LAWRENCE —Demolition is underway on portions of the David Booth Memorial Stadium at the University of Kansas. The transformation of the stadium is Just 20 months away from opening "one of the finest game day experiences in the country at the Stadium and the new Gateway District."
In August, the University of Kansas and Kansas Athletics announced plans for the transformational Gateway District, which will feature a reimagined David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, a new conference center and multi-use facilities that will enable year-round use and drive economic development in Lawrence. Plans for the district also include a combination of new retail, dining and other amenities that will drive student recruitment and enhance the campus experience for KU students and employees.
The latest plans for the district – including the first architectural renderings of the project—were shared Tuesday afternoon at an event at the Jayhawk Welcome Center, hosted by Chancellor Douglas Girod, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, Kansas Director of Athletics Travis Goff and other members of the University community.
The project will be completed in a multi-phased approach. The first phase of the project will include additional renovations to, and expansion of, Anderson Family Football Complex, the training hub for Kansas Football. Additionally, the first phase will include the construction of new southwest, west and north sides of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, as well as a new conference center on the north end.
Construction on the first phase will begin at the conclusion of the 2023 football season, and will be completed by the beginning of the 2025 season. Kansas Football will continue to play at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium during construction and will have reduced capacity for the 2024 season. Fans are encouraged to purchase season tickets for the 2023 season to have the opportunity to be in the stadium for the 2024 season.
The project will be primarily funded by private funds from donors and no tuition dollars or state general funds will be used. Kansas Athletics has set an initial fundraising goal of $300 million for David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium and Allen Fieldhouse capital projects, which is currently under construction. A total of $165 million in gifts and commitments have been secured, including $125 million since the project was announced last October. This represents unprecedented and record-shattering fundraising results, but additional support will be needed in order to fulfill the full vision.
Funding for the project will also include $35 million in ARPA funds appropriated to KU by the 2022 Kansas legislature, as well as up to $50 million through the Kansas Department of Commerce’s University Challenge Grant program. These funds will help fund the aspects of the Gateway District that will drive economic development, including the conference center and multi-use spaces. Additional funds may come from bonds issued by Kansas Athletics, the debt from which would be repaid from new revenue streams generated by the stadium.
Future phases of the Gateway District and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium will focus on the south and east portions of the stadium, as well as development of multi-use facilities to be used throughout the year to generate revenue for academic programming and student success. Although in the early stages of planning, the multi-use facilities will include a mix of amenities that further boost economic development in the area and advance the university’s academic mission, such as arts and entertaining, dining, retail, office spaces and lodging.
The Gateway District, including the upgrades to the Anderson Family Football Complex and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, will create a best-in-class experience for student-athletes, fans and supporters. The first phase of upgrades to Anderson was completed earlier this month when Kansas Football unveiled a new locker room and weight room.
The renovations to the Anderson Family Complex, to be completed as part of the first phase of the project, will equip the building with a state-of-the-art sports medicine center that will feature new hydrotherapy pools, cryotherapy chambers and infrared light therapy equipment. The building, which will be expanded north to connect to the stadium, will also have a new 2,300-square foot player lounge with a nutrition and fuel bar and will have nutrition fueling stations throughout the facility.
Plans are also in place for a 1,200-square foot state-of-the-art photo/video/audio content studio and a 2,400-square foot in-house student-services center with dedicated study rooms and player development and academic support facilities. The team will also have a 180-seat team meeting room with full view into David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. In addition, the facility will be equipped with a 2,400-square foot virtual practice walkthrough room with a video wall that can be combined with the new lobby of the building to create 5,500-square feet worth of multi-functional event space.
The reconceptualized northern entrance to campus will undoubtedly help in economic growth for the city of Lawrence and the University of Kansas. The mixed-use development is projected to amount to $2.4 billion in direct, indirect and induced spending and $1.4 billion in direct, indirect and induced earnings, while supporting an estimated 720 jobs. Construction of the mixed-use development will create an additional 670 temporary jobs, $2.2 million in state sales tax and $2.4 million in state personal income tax. An estimated 500,000 prospective students and guests who visit the University of Kansas each year would utilize and benefit from the Gateway District and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.
The upgrades to David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium will create an unprecedented fan experience in Lawrence with amenities suited for all fans. The new seating bowl will bring fans closer to game action with the first row of seating four feet higher off the ground. On top of improved accessible seating and sight lines, there will be new chairback seating in the west and north seating areas and a videoboard that will be approximately two-and-a-half times larger and 60-feet closer to the field. There will be a 50 percent increase in area per seat and 50 percent more leg room throughout the stadium. Fans can also expect approximately 2,300 club seats in three different club spaces and unique social zones, along with suites 80 feet closer to the field. On the concourses, fans can expect four-times more food and beverage offerings and at least 1.5 times more restrooms.
Local design firms HNTB and Multistudio have taken the design lead on the Gateway District and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. HNTB, headquartered in Kansas City, is a national leader in sports architecture and has been the lead designer for Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California and several other projects from coast to coast. Located in Lawrence, Multistudio places an emphasis on community improvement and immersion and is known as an innovator in the design industry.
KU has also partnered with Turner Construction Company as the construction manager for the project. Turner was named the No. 1 construction manager in the United States by Engineering News-Record and the No. 3 sports builder in the nation. In May, Legends, a global premium experiences company, and Kansas Athletics announced a comprehensive, long-term partnership focused on reimagining the fan experience at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Legends is working with Kansas Athletics to optimize revenue generation and curate experiences for all KU fans. The Nations Group is serving as the owner’s representative throughout the project, using their industry and market knowledge to assist Kansas Athletics in the project.
“This project represents a new day for the University of Kansas,” said Goff. “An ambitious vision and heightened aspirations require bold investment and earnest action. The Gateway District and new David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium will deliver a profound experience and provide an impact that our student-athletes, fans, and broader community richly deserve.”
Kansas supporters can learn more about the Gateway District by visiting KUGatewayDistrict.com, which will be live starting at 2:45 p.m. The interactive website features renderings, frequently asked questions, videos honoring the past, ways to get involved and much more.