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ALABAMA
Relevant dates: Completed in 2013
Renovations: Alabama renovated its entire football facility prior to the 2013 season, including the players’ lounge, meeting rooms, the locker room, the training room, the weight room, even the hallways decorated in memorabilia celebrating Alabama’s recent NFL Draft selections. There’s even a room comprised solely of two 30-foot hot tubs. Let’s just say the new facility is modern, and it appears no expense was spared.
Related: Alabama releases tour of new football facilities
ARKANSAS
Relevant dates: Approved in 2011, still in progress
Renovations: Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long released a plan for a $300 million renovation of the Razorbacks’ athletics facilities on campus, which included plans to enclose the north end zone of D.W.R. Razorback Stadium and to double the size of the large LED screen inside that end of the stadium. Enclosing the end zone would add 5,000 seats inside the stadium as well as field-level suites and indoor and outdoor club seating. The renovations, which should affect nearly every athletic program at Arkansas in some form or fashion, may not be completed for as long as 30 years, according to an ESPN report written at the project’s inception in 2011.
Photo courtesy of the Fayetteville Flyer.
AUBURN
Relevant dates: Feb. 2015
Renovations: According to a report by AL.com, Auburn could begin renovating and upgrading its locker room inside Jordan-Hare Stadium as soon as this December, when the 2015 regular season comes to a close. The report, published last month, states “the Auburn Board of Trustees approved Friday [Feb. 6, 2015] a plan to engage an architect and project manager for the potential upgrades. Plans should be finalized in the summer, with approval needed from the board at a later date.” In addition to the locker room, the players’ lounge is also likely to get a face lift. The stadium would also gain additional premium seating, wider concourses and a reinforced facade.
Video courtesy of AL.com.
LSU
Relevant dates: 2014
Renovations: LSU expanded the South end zone of Tiger Stadium to include a new upper deck and new luxury suites. The expansion took Tiger Stadium’s capacity above 100,000 fans, and when filled the stadium now becomes the fifth-most-populated city in the state of Louisiana. The addition was completed in time for LSU’s 2014 home opener in September.
Photo courtesy of LSUSports.net.
MISSISSIPPI STATE
Relevant dates: 2012-14
Renovations: In 2012, Mississippi State approved plans to expand the North end zone of Davis Wade Stadium in addition to renovating the West concourse of the stadium. The two-year project cost $75 million and increased capacity by more than 6,000 seats to bring the total capacity to more than 61,000 fans. Additional grandstand seating was added, as were premium seating areas like the Scoreboard Club and other field-level club suites. The renovations were completed in time for Mississippi State’s home opener last fall against in-state rival Southern Miss.
Photo courtesy of John David Mercer — USA TODAY Sports
OLE MISS
Dates: 2011-16
Renovations: Ole Miss began its Forward Together Campaign in 2011 to raise funds for the expansion and renovation of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Since then, the campaign has raised more than $100 million to be used to construct two new entranceways into the stadium in addition to expanding and renovating both end zones and renovating the exterior of the stadium to better match the rest of the Ole Miss campus. The plans for expansion will be executed in two phases, according to OleMissSports.com: the first phase, which began in January of this year and should be completed by the start of the 2015 season this fall, will comprise of an expansion of the South end zone and the addition of 30 luxury suites and more than 700 club seats. The second phase, to be conducted after the 2015 season and completed before the 2016 season, includes an expansion of the North end zone, the completion of the new seating bowl and the addition of a brick exterior to the stadium. The stadium’s overall capacity will rise to more than 64,000 by the completion of the second phase.
Here are artist renderings depicting what both end zones may look like come September 2016:
TEXAS A&M
Relevant dates: 2013-15
Renovations: Texas A&M is in the midst of a $450 million renovation expected to be completed in time for the coming season. The renovation will expand Kyle Field’s capacity to more than 102,000 fans, making it the largest stadium in the state of Texas, the largest stadium in the SEC and the fourth-largest stadium in all of college football. The renovation, which includes a makeover to both the East and West ends of the stadium, began following the 2013 season. The first phase included the demolition and reconstruction of the East end of the stadium as well as additional seating, a media area, a recruiting area and a commissary in the South end zone. That phase, which actually raised the capacity all the way to 105,000 fans, was completed in time for the 2014 season. Following the ’14 season, phase two began, which includes the demolition and reconstruction of the West side of the stadium. This phase, and the renovation as a whole, is expected to be completed by the fall, and phase two is expected to drop the capacity back down to 102,000, which is still greater than the stadium’s capacity before the renovation process.
Here’s a look at how phase two is progressing:
West side of Kyle Field as of Wednesday, March 4, 2015: pic.twitter.com/JOpaJSwBrw
— Brent Zwerneman (@BrentZwerneman) March 4, 2015
The Aggies are also renovating the team’s locker room, players’ lounge and office space for coaches and others affiliated with the program inside the Bright Complex on campus. Those renovations are also being completed in two phases and should be completed entirely in time for the coming season.
Related: Texas A&M releases renderings of renovated locker room
A former newspaper reporter who has roamed the southeastern United States for years covering football and eating way too many barbecue ribs, if there is such a thing.
