Nothing has been finalized yet, but the University of Arizona is considering major upgrades to Arizona Stadium‘s west side.
Arizona Stadium is set for one immediate improvement on its west side, as a new premium space named the Skybox Club is set to debut this season. Further improvements could be in the offing, however, as Arizona officials–including athletic director Dave Heeke–are exploring possible renovations.
Any renovation project will be elaborate in scope, modernizing out-of-date areas on the stadium’s west side. Should everything fall into place, construction on the renovations could begin as soon as early 2021 and take place over two phases before being completed by the start of the 2022 season. However, Heeke indicates that several steps have to be completed before the plans move forward. Finalizing a design will be one critical aspect of the planning process, along pinning down a cost and funding model. More from the Arizona Daily Star:
The first stage is formulating an overall plan, a process that already has begun. Heeke said the UA’s development team is “in the midst” of looking “very seriously and specifically” at design components for the west side….
The process faces many hurdles. One is the age of the stadium, which opened for business 90 years ago. As Heeke noted, “The first 30 rows of that stadium are original construction — 1920s original construction.”
The stadium’s confined footprint also poses a challenge. And then, of course, there’s financing.
Heeke said the project would cost “north of $100 million” — more likely in the $150 million to $175 million range. The UA recently invested about $66 million to renovate the east side of Arizona Stadium, Hillenbrand Aquatic Center, Hillenbrand Softball Stadium and the McKale Center locker rooms. Some of that money also went toward the construction of the Cole and Jeannie Davis Sports Center.
Arizona Stadium opened in 1928 and has received some recent improvements, including renovations to its east side and the upcoming Skybox Club.
Image courtesy Arizona Football.
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