Texas Royal Mem’l Stadium renovation hinges at funding

Article posted by Coliseum, July 23^rd, 2018

Image: University of Texas

The University of Texas is looking to begin renovation of the Royal Memorial Stadium by next summer, according to media reports. However, the university is required to line up funding before the plan moves ahead.

As per the renovation plans, both fan amenities and team facilities at the stadium are due for a major overhaul. The work would take place at the south end zone of the stadium, where a new facility for the football program would be constructed, along with a mix of fan amenities that includes loge seating, clubs, and suites.

Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte, in recent media reports, expressed his desire to start construction as early as next summer. However, he also admitted that plenty of tasks remained to be completed before work could start.

The Star-Telegram quoted Del Conte as saying there is much work left to be done, including getting a plan approved by the Texas board of regents at a meeting in August. Then he has to secure the funding from Texas donors.

“Our goal is to start next summer, but I’ve got a long ways to go,” said Del Conte, who left TCU (Texas Christian University) for the same job at Texas in December. “I’m in that process. It’s not like at TCU where we we’re just like, ‘Hey, let’s do this’.”

Del Conte said getting 600,000 living Texas alumni all on the same page with regard to the improvements to the stadium, which was original built in 1924 but has been renovated and upgraded multiple times over the years, the last coming in 2013.

“I have fancy pictures [of renderings] but we still have to raise a lot of money,” he said. Del Conte said the renovations will include suites, a club, new loge seating and a new football building being built at the south end zone.

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