South Carolina reveals Phase 1 of Williams-Brice Stadium modernization plan

The University of South Carolina revealed the early stages of Phase 1 of its plan to modernize Williams-Brice Stadium during a Board of Trustees meeting Friday afternoon.

The board approved a Request for Proposal (RFP) process to retain an architecture firm to design the initial phase of new enhancements to the stadium.

“Today is a significant day for our institution and I hope it is the beginning of many big milestones ahead as we realize this incredibly transformative vision for Athletics and our football program that will have an impact on all areas of our university and the region,” said Chair of the Board of Trustees Thad H. Westbrook.

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Friday’s approval, which came after a year of developing a master plan for the stadium, represented the next major step in a long-term plan to revitalize the 90-year-old structure.

The upgrades initially appear to prioritize improvements to the West Grandstand with an emphasis on the creation of additional revenue-generating suites and a Premium Club. Compared to South Carolina’s SEC brethren, Williams-Brice has woefully lacked premium suites, which should generate revenue and in-theory pay for themselves over time. South Carolina is currently last in the SEC in premium suites.

While the renderings and specifics released so far were the result of a feasibility study focused on the West stands, approval of Phase 1 will allow architects, engineers, and contractors to take the planning further and look at major changes to the East side and potentially minor upgrades to the North stands.

University architect Derek S. Gruner said they hoped to take a holistic approach that would not only focus on the immediate upgrades but would allow them to use the schematics designed for other areas of the stadium during Phase 1 to seamlessly move into Phase 2 at a later date.

Back to Phase 1, a project description provided to the media says that 30 traditional suites and six larger Founders Suites could be added to the 100 and 200 levels on the West side, likely replacing the 18 suites currently in that area of the stadium. It would also add elevators and supporting space.

That would potentially raise the overall number of suites in the stadium to 36 with hopes of eventually getting the number to 83. The median among SEC football stadiums is 90.

Improvements will also be studied for the main level concourse and the ground level concourse that could include a Bunker Club, new restrooms, and new concessions on that side of the stadium.

Significant potential changes are also being considered for other areas of the stadium, improving the game day experience for all fans.

Construction work on Phase 1 is slated to begin at the conclusion of the 2025 football season and will be completed before the start of the 2027 football season.

No games are expected to be moved from the stadium due to construction.

The improvements will likely come with one drawback in some people’s eyes — another reduction in seating capacity, though Ray Tanner said capacity would not go under 70,000 people.

South Carolina consulted with Nations Group, one of the nation’s leading stadium development experts; a widely distributed market survey and resulting analysis by Elevate, a leader in stadium and premium seating; and comprehensive financial modeling by USC staff. 

Funding for the potential project will come from capital gifts, suite and premium seating purchases, as well as from related revenue streams, according to a release.

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In 2022, South Carolina added LED lights, new ribbon boards, and an upgraded distributed sound system to its home stadium experience.

Prior to that, the Williams-Brice Stadium 2020 Project, one of the biggest overhauls in stadium history, introduced the 2001 Club, Traditions Club, Cockaboose Club, and Horseshoe Club as well as new loge seating options, while making smaller upgrades to bathrooms and concourses around the facility.

That round of upgrades, which reduced capacity from 80,250 to 77,579, was also made with an eye for the future.

The reimagining of Williams-Brice Stadium comes in conjunction with the ongoing efforts to engage a developer to create a retail, food and lodging district adjacent to the stadium.

In June, South Carolina issued a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) to spur the development of nearly 900 acres of land near the Congaree River and football stadium.

According to the release, the RFP, described as “the next critical step in a lengthy process” by Tanner, seeks to identify private development partners wishing to pursue a comprehensive land use agreement with the university.

The release went on to say the eventual agreement could bring new recreational, dining, lodging and retail options to the area, which includes 885 acres of undeveloped USC-owned property adjacent to the Congaree River, west of the existing Long Family Football Operations Facility, and 12 additional acres near Williams-Brice Stadium.

In February of 2023, South Carolina released a formal request for information (RFI) for the same project.

USC Athletics will share additional details with the community as the design process moves forward.  For more information on the Williams-Brice Stadium Project, click here.

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