The Williams-Brice Stadium fan experience should be more pleasant this season for USC Gamecocks fans, as a new plaza next to the stadium replaces a sea of asphalt.
The new Springs Brooks Plaza is considerably more pleasant than the parking lots outside Williams-Brice Stadium, providing fans with an upgraded entry to Gamecock games. Trees, walkways and well-lit areas now surround the stadium, while a 12,000-sqare-foot game-day center provides a relaxing experience before and during the game. All in all, the $14.5-million project includes a half-mile of ornamental fences and gates, 38 new benches and an expanded 4,000-square-foot team store inside Bignon Game Day Center. From WCSC:
University officials say they want to give students, alumni and fans coming to home games an experience that starts once they leave their cars.
“There’s a sense of arrival now when you get here. The experience to see a football game now has really become an all-day affair with the tailgating and meeting friends — it’s much more than just the football game. So this plaza beautifully supports that where fans can now gather and get their picture taken with the future sculpture of George Rogers is going to be installed later this week and just a lot of game day experiences that can be had here,” says University Architect Derek Gruner….
3,407 bricks with engraved messages from donors were installed. There will be an additional opportunity for donors to purchase bricks that will be placed for the 2016 season.
The upgrades should all be in place for the Sept. 12 home season opener.