GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The University of Florida is planning the most expensive -- and potentially most comprehensive -- stadium renovation in college football history, a $1.45 billion overhaul of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
The Gators unveiled details and renderings of the burgeoning project before a board of trustees meeting Thursday, providing the total budget (up from $400 million) as well as a start date (2027 offseason) and a completion date (2030 offseason).
"This $1.45 billion project will breathe new life into one of the nation's most iconic college football venues and elevate it into the premier collegiate athletic destination that sets the standard for everyone else," the board said in a statement.
Florida first started looking at ways to upgrade the nearly 100-year-old stadium dubbed "the Swamp" in 2018. The process was delayed by COVID-19 and ended up morphing into a long-term solution instead of a short-term fix.
The venue generates roughly $75 million a year from the stadium from tickets, concessions, parking and contributions and could double revenue with an upgraded facility -- extra cash that could help the Gators be more competitive in football and their other 20 sports.
The venture is expected to be funded through a combination of private donations, capital reserves and long-term debt approved by the Florida Board of Governors. Financing details are expected to be released later this year.
The undertaking will revamp current suites, add more atop the east side of the stadium, create additional premium seating areas and install state-of-the-art video boards and audio capabilities. It includes $500 million in deferred maintenance costs, infrastructure improvements and wider aisles and handrails to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Capacity, however, will remain at 88,548 despite losing thousands of seats in the lower bowl. New suites will make up the difference, and all of those premium areas -- current ones are behind glass -- are expected to be open air.
Florida annually ranks as one of college football's toughest places to play. And the Gators vowed to keep intact as much of what makes the Swamp unique: the orange wing walls and a bowl design that includes a below-ground-level playing surface.
Florida officials toured Fenway Park, Wrigley Field and Lambeau Field among others to find a landing spot between preserving history and modernizing for the future. The Swamp's design ended up mostly resembling what took place at Lambeau in 2012-13, where the Green Bay Packers kept the lower bowl intact and built above it.