The University of Florida’s historic Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is in line to get a major facelift in the near future. The Associated Press confirmed on Monday that the venue that houses the Swamp will receive an overhaul that is expected to cost at least $400 million and be a “multigeneration solution” for an aging and iconic stadium in the heart of Florida’s campus
To take on the task, the university announced plans to hire an architect for the design of its revamped Florida Field, the first public step in a process that has been on the back burner for years, opening a formal selection window in July.
Athletic director Scott Stricklin said it’s “premature to speculate” on the final cost, as well as other variables such as seating capacity and a specific timeline for the project. It was made clear, however, the main goal of the renovations will be to transform the game-day experience for fans while maintaining a lot of what helped the Gators create one of the most daunting home-field advantages in the Southeastern Conference.
“Whatever work we do there doesn’t need to be a Band-Aid,” Stricklin said at the league’s spring meetings last month. “It needs to be a multigenerational solution to continue to give that stadium for future generations a chance to come and watch the Gators there.
“It has to be everything from how fans experience when they’re outside the stadium, when they walk through the gate, concourse, concession, restrooms, inside the seating bowl, new premium options, better premium options. But you also want to keep what’s special about it.”
Florida Field first opened as a 22,000-seat facility in 1930 but has grown tremendously over the years. It has been expanded several times in nearly a century since, with capacity now at roughly 90,000, but it lacks many of the conveniences experienced in modern NFL venues. The latter point is important when it comes to possibly hosting in-state professional teams as a way to draw in more revenue.
Proposed upgrades are sure to include wider concourses, less bench seating, more concession options, larger video boards, a new sound system and improved lighting throughout. Capacity is expected to be reduced by thousands, however.
The upgrade will make the venue the most expensive facility renovation in the history of the school.
“It’s what kind of experience are you creating on game day? “Stricklin asked rhetorically. “What kind of memories are coming from those experiences? Do people want to plan their lives around coming back to enjoy that experience again? We sell tickets and we sell T-shirts. Beyond that, it’s we want to create experiences — and winning is a big part of that experience — but you’ve got to have all the other pieces.”
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