The vast majority of Pac-12 programs have either built a new stadium or renovated their current home in the past decade or so. One of the few exceptions in the conference is likely Arizona however, which did add an endzone complex to Arizona Stadium but has otherwise left the venue fairly untouched for many years.
That’s about to change however, as the school is firming up plans to do a full renovation of the West side of the stadium. AD Dave Heeke detailed the latest update to the Arizona Daily Star, which includes an updated timeline of completion occurring prior to the 2022 season.
“We have to do the west side,” Heeke told the paper, stressing such a timeline might be ‘a bit ambitious’ given the amount of work involved. “That has to be a project that occurs here for us to be successful long term.”
The school is still in the planning stage right now but did release renderings of a new Skybox Club and noted plans for better concourses, improved restroom access and more. Seating is another issue that will be upgraded, which Heeke noted was a bit of an issue considering the first 30 rows of the west side are actually part of the original construction of Arizona Stadium from the 1920’s.
So yeah, some upgrades need to happen.
It’s still far too early to put an exact price on the renovation but the early estimates are in the $100-150 million range. Ideally plans will be finalized over the coming months, bids will go out shortly thereafter and construction can begin at some point after the 2020 season wraps up. That would leave some inconveniences for the 2021 campaign for the Wildcats but we’re sure the fans would take them in order to have a nice new structure built in time for the 2021 season.