POPULOUS WILL HANDLE HORNS’ STADIUM EXPANSION
Texas officials announced Thursday that global architecture firm Populous will handle the design and construction of the $175 million south end zone expansion of Royal-Memorial Stadium.
The Kansas City, Mo.-based company is well-established in the field of stadium construction projects. Populous oversaw the south end zone expansion at Oklahoma as well as projects at Kansas State, Arkansas and Colo- rado.
Construction will begin next summer with comple- tion expected by the 2021 season.
“They did a lot of projects, and they’re obviously one of the best in the country, and their work speaks for itself,” UT athletic director Chris Del Conte told the Statesman on Thursday. “What our vision is for our project, we want to have the best facility and work with the best.”
Completion of the south end zone will create an entire seating bowl for the first time in the stadium’s 95-year history. The corners will be filled in with what UT calls “concessions-equipped ter- races.”
A Longhorn logo will be carved into the balcony, so it can be seen from the air. Another UT logo will be carved into the south end zone seats. Populous also will oversee a complete rede- sign of the football complex.
“When we’re all done, we will be the standard for people to say, ‘Wow, have you seen the University of Texas?’ ” Del Conte said.
School officials have said there will be no net increase in seating capacity. The expansion will include a field-level club, similar to the one at AT&T Stadium, and a permanent location for the Longhorn Network’s game day broadcasts.
A record crowd of 103,507 was packed into the stadium for last Saturday’s win over USC.
“The modern game day experience is about quality, not quantity,” Populous project manager Sherri Privitera said in a statement. “This is a game-changing project. From fully enclos- ing the stadium for a more intimate atmosphere to the impactful in-seat Longhorn logo, it is the ultimate cele- bration of the University of Texas.”
Del Conte is responsible for raising $125 million of the $175 million total. He’s already raised $85 million. Eight families have agreed to donate $10 million each for the four suites that will be built on both sides of the new video board.
The project will have 94 loge suites and 780 club seats. Del Conte said he has already sold 12 loge suites, although the school is not ready to unveil all of the accoutrements yet. Typically, loge suites have larger, padded seats along with personal televisions and wait staff service.
“Just tweet at me,” he said. “I’ll be happy to sell you one.”
Texas-OU time set: Texas and Oklahoma fans will get their fried food fix early this year. The annual Red River Showdown in Dallas will kick off at 11 a.m. Oct. 6.
Historically, the game is scheduled for 11 a.m. or 2:30 p.m. School officials on both sides of the Red River are not in favor of a night game at the Cotton Bowl.
Fox will broadcast the game this year, and the network is going all out in its pregame preparations. The pregame show will begin at 9 a.m. on FS1, and it will air simultaneously on Fox beginning at 10 a.m. The game is already sold out.