Tony Vitello expresses excitement over facility improvements for Tennessee

Lindsey Nelson Stadium, which is home to the Tennessee baseball program, is set to undergo extensive renovations over the next few years.

According to Grant Hubbs of Volquest, Tennessee is seeking approval from the Board of Trustees for a nearly $96 million project. The board has already approved $56.8 million worth of renovations, and Tennessee is seeking an additional $39 million for the project.

Vols head coach Tony Vitello recently joined SportsTalk to discuss his excitement over the changes that are coming. Construction is set to begin later this summer.

“Yea, it’s crazy, because the time is here. It’s been talked about a lot,” Vitello said. “We get back from Omaha in ’21 and people think maybe we should have a shovel in the ground. Well, life’s not that easy. With construction, there’s a lot of red tape, and there’s been some battles won by our university, not just for baseball but in general to be able to push forward aggressively with construction stuff. And we’ll benefit from that this summer as a shovel will actually go into the ground.”

Lindsey Nelson Stadium was built in 1993 and currently has a capacity of just over 4,000. According to Volquest, the capacity will jump to 7,750 after the renovations. Other major changes are coming, too.

“We’ve made renovations and we’ve had upgrades. The one easy one to look at it the porch. But this will finally mean kind of turning this thing into an actual stadium, a complete, well-rounded stadium,” Vitello said. “An entrance our guys can walk in that’s covered and is a true entry way. Have a park that’s closed off and is much more secure. So it’s exciting.”

While construction is set to get underway this summer, it won’t be a short process. Some renovations will take place this offseason, with others set to be done over the next few years. Eventually, it should be one of the more impressive stadiums in the SEC.

“In August, when we start things, it’s going to be piecemeal,” Vitello said. “We do want the consistency to stay of the stadium and the same vibe. So when I say piecemeal I mean more, ‘This section will be completed this year, and then after next season more work will be done, and then after that next season more work will be done as well.'”

There is plenty of excitement around the Tennessee baseball program after the Vols reached Omaha this year. Vitello did an excellent job in leading his team on an impressive postseason run as they won the Clemson Regional and took two of three from Southern Miss on the road to clinch a spot at the College World Series.