The University of South Florida Tampa campus broke ground on its new football stadium last week.
School administration was met with cheers and clapping at the ceremony, which some called just a taste of what the new facility will sound like when it opens.
Board of Trustees Chair Will Weatherford said the first time he announced the stadium three years ago, he had no plans in sight.
“Maybe we should have a plan before we go out publicly and tell people we’re gonna build a $400 million building,” Weatherford said. “I have to say sometimes in life, you just have to speak things into existence.”
The new Bulls stadium has a price tag of $340 million.
USF Athletics Director Michael Kelly said thirty years ago he thought the stadium would be great for the university, but it wasn’t the right time.
Now, it is.
“A home of our own will be built,” Kelly said. “Football and lacrosse will be played here, fans, students, alumni, and the community will gather here.”
“Championships will be won here,” he added.
The approximately 35,000 seat stadium is scheduled to open in Fall of 2027.
Kelly said that every time the players take the field, they will feel the power of Bulls nation behind them in the new stadium.
USF President Rhea Law said it will activate campus life, for students and alumni. She added it will not only be a game changer for sports but campus life as well.
“That is really the promise for what we’re talking about. It’s not just sports, it’s the other events, it’s the concerts, it’s the other activities that we will bring here,” Law said.
She said the stadium will have a major impact on the school’s future, beyond athletics.
Tony Umholtz is one of the first players on the university’s football team and said he is honored to be part of the journey.
“Being around this program, playing three years here, and then just being a season ticket holder and watching the program grow – it means so much from the heart for me,” Umholtz said.
The stadium will be the new home for the football and women’s lacrosse teams.
While parking on the Tampa campus has been a hassle for many students, Kelly said most games are on the weekends so it should not affect day-to-day parking during the school week.
But he said there is still time to refine the parking plan.
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