Now that Georgia’s Indoor Practice Facility is officially open for business, Bulldog athletic director Greg McGarity announced during Tuesday’s athletic board meeting that the University is ready to move on one more major project. This undertaking involves improving Sanf0rd Stadium, enhancing not only the fan experience but that of the Georgia football team's, as well.
"It’s really something we need to enhance our game day experience for recruiting, but also make it better for our fan experience and also for our players," Bulldog head coach Kirby Smart said. "We’re really excited about it."
Topping that list will be a brand new locker room which will be located in the West End Zone, an expansion of the current video board, a new recruiting plaza (which will seat 500), and other enhancements, including additional restrooms and concessions.
Total cost for the project will not exceed $63 million and should take between 15 and 17 months to complete. Construction is set to begin in May following spring commencement.
According to athletic director Greg McGarity, $53 million of the project is expected to be fundraised with the rest coming from athletic department funds.
"If you are in the seating bowl, you will not notice any difference," McGarity said. "Everything is going to be happening in the West End, below the bridge. There will be a crane up during the season but it will not affect the site line."
Also:
• Student seats will not change.
• The tombs holding the former Uga mascots will not me moved.
• Dawg Walk will remain the same, the only difference being players won't have to walk across the field.
• The visiting locker room will remain at the opposite end of the field.
• Locker room square footage — Existing: 2,774; New: 5,400.
• Recruiting hospitality lounge square footage: 10,574.
• New upper plaza square footage: 11,539.
• Expanded and enhanced concession and restroom facilities.
• Increasing the video board size — Existing: 75’ x 46’; New: 100’ x 52’.
• McGarity announced that over $36 million was raised through the Magill Society, which was launched in September of 2015 and now includes over 475 donors.
• Construction projects approved at the Athletics Board meeting in the spring of 2016 — improvements to Stegeman Coliseum, the Boyd Golf Center and the Jack Turner Soccer Complex — remain on schedule and on budget. Additionally, constructions projects in the near future include the resurfacing of Spec Towns track and the building of a second video control room to maintain compliance with requirements of SEC and ESPN broadcasting standards.
• A glowing academic report from Faculty Athletic Representative David Shipley. UGA student-athletes compiled an overall GPA of 3.06 for the Fall of 2016.
