University of Illinois officials have unveiled plans for a ($132m £103.5m/€118.0m) redevelopment of the Memorial Stadium.
Changes will be concentrated on the south horseshoe and east side of the arena, following on from the large-scale renovations of the west and north sides that began in 2005.
Plans for the new south grandstand include constructing a new home for all football operations in the south end zone, including locker rooms, training and physio medicine facilities, meeting and office spaces, and recruiting venues.
Work to the east main and balcony stands will feature new restrooms, concessions and elevators, along with enhanced fan accessibility.
Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman said improvements to the stadium would be beneficial for performances on the field.
"Facilities attract people," Whitman said. "They demonstrate an institutional commitment from our athletic program, from our institution, our university to field and sustain that championship football program. That goes for attracting coaches. That goes for attracting student-athletes. It helps us develop and improve the performances of our current student-athletes and coaches."
According to the Chicago Tribune newspaper, the south end should reopen in 2019 while the east side is projected to be finished for the 2020 season. The college said the development is to be entirely funded by the athletic department's resources, with officials saying that a number of seven-figure donations have already been received.
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