The University of Washington has been talking about a football stadium renovation for a while now, and at a press briefing today, athletic director Todd Turner said a revamped Husky Stadium is in the school’s future.
“It’s not a matter of will we do anything?” Turner said, “But a matter of when.”
Turner was joined by former Washington Governor and U.S. Senator Dan Evans, the chair of the 12-person committee that is coming up with stadium renovation plans.
Turner and Evans briefed the school’s Board of Regents before meeting with the press. Evan said they plan to have a formal proposal ready for the Board of Regents when they meet in late November.
“We’ve got the oldest stadium in the Pac-10,” Evan said of Husky Stadium, which opened in 1920. “It’s in extraordinarily bad shape currently. If you take a look at it when it’s not filled with fans and all the excitement is on the field, you’ll find that it badly needs help. There is no alternative.”
The plan is to completely overhaul the lower bowl seating. The track would be removed and the field would be lowered approximately eight feet. Eight to 10 rows would be added, bringing the fans closer to the field.
No definitive cost or time table is in place yet. The soonest construction would start would be December of 2008, though that sounded unlikely. The team would likely play one or two seasons at another venue—presumably Qwest Field—while work was being done. The cost is expected to be in the hundreds of millions, though “less than what Clay Bennett is asking” Evans said. Where that money will come from is still being determined as well.
Under the most aggressive projections, the Huskies could play in a renovated stadium by the 2010 season, but 2011 or 2012 seems more likely.
Complicating matters for construction (and traffic in the area) is the Sound Transit work in the area set to start with utilities work in May of 2008 and with actual construction in August of 2009.
Other changes the Huskies want to make to the stadium include luxury boxes in the west end zone, more concessions and bathrooms, and a new press box. Football offices, locker rooms and weight rooms would be added as well.
Here’s an article from April with some stadium renovation details, as well as conceptual drawings of what a new Husky Stadium might look like.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
