operating revenue, partnerships, and budgeted debt service according to the KNS.

Overall, the cost of the project is projected to be $10 million less than was originally projected.

The reason the cost of the project is $10 million less than expected is because the project team has shifted more of the total work into Phase I. They’ve also prioritized renovations in the south end of the stadium over some of the less critical work in the west end. The work has also been reduced down to just two phases rather than three.

According to the KNS, here are the projects slated for Phase I of the renovations:

• Expansion and renovation of the south concourses of the stadium
• Addition of new restrooms along expanded south concourses
• Increased number and type of concession stands throughout the south concourses
• Build new entry towers/gates and plaza areas in the southwest and southeast corners of the stadium
• Improve the stadium exterior to better integrate the stadium into the architectural fabric of the campus
• Adjust the south end zone field wall to improve player safety and conform to NCAA guidelines
• Build a kitchen and commissary to enable on-site catering and delivery of fresh food
• Develop premium spaces such as open-air suites, a field level club and ledge seating to meet market demands and capitalize on underutilized space

Phase II includes improvements to the east and northeast concourses, a new entryway in the northeast corner, and technology upgrades throughout the stadium. The second and final phase is projected to cost $160 million.

Phase I is scheduled to be “substantially completed” by August of 2020. The total project is supposed to be completed by the start of the 2021 football season. That year will also mark the 100th anniversary of Neyland Stadium.