The University of South Florida (USF) is set to significantly ramp up construction work on its new stadium, while Northwestern University has partnered with Legends and JMI Sports to support the development of the new-look Ryan Field.
USF marked the commencement of work on its new 35,000-capacity, on-campus stadium back in November. The stadium has been designed by Populous and is due to be completed in the autumn of 2027.
USF trustees have now approved an updated stadium plan, paving the way for full construction to move forward. The plan presented by USF leadership includes a project cost of $348.5m (£262.1m/€308.7m), which has been revised from the $340m figure that was approved in June 2023.
Since then, USF has added design and structural upgrades for potential future stadium expansion beyond the current expected seating capacity of around 35,000. USF has also added to the project’s scope with build-out of academic space, a vertical expansion of the Tampa General Hospital Center for Athletic Excellence, and enhanced locker room amenities.
USF also cited the general increase of costs over the past two years as a reason for the increased budget. The funds added to the project will come from interest earnings on the $200m in financing previously issued by the USF Financing Corp.
Since November’s groundbreaking ceremony, site preparation has been ongoing and the project team will this month move forward with additional clearing at the site, with full construction to pick up shortly after. The construction schedule calls for final inspections to be completed in spring 2027, with USF moving into the facility over the summer ahead of its opening in the autumn.
USF has also released a new rendering of the stadium that showcases the east side of the venue from the point of view of someone sitting on the north side. This offers new views of premium suites and club seating, the press box and a rooftop patio.
USF president Rhea Law said: “The plan approved by the board of trustees represents another important milestone in the process to deliver a world-class stadium that the USF community and all of our supporters can enjoy for generations to come. We are excited to see the construction take off on this iconic facility that will bring tens of thousands of fans to our campus, help build lifelong connections to USF and allow even more people to experience everything our university has to offer.”
Meanwhile, Northwestern has teamed up with Legends and JMI Sports on a new commercial rights partnership supporting the Ryan Field project.
The deal, which also includes wider support for Northwestern Athletics and the broader university campus, will look to maximise the value of the new Ryan Field, which will have a capacity of 35,000 and is due to open in 2026.
Legends and JMI Sports will launch a founding partnership plan for the new Ryan Field and will also look to deliver enhanced experiences for fans attending games.
In November, Northwestern released the first public renderings of the new-look Ryan Field. It will have around 12,000 fewer seats than the old Ryan Field, which closed in November 2023. The new stadium is being built at a cost of $850m.
Northwestern’s American football, soccer and lacrosse teams are playing at a temporary venue while work on Ryan Field is carried out.
