GAINESVILLE — Florida’s long-awaited renovation of Ben Hill Griffin will cost $1.45 billion, an unprecedented, eye-popping price tag to overhaul one of college football’s most iconic venues.
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UF announced Thursday the comprehensive, multi-phase project is set to begin after the 2026 season and be completed by the 2030 season.
The overhaul is vast and ambitious but aims to maintain the current capacity of 88,548 while preserving the spirit of the Swamp — the nickname Steve Spurrier bestowed on one of the best game-day atmospheres in college football.
In a letter to alumni, Board of Trustees chair Mori Hosseini wrote the project “will breathe new life into one of the nation’s most iconic college football venues and elevate it into the premier collegiate athletic destination that sets the standard for everyone else.”
The board was set to meet Thursday during its annual meeting a day after it appointed former University of Alabama president Stuart Bell to serve as UF’s next president.
Funding is expected to come through a combination of private giving, capital reserves, and long-term debt, with final approval of the Florida Board of Governors anticipated in the fall, when coach Jon Sumrall’s first season with the Gators is underway.
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The expected improvements will include more accessible concessions, improved restroom access, better traffic flow throughout the stadium, upgraded technology and additional gathering spaces. To comply with American Disability Act standards, widened aisles and handrails will add to the stadium’s lower bowl, thereby forcing seats to be moved higher in the stadium structure.
The plan will require the UF comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, widening the aisles and adding handrails — presumably forcing a seating reduction in the stadium’s lower bowl.
The project aims to preserve the Swamp’s historic character, including orange Wing Walls and the close fan-to-field proximity at a stadium ranked 10th in attendance over the past five years.
Completed in October 1930, Florida Field originally had a capacity of 21,769. Over the years, the stadium expanded many times, with the last major project a $50 million renovation of the west side of the stadium in 2005.
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Edgar Thompson can be reached at [email protected]