South Carolina approves $22.5 million in renovations to Gamecocks’ football stadium
South Carolina approves $22.5 million in renovations to Gamecocks' football stadium
COLUMBIA — Williams-Brice Stadium is well behind the SEC’s other football palaces, and budgets plus architecture make significant renovations impossible. Still, South Carolina is doing what it can to keep up with the Joneses.
On Monday, it took another step.
The Board of Trustees approved a $22.5 million project to enclose, refurbish and improve the gameday experience at Williams-Brice for more than 20,000 fans. Renovations to several parts of the stadium are expected to be completed by the 2020 season.
“This is an opportunity, and it’s not $350 million, but we’re spending $22.5 million, and it’s going to be impactful,” athletics director Ray Tanner said. “You guys know the trends. It’s not 100,000 seats anymore, it’s the amenities you have, the opportunities for your fan base.”
USC will have three crews working simultaneously to significantly alter several parts of the stadium as soon as the 2019 season concludes.
“It’s an ambitious project in a short period of time,” Tanner said. “There’s a lot that goes on to improve this space.”
USC is next-to-last in the SEC in total money spent to improve its football stadium. Its 18 luxury suites are second-lowest in the league, only above Vanderbilt, which has none.
The SEC average is 80 luxury suites, but the Gamecocks simply don’t have the room to add more. The ambitious facility plan that has improved nearly every athletic venue on campus has also put the department in significant debt.
USC had to spend the $22.5 million now to improve Williams-Brice since its debt ceiling (currently around $194 million) can’t be increased until 2038. Short of tearing down one section of the stadium and starting over, the renovations are nearly all the Gamecocks can do to improve the gameday experience.
Besides win, that is.
Southwest corner and 2001 Club
The Gamecocks enter the field through the Southwest corner of the stadium. That area will be converted into the “2001 Club,” a luxury space fronted by glass, so fans can see the players walking past and lining up for their traditional entrance.
The new loge seating above the 2001 Club that will be at Williams-Brice Stadium for the 2020 season. Staff/David Cloninger
A 132-seat loge will be built above the 2001 Club, enclosing the corner. Fans will be able to visit the club downstairs and enter the South end zone seats if they wish.
Crews Building and South end zone
The Charles F. Crews Building, which used to house the weight room, will be transformed into a space designed to host recruits. The weight room space will be a recruit dining room while the upper floor, formerly housing the team’s meeting rooms, will be another club-like luxury space for fans.
The current area under the South stands has long been derided as too cramped with out-of-date restrooms and poor concession space. It will also be renovated to widen the path, modernize the facilities and relieve congestion under the South end zone.
West stands
A 9,000-square foot club will be enclosed behind Sections 101-105. All fans (sections 101-109) will have access to the space.
The new renovations coming to the West stands at Williams-Brice Stadium. Staff/David Cloninger
East stands
A ramp-to-ramp space for 3,000 fans will be enclosed and turned into a luxury club. Formerly, fans sitting above the East Lower stands but under the East Upper deck had to go upstairs for concessions and restrooms.
Now they will be able to have their own space, which will relieve congestion in the Upper deck.
Floyd Building held up
USC had already approved a $750,000 project to renovate the Floyd Football Building on the North end, which formerly housed the coaches’ offices before the Long Family Football Operations Center was built.
That project, which was supposed to be ready for the Gamecocks’ Sept. 7 home opener, is on hold. USC is undertaking further studies on what to do with the space but it will not be ready for this season.