The Citadel Delays Stadium Renovation

The Citadel will delay the planned renovation of the east side of Johnson Hagood Stadium by at least a year, a school spokesman said this week.

The military school had hoped to have permanent seating for 3,000 fans on the east side of the football stadium ready for the 2019 season, bringing capacity to about 13,332. But that project will be put off by at least a year while The Citadel gets funding in place and works through state requirements, said spokesman Col. John Dorrian.

That will leave temporary seating for about 1,000 people on the east side for at least the 2018 and 2019 seasons, with total capacity at 11,332.

The Citadel will go ahead with plans to replace the grass field at Johnson Hagood Stadium with artificial turf after the 2018 season, Dorrian said.

"We remain completely committed to the project," Dorrian said. "It will just take a little while longer. We knew that 2019 was a push goal, and that's what we are facing now."

Last May, a committee of the Board of Visitors approved a $5 million plan for new seating on the east side and a new artificial turf field. The seating was to cost about $4 million and the new field about $1 million, with both in place for the 2019 season.

The plan also called for the eventual construction of 50,000 square feet in office space behind the east-side stands.

The Citadel moves ahead with plan for field turf, new stands at Johnson Hagood Stadium

The east side of the stadium was demolished in 2017 due to concern about lead paint and other issues in the aging structure. Temporary stands seating about 1,000 spectators were used on the east side last season.

Johnson Hagood Stadium was built in 1948 and The Citadel purchased the stadium from the city in 1963. The Altman Athletic Center behind one end zone was opened in 2001, and the west side underwent major renovation in 2005.

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