USF football stadium opening pushed back to 2027
The Bulls announced the one-year delay on the same day they shared renderings for the $340 million venue.
USF released new renderings of the university’s on-campus stadium during Tuesday's board of trustees meeting. [ USF Athletics ]
By Matt Baker Times staff
Published Yesterday|Updated Yesterday
TAMPA — USF football fans got good news and bad news about the Bulls’ on-campus football stadium during Tuesday’s board of trustees meeting.
The good news: USF released new renderings of the $340 million, 35,000-seat stadium coming north of the practice fields.
The bad news: Renderings will have to tide fans over until 2027 because the stadium’s opening was pushed back a year.
Here’s a breakdown of what we learned:
Why won’t the stadium open in 2026?
The supply chain remains backed up for items like steel. To try to hit the 2026 timeline, USF would have had to order some supplies far in advance — before the final cost (called a guaranteed maximum price) was set. Fred Hames, the executive vice president with Tampa construction firm Barr & Barr, described that method as “doing it in chunks.”
“It exposed the project to financial risk because you’re not doing everything at one time,” said Hames, the project liaison as USF’s owner’s representative.
The Bulls expect to get the final price next November or December and can start getting supplies then.
Is this related to USF recently ending its construction contract?
Yes. USF was taking an approach called design-build. That means the design group (architecture firm Populous) worked heavily with the build team (Barton Malow). This approach prioritizes speed — great if you’re trying to open a stadium in less than three years — but clients pay more for that speed.
“Why pay a premium for that if you can’t get it?” USF Foundation CEO Jay Stroman said.
USF decided not to and ended its deal with Barton Malow. The Bulls will instead use an approach called construction management at risk, or CMR.
USF released new renderings of the university’s on-campus stadium during Tuesday's board of trustees meeting. [ USF Athletics ]
Why does this matter?
Aside from saving money, USF gets more say in the final product. Its design-build contract was with Barton Malow; Populous was one of Barton Malow’s subcontractors. That means design feedback went from USF to Barton Malow to Populous back to Barton Malow then back to USF.
A contract with Populous will cut out the middleman. Hames said it lets USF give more input on “all the little elements that make a big difference.”
Or, as athletic director Michael Kelly put it, they’ll create “something by USF, for USF.”
What about the renderings?
USF fans have been clamoring for them on social media, and the Tampa Bay Times requested them in September through a public-records request that remains unfulfilled. The Bulls released a few. One shows the current practice fields, a new 200-space parking lot, the football/lacrosse operations building and stadium. Another is an aerial shot showing the stadium nestled in the athletics district.
Kelly said they show “a modern, futuristic vision.”
What are the next steps?
In the next three or four weeks, USF will formally request construction bids. That process will take a few months.
The board is expected to get another design update in March, and the Bulls plan to reveal more renderings as part of their marketing/sales campaign around the April spring football game.
Groundbreaking is slated for next fall, and the football/lacrosse operations building — formally called the TGH Center for Athletic Excellence — is expected to open in August 2026. The project will finish the next fall.
USF released new renderings of the university’s on-campus stadium, including Champions Way. [ USF Athletics ]
Did we learn anything else?
USF announced a $6 million gift for naming rights to the USF Federal Credit Union Champions Way. The Bulls have raised $43 million of their $50 million fundraising goal.
Kelly said the field will run east-west, not north-south, to provide more shade during noon games.
Did anyone take a shot at rival UCF?
Of course. When board chairperson Will Weatherford shrugged off the one-year delay, he referenced a stadium “not too far from here” that chose speed over style.
“We don’t want a Bounce House,” said Weatherford, referencing UCF’s stadium. “We want our house.”
It’s coming, Weatherford insisted. Just a year later than the Bulls would like.
USF Football (you know...that other local team)
USF Football (you know...that other local team)
Let's start right off with the most current news. News of USF's on-campus stadium.
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Don't tread on me
Re: USF Football (you know...that other local team)
I disagree. They need to get out of RJS and into their own, smaller venue.
Don't tread on me
Re: USF Football (you know...that other local team)
You thinking that's too low or too much?
