Despite a lackluster 6-7 record during the 2015 football season (including 4-5 in Pac-12 conference play), Arizona State has reason to be excited for the upcoming season—thanks to the continuation of a three-phase renovation program for Sun Devil Stadium set to be completed in time for the 2017 football season.
Currently in the second phase of construction—focusing on rebuilding the west end of the stadium while adding student-athlete amenities and extended growth along the north side of the stadium—the renovations have received increased attention recently as the budget has begun to increase. Originally slated to cost just $225 million, the venture’s price tag has risen to $268 million (pending a June 9th vote addressing a $12 million increase in planned spending) as a result of previously-undiscovered soil instability in one of the end zones.
Despite the unforeseen soggy soil and surprise spending, hopes are high in Tempe as the project momentum intensifies. Much of this excitement can be directly attributed to previous statements made by Arizona State’s Athletic Director and assorted university staff that have acknowledged that the stadium will exist as more than just a location for football games.
Up until this point, the focus of discussions between students and the school’s higher-ups has centered around creating a year-round setting for Sun Devil students of all backgrounds and callings to congregate, create, and collaborate. Some of the initial student-presented ideas detailed plans for facilities ranging from a running track complete with food vendors, a New-York style park area meant to foster sincere comfort, all the way to the possibility of an outdoor movie-theater setup along a grassy terrain.
While none of these proposed features have been confirmed as officially selected by Arizona State officials, the excitement is building up—to heights almost as impressive as the 100-foot-by-50-foot video scoreboard set to find its home in the end zone at the finale of the renovation product.
Because the entire $250 million-plus project’s financial burden is being handled without the assistance of tuition increases and/or taxpayer dollars, the Arizona State community can be (and should be) proud of the progression positioned upon the horizon. In an age in which college sports programs are often criticized for mismanagement of funds in what we have seen is a rather delicate academic climate, Arizona State managed to put together a fully-funded, multi-year, multi-phase expansion project that aligns nearly perfectly with both the university’s revenue growth and the boom in football interest over recent years.
Last year’s losing record may ensure that the Arizona State football team doesn’t get too comfortable on the field, but the fans in the stands should feel free to—the extended leg room in lower bowl seating, the addition of extra cushioning, and the expansion of premium seating and restrooms makes it hard not to, after all.
