The University of Nebraska is scaling back, at least temporarily, its proposed $450 million renovation of Memorial Stadium, as plans to tear down the south end of the stadium were put on hold.
Athletic director Troy Dannen announced the changes in a statement on Friday which will nix temporarily remove nearly 25,000 seats for the 2025 season while a new south-end section was built.
According to ESPN, Dannen's revised plans address the east and west sides of the stadium, and work would begin no sooner than after the 2025 season. Bleacher seating would be replaced with chairbacks in some, if not all, sections and other amenities would be added. Renovations on the south end are in the long-range plan, but there is no timetable.
"We are all aligned on the need to modernize our aging stadium," Dannen said. "But as we have said, any work we do needs to follow our guiding principles. First, it needs to help us win. Second, it needs to advance our goals for acquisition and retention of talent. Third, and equally importantly, it must preserve our financial stability -- one of the greatest assets of Husker Athletics."
Former athletic director Trev Alberts said before leaving in 2022 that he expected private dollars would be used for a substantial portion of the project, but no formal funding plan has been announced yet.
Athletic department budget projections are in a holding pattern as the NCAA and major college conferences consider a possible settlement of an antitrust lawsuit. The proposed settlement of House v. NCAA would require Power 5 schools to spend $20 million per year on athlete compensation.
Nebraska has played at Memorial Stadium since 1923, and incremental improvements have been made over the years. The school added luxury suites in 1999, and expanded the stadium to more than 85,000 seats in 2013.
