BREAKING: Nebraska unveils future upgrade plans for Memorial Stadium after 2026 season
The University of Nebraska set the stage for major changes that could be coming to Memorial Stadium following the 2026 football season.
The future plans for Memorial Stadium were part of the NU Board of Regents meeting agenda, which was dropped Friday morning. The plans will be officially presented by the athletic department at the next Board of Regents meeting on April 24 in Lincoln. The project is dubbed “Big Red Rebuild.”
After completion in 2028, Memorial Stadium’s capacity will be approximately 80,000, down from the current 86,549, which currently ranks 12th in the country and fourth in the Big Ten. In 2027, the stadium will have a reduced capacity of 65,000 due to construction. When completed, there will be 7,000 seats for students and the band.
An additional 20,000 chairback seats are expected to be added as part of this proposed project. There are currently 8,909 chairback seats in Memorial Stadium.
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“Big Red Rebuild is a statement about the future of Nebraska Athletics,” said Nebraska Athletic Director Troy Dannen. “Memorial Stadium is one of the most iconic venues in all of college sports and this project ensures that our stadium is well-positioned for future generations.
“We have listened intently to Nebraska fans and are building a best-in-class fan experience that will also drive revenue for the University of Nebraska, create exciting new year-round programming for Nebraskans, create new opportunities for our student-athletes, and position Nebraska to compete and lead at the highest level in a rapidly evolving college athletics landscape.”
The Regents will vote on the proposed plans, and the project could move forward following the 2026 football season.
Diving into the numbers of the proposed Memorial Stadium project
The proposed cost of the project is estimated at $600 million, higher than former athletic director Trev Alberts’ $450 million plan, which was presented and voted on by the Regents in the fall of 2023.
However, once Alberts left Nebraska for Texas A&M in March of 2024, plans for the stadium project were tabled to give the new athletic director, Troy Dannen, more time to survey the entire situation.
Dannen met with reporters in May of 2024 to announce that the project was being put on hold.
This new project will address many of the same issues as Alberts’ plans, including a complete teardown and rebuild of South Stadium, which currently seats 23,000 Husker fans on game days.
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In May of 2024, Dannen said NU has 18,320 season-ticket accounts for a total of 67,445 season-ticket holders. Student and visitor seats occupy the remainder of the stadium’s tickets.
The project will be funded by leveraging a strategic mix of at least $250 million in philanthropic support and $350 million in private bond financing.
The release states, “the project will be a powerful economic engine for Nebraska, projected to create more than 7,300 new jobs and drive an estimated $1.1 billion in statewide economic impact. Annual revenue from the new stadium is expected to reach $95 million, an increase of over 40% above current levels and positions Nebraska to compete and lead at the highest level in a rapidly evolving college athletics landscape.”
Other key project details
Here are a few other key project details listed in the meeting agenda:
***The project addresses $250M+ in deferred maintenance, outdated concessions, poor circulation, and ADA limitations across the stadium.
***Annual seating revenue will increase from $65 million to $95 million following the completion of this project.
***Plans call for demolishing and reconstructing the West seating bowl, adding premium seating and modern amenities.
***The biggest change: a full demolition and rebuild of South Stadium, including new seating, concourses, and a large video board. This includes improved student + general seating.
***A new team store + year-round functionality (365-use venue).
***No state appropriated funds will be leveraged for this project. No money is going to this project that would otherwise go toward academic programs.
