New Neyland Stadium plans get approval from University of Tennessee board of trustees committee

Updated plans for the renovation of Neyland Stadium were approved Thursday by the UT board of trustees athletics committee, a next step toward construction of the $340 million total project.

The plans, which now include additional funding for improvements to the south end of the stadium and consolidation of the project into just two phases, still need final approval from the full board of trustees and the State Building Commission.

UT Knoxville Athletic Director John Currie presented the plans to the committee Thursday on the campus of the UT Institute of Agriculture, saying the investment is "a reasonable and prudent one" when compared to a complete rebuild and the amount of money being invested in other stadiums around the country.

Capacity to stay above 100,000; cost will not be passed to ticket holders

The stadium currently seats just over 100,000 people and that capacity will stay about the same after the renovations, Currie said.

In addition, he said the athletic department does not intend to pass along the costs of the renovations in ticket sales. 

So far, $50 million in private fundraising has been generated for the project, which will also be paid for with stadium revenues, partnerships and budgeted debt service.

The new cost of the first phase of the project is $180 million, an increase of $74 million from the original estimate approved by the board last October.

"A significant portion of the price tag of this renovation is going to be paid through philanthropic costs and we aspire to not pass those costs along to the ticket prices of our patrons in any abundant amount," Currie said.

What will Phase I look like?

The Phase I project is entirely independently funded and will not come from taxpayer or tuition dollars, he said. It includes the following upgrades:

• 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;
• Elimination of Gate 10 ramps

This is the first time the total cost of the project has been made public. It is scheduled to be completed in two phases, with the first phase focusing on the south side renovations and the second phase focusing on the east and northeast ends. 

Phase II, slated to start in 2020 and be substantially completed by the stadium's 100th anniversary in 2021, will require additional approval from the board at a later meeting.

The renovations come as Tennessee is 3-5 overall and 0-5 in the southeast conference and as some fans have called for the resignation of head football coach Butch Jones. 

"This project is not about this game or last week or next week," Currie said. "This project is about the next 100 years. We can certainly hit the pause button just because we didn’t win last week, but that wouldn’t serve anybody very well. We’re focused on long term results and long term success."