TEMPE, Ariz. – Arizona State University has submitted to the Arizona Board of Regents its Phase 1 project approval request for Sun Devil Stadium, the first component of a three-year, three-phase project that will update the nearly 60-year-old building’s infrastructure and transform it into a state-of the-art collegiate venue.
After months of conceptual planning, today’s filing begins to reveal the final design and operational priorities of a reinvented Sun Devil Stadium. University leadership said the first priority was to enhance the game experience for ASU students and move the student section entirely into the lower bowl.
The Phase 1 work, budgeted at $65.7 million, will create a new student section in the South end zone, removing existing steel bleachers and replacing them with improved seating installed on concrete treads and risers. The South end zone section will eventually be complemented by the redeployment of a student section in the north end zone, creating what head football coach Todd Graham has called a “Double Inferno” of student sections at both ends of the field, unlike any stadium in the Pac-12.
“Our goal is to create an intimate collegiate experience for our students, our student-athletes and our many Sun Devil fans,” said Vice President for University Athletics and Athletic Director Ray Anderson. “Students are a big part of what makes the college football experience special and we want our home field to reflect that and to showcase what is unique about Arizona State University.“
Phase 1, which will be completed by August 2015, includes the addition of a new student section in the South end zone. The existing steel bleachers and adjacent concession stands will be removed to make room for new concrete treads and risers, creating a continuous, concrete lower seating bowl all the way around the stadium. Additionally, the existing loge structure in the South end zone will be removed, with the exception of the area connected to the Carson Student Athlete Center. The South end zone will be redeveloped in a configuration that includes a dedicated student entrance, seating and standing areas, enhanced concessions, and restrooms. The ASU Marching Band will see improvements as well, with its own seating and direct field access.
As Phase 1 begins, a noticeable change will be the removal of multiple seating sections in the corners of the upper bowl, opening up views and air circulation into the stadium. These improvements will reduce seating from about 65,000 to a maximum capacity of about 60,000, but they will bring the iconic Tempe buttes, which cradle the stadium, back into the fans’ view.
“The setting for Sun Devil Stadium is part of its history and integral to what makes this such a special venue,” said Morgan R. Olsen, ASU Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer. “The team working on this project has a broad historical perspective and great respect for its natural surroundings. We have focused on how to make Sun Devil Stadium a quintessential collegiate experience for Sun Devil nation. ”
The stadium’s new configuration will include dramatic changes to the main concourse, which will be connected at the South end to optimize the use of concessions, restrooms and vertical circulation for both stadium patrons and operations. As a part of this effort, patron and companion seating required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will be improved to ensure continued compliance.
“We believe these changes will open up the stadium and create better view corridors to the field from anywhere in the stadium,” said Olsen. “When we are finished, every seat in the house will have an extraordinary view of the field and access to enhanced fan amenities, and the circulation within the stadium will be improved no matter where you find your seat.”
Importantly, in addition to the student facilities, Phase 1 marks the start of work on stadium infrastructure to ensure a seamless transition between phases. Modifications to existing restrooms within the Carson Student-Athlete Center will be accomplished to support the student seating area, and demolition on the North end upper seating bowl will occur to position the two future phases to meet scheduled completion dates.
The changes in the South end zone will trigger the relocation of some season ticket holders. As work progresses over the next two phases, additional relocations will occur. University officials said a plan is underway for relocating season ticket holders to ensure fan comfort throughout the project. In order to give Sun Devil season ticket holders the best renewal options, Sun Devil Athletics will delay season renewals until approximately January 2015. The deadline for renewals will be extended to reflect this change. As the details of the Sun Devil Stadium reinvention are finalized, Sun Devil Athletics will communicate information directly to season ticket holders.
In September, ASU filed its FY 2015 Amended Capital Development Plan, establishing a $256 million budget for Sun Devil Stadium renovations. The $65.7 million Phase 1 Project Approval submission is consistent with that plan. The three-phase project will be funded with system revenue bonds and charitable contributions. The debt-financed portion of the project is currently anticipated to be $200 million. The overall fundraising goal is now $85 million, with $56 million going to fund project costs up front, with the remainder funding a portion of the bond debt service and related costs. Debt service also will be funded by Sun Devil Athletics revenues, including enhanced stadium income and Pac-12 conference revenue distributions, and in the near future, Athletic Facilities District revenues.
Work on Sun Devil Stadium began in the spring, when approximately 5,700 seats were removed from the North end zone as a preliminary step toward the stadium renovation project now positioned to get underway. Phase 1 of the project will begin in January of 2015 and will be conducted in the off-seasons while Sun Devil football continues to play its regular season games in the stadium. Construction will conclude before the start of the 2017 football season.
Sun Devil Stadium originally was constructed in 1958. It has played host to the Super Bowl, the Fiesta Bowl, NFL games and the 2013 Pac-12 Championship. The last major renovation to Sun Devil Stadium came in 1988 with the addition of 1,700 seats.