Nebraska Board of Regents to consider $450 million Memorial Stadium renovation

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents will consider a $450 million Memorial Stadium renovation that would modernize the facilities and bring them up to speed with several new amenities.

The plans for the $450 million renovation will be presented to the Board of Regents at its Oct. 5 meeting.

Among the proposed changes to Memorial Stadium are the demolition of the South Stadium and replacement with chairback seating. Chairback seating would also be placed in the East and West stadiums.

A 360-degree main level concourse connection would debut, including a 270-degree upper-level concourse connection.

The renovation project would bring concessions upgrades with refurbished menu options and additional points of sale throughout the stadium, as well as a restroom modernization throughout the stadium.

“One hundred years ago, Nebraskans came together to celebrate the first game at Memorial Stadium – the start of what would become a century’s worth of memories for students, alumni, fans and families all across our state,” athletics director Trev Alberts said. “Now our fans have an opportunity to come together again to ensure that we can make memories for another century. After 100 years, the reality is our stadium needs significant modernization.

“A project of this scale can’t happen without some degree of disruption, but we ask our fans to give us grace as we work through our ambitious plans. We could not be more excited to bring this proposal to the Board of Regents and share our vision with Nebraskans for making Memorial Stadium the home of one of the best fan experiences in college athletics.”

If approved by the Board of Regents, the project would be paid equally from private funds ($225 million) and other funding sources, including up to $50 million from the university’s internal lending program. No student tuition dollars or university general operating dollars would be used.

The Board of Regents is also seeking a policy waiver that would allow for $45 million in infrastructure improvements work to begin soon, before a review of intermediate design documents.

Completion of the full Memorial Stadium renovation is targeted for July 2026, with occupancy to follow in August.

“The University of Nebraska is proud to be investing in excellence in all areas – academic and athletic. Facilities are a crucial part of that strategy,” said University of Nebraska President Ted Carter. “Just as we are making unprecedented investments in our classroom and laboratory space, outstanding athletics facilities help to build Nebraskans’ excitement about their university and add to the power of our national brand.

“This project is an exciting part of our vision for Nebraska to compete at the highest levels across the board.”