Paying the price for a bigger stadium

Universities rarely build new stadiums because of the cost. And even renovation of old facilities can cost $100 million or more.

Papa John's Cardinal Stadium was built with public and private money, and could be an example for the University of Hawai'i. www.louisville.edu

Georgia
Stadium: Sanford
Location: Athens
Built/opened: 1929
Original cost: $360,000
Renovation cost: $12 million (2001 completion date)
Original seating capacity: 86,117
Renovation capacity: x-86,520
x-includes sky boxes.

Louisville
Stadium: Papa John's
Location: Louisville
Built/opened: 1998
Original cost: $63 million
Seating capacity: 42,000

Oregon
Stadium: Autzen
Location: Eugene, Ore.
Built/opened: 1966
Original cost: $6 million
Renovation cost: $80 million (2003 completion date)
Seating capacity: 43,937
Renovation capacity: x-53,000
x-includes sky boxes. Currently, sky boxes cost $30,000 a year in addition to cost of tickets. There are 12 now, with 32 to be added.

Ohio State
Stadium: Ohio
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Built/opened: 1922
Original cost: $1.341 million
Renovation cost: $187 million (2001 completion date)
Original seating capacity: 66,210
Present seating capacity: 89,841
Renovation capacity: 97,000

Texas Tech
Stadium: Jones
Location: Lubbock
Built/opened: 1947
Original cost: $400,000
Renovation cost: $75 million (2002 completion date)
Original seating capacity: 45,894
Renovation capacity: x-62,000
x-includes 40 suite boxes, 500 club seats.

Penn State
Stadium: Beaver
Location: Happy Valley
Built/opened: 1960
Original cost: Unavailable; Rec Hall, which was built in 1929 and used for football in winter, cost $600,000
Renovation cost: $93 million (2001 completion date)
Seating capacity: 96,500
Renovation capacity: x-104,967
x-includes 60 enclosed suites, ranging from $40,000 to $65,000 for a 10-year lease.

Southern Methodist
Stadium: Ford
Location: Dallas
Built/opened: 2000
Original cost: $52 million
Seating capacity: 32,000
Note: SMU used to play its games in the Cotton Bowl, which had a capacity of 68,252.
x-includes 24 suites.

Sources: Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal, respective university Web sites.