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After years of empty promises and people around the USF football, the new on-campus stadium is going to happen. This past week, the board of trustees approved a $340 million on-campus stadium. The stadium will seat 35,000 people which is low compared to the 75,000 Raymond James Stadium seats. We know that the USF Bulls did not sell out Raymond James while playing there. Unless there was a big-time program coming in say like the Alabama Crimson Tide that will be here for the second home game this season. According to reports, the stadium is set to open for the 2026 season. This means the next three seasons will be played at Raymond James Stadium. This is exciting for the program. A program that has not had many good seasons recently. This is also a vital recruiting tool.
This is a huge risk for the athletic department to take a 200-million-dollar debt. The trustees took that risk and approved the stadium. Now this is not the final step as the board must authorize the final budget. The risk is will the program start winning and if it does not will the fans continue to come out. “It’s a historic day,” athletic director Michael Kelly said. “It’s been a lot of work to get to this point, but people associated with the university and fans of our athletic program have envisioned this for two or three decades and hoped for it. Quite frankly, this is the time.” But he agreed with what the trustees voted on. This is the time to give the program a new on-campus stadium. This will help the students that are on campus or near campus and make it easier to attend football games. The $200 million dollars that the USF Bulls have to borrow will be a 20-year loan with a 5.5 % interest rate.
The other $140 million came from various sources, $50 million came through private donations to USF Foundation. $31 million from the capital improvement trust fund paid through student fees. $59 million from other funds comes from equipment and licenses and campus-wide auxiliary funds like parking, food services, and the bookstore. One of the trustees named Jenifer Jasinski Schneider who is the faculty Senate president, voted against the stadium. She fears that they may be hidden costs that could be diverted from academics. The price tag does not include the $18 million that USF excepts to spend to move intramural fields from the stadium site and $26 million in infrastructure to upgrade safety on the east part of the campus. One of the USF sports that will be affected will be rugby. I have been to many rugby games and now they will have to move.
The one of many bright aspects of the new on-campus stadium is that everything will be in one place. The USF Bulls just got a new indoor practice facility and upgraded the Lee Roy Solomon Center. The new stadium will also host the new women’s lacrosse program. They are hoping it will bring current students and alumni to the same grounds where they attend school. It could also host concerts that are too small for Raymond James Stadium and too big for Amalie Arena. Some say it could host the NCAA Lacrosse Championship and high school football championship as well. CEO Jay Stroman says it also be a soccer venue since the sport is growing in America. I think this is great for the USF Bulls football program. I hope the product will grow in the next three years so when the stadium opens it will be awesome.
What are your thoughts on the USF’s new on-campus stadium? Is it too big of a risk? Leave a comment below.
For all your USF news log on to NGSCsports.com.
For more follow me on Facebook Bradley Louis Walker, on Twitter @bradwalker3083, and my weekly sports podcast: The Walker Report.
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Finally!! 1984 Alum have been waiting for this forever!! Go Bulls!!