The University of South Florida (USF) has revealed the first renderings of its planned new stadium, with the opening date having been pushed back to the autumn of 2027.
The USF’s board of trustees approved a financing plan for a 35,000-seat facility back in June. The stadium will serve as the home of USF’s American football team, the Bulls, which currently play at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Raymond James Stadium.
It had initially been hoped that the stadium would open by the autumn of 2026, but USF said that this has been pushed back by a year due to global supply chain issues.
USF said that the initial renderings are conceptual and will evolve as the design process continues, and more detailed elements are finalised. As well as renderings, USF confirmed several new details about the stadium.
The facility will include an east-west build to help maximise shade for daytime events, a dedicated section for students in the west end, an open concourse around the majority of the venue, a large tailgating space on the north side, and a variety of premium seating options including suites, loge boxes and club areas.
USF released the renderings yesterday (Tuesday) after reports emerged earlier in the week that the university had terminated an agreement with construction firm Barton Malow for the project. USF has also been working with Populous on the design of the facility.
USF president Rhea Law said: “Since we first announced plans to build an on-campus stadium at the University of South Florida, it has become the topic I hear about most often from our passionate supporters. There is a genuine excitement within our community.
“We’re thrilled to offer the first images of the stadium that will activate our campus in ways we never have before and will make a positive impact on our university for generations to come.”
Michael Kelly, vice-president of athletics, added: “The design elements and amenities unveiled today all reflect our goal to build a stadium that provides the best possible experience for our students, alumni and entire fan base. We appreciate everyone who has taken the time to share their valuable input, which is reflected in our initial renderings and will continue to be seen as we roll out more details in the future.”
USF has also announced a $6m (£4.8m/$5.6m) gift from the USF Federal Credit Union to name the walkway that will lead into the main entrance of the new stadium and will serve as home to the team’s traditional Bulls Stampede pre-game walk from the buses into the stadium.
USF has so far raised more than $43m of its $50m goal for the stadium project. The total estimated cost of the stadium is $340m.
More detailed stadium renderings will be released in spring 2024, with a groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for next autumn.