Most hated man in America.
Re: USF Football (you know...that other local team)
RJS is so far from campus. It's a bitch for students to get there. There's no real college experience for students or fans either. And the Bulls pay the Glazers a fortune to host games there.
This is long overdue for USF.
Most hated man in America.
Re: USF Football (you know...that other local team)
USF provides students free transportation to and from games. For games in which USF uses the lower bowl and two club lounges with less than 24,000 in attendance, the school will pay $172,000. Games eclipsing 24,000 participants will cause the game fee to escalate to $185,000, according to the TSA.
Let's say USF pays $185,000/game to TSA and the new stadium costs $350,000,000. USF would be able to play 1,891 games at RJS as the break even point. USF only ever plays 6 home games per year. Essentially, USF could continue to plat their home games at RJS for another 315 seasons to hit the $350,000,000 mark. Yeah...building an on-campus stadium is one of the dumbest things they can do, IMO.
Source: https://www.usforacle.com/2017/01/23/re ... s-stadium/
Re: USF Football (you know...that other local team)
In my opinion? Too much for an irrelevant team. I’m sure the going rate for stadiums these days is really expensive though.
Here’s hoping an on-campus stadium will improve the attendance. I’m sure it will.
Re: USF Football (you know...that other local team)
Per usual you only tell part of the story.acmillis wrote: ↑Wed Dec 06, 2023 4:12 pmUSF provides students free transportation to and from games. For games in which USF uses the lower bowl and two club lounges with less than 24,000 in attendance, the school will pay $172,000. Games eclipsing 24,000 participants will cause the game fee to escalate to $185,000, according to the TSA.
Let's say USF pays $185,000/game to TSA and the new stadium costs $350,000,000. USF would be able to play 1,891 games at RJS as the break even point. USF only ever plays 6 home games per year. Essentially, USF could continue to plat their home games at RJS for another 315 seasons to hit the $350,000,000 mark. Yeah...building an on-campus stadium is one of the dumbest things they can do, IMO.
Source: https://www.usforacle.com/2017/01/23/re ... s-stadium/
You're not including the revenue USF will get from tickets, concessions, parking, merchandise, sponsorships, advertising, naming rights, other events held at the venue. They get the bare minimum and in some of these cases nothing at all.
Most hated man in America.
Re: USF Football (you know...that other local team)
Out of 133 FBS schools, only 23 (17.2%) don't have an on-campus stadium of which USF is one. USF also has the 5th longest commute at 8 miles from campus. It's way past time to become one of the 83%ers! GO BULLS!
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Don't tread on me
Re: USF Football (you know...that other local team)
And they have to pay maintenance, security, electricity, logistics, etc. chances of this project being profitable are slimBootz wrote: ↑Wed Dec 06, 2023 4:43 pmPer usual you only tell part of the story.acmillis wrote: ↑Wed Dec 06, 2023 4:12 pm
USF provides students free transportation to and from games. For games in which USF uses the lower bowl and two club lounges with less than 24,000 in attendance, the school will pay $172,000. Games eclipsing 24,000 participants will cause the game fee to escalate to $185,000, according to the TSA.
Let's say USF pays $185,000/game to TSA and the new stadium costs $350,000,000. USF would be able to play 1,891 games at RJS as the break even point. USF only ever plays 6 home games per year. Essentially, USF could continue to plat their home games at RJS for another 315 seasons to hit the $350,000,000 mark. Yeah...building an on-campus stadium is one of the dumbest things they can do, IMO.
Source: https://www.usforacle.com/2017/01/23/re ... s-stadium/
You're not including the revenue USF will get from tickets, concessions, parking, merchandise, sponsorships, advertising, naming rights, other events held at the venue. They get the bare minimum and in some of these cases nothing at all.
Re: USF Football (you know...that other local team)
Those 1 mile ones shouldn't even count. If you can walk there, all good.
Re: USF Football (you know...that other local team)
I went to see the Bucs play Washington once and I can guarantee we walked more than a mile by the time we got to our seats.
Don't tread on me
