Expansion planned for stadium

University officials publicly released sketches showing the planned expansion of Delaware Stadium.

University President Patrick Harker unveiled the plans on June 5 at a town hall-style meeting with alumni during the university's Forum & Reunion Weekend.  

Delaware Stadium will undergo renovations and expansion to include more seats, luxury boxes and a new press box, according to conceptual drawings released over the summer. The project will add an estimated 8,200 seats to the stadium, which currently seats 22,000.

Athletic Director Bernard Muir announced the plans in a videotaped message shown to alumni at the town hall meeting.

The sketches show a 7,500-seat addition to the North End Zone, configured in a horseshoe shape and bordered by red brick.  

A 50,000-square-foot, multi-story addition to the home-side stands will house 17 luxury suites, 700 club-level seats, a club lounge and new press facilities.

Other improvements to the 58-year-old stadium will include widening of aisles, installation of handrails and construction of new bathrooms and concession stands. In front of the stadium will be an expanded plaza area, intended to entice fans to spend time around the stadium before game time.

In addition, a 96,000-square-foot student performance center will be built under the North End Zone and will house a strength and conditioning center and sports medicine facility, to be used by all student athletes. The building will also contain football team locker rooms, team meeting areas and a university athletics hall of fame. 

Another part of the university's plans for South Campus is a 51,000-square-foot addition to the Bob Carpenter Center that will house two gymnasiums and additional team meeting areas. The addition is intended to give the varsity basketball and volleyball teams more space to practice and provide gym space to club sports.

The addition to the Carpenter Center is expected to begin later this year and could be finished as early as Fall 2011. The project will be funded by a $100-per-semester increase in the Comprehensive Student Fee, which was approved by the Board of Trustees in May.

Less clear, however, is the timetable and cost estimate for the other improvements to athletic facilities.  Muir touched on neither during his presentation in June, but has indicated previously that the timetable will depend largely on when large financial donations can be secured.

"This is only a snapshot of what the future can hold for UD athletics," Muir said in the video. "With your financial assistance we can build a first-class athletic program, one that UD student athletes and fans deserve."