USF says stadium construction is underway despite little change since groundbreaking
In November, it was the scene of the groundbreaking of the biggest investment in USF history.
Five months later – besides the chain-link fencing surrounding the area – not much has changed at Sycamore Fields, the future site of USF’s planned $340 million stadium that will house its football and women’s lacrosse teams.
The crane staged at the groundbreaking ceremony appeared to still be there. So did the mound of dirt that USF’s top brass dug their shovels into on Nov. 8.
Despite the apparent inactivity, USF spokesperson Althea Johnson said construction is underway on the stadium and it remains on pace to open by fall 2027.
Manhattan Construction Co. – a firm who’s constructed more than $3.4 billion in sports projects – was chosen to build the stadium last April.
Related: USF breaks ground on campus stadium: ‘Championships will be won here’
The university was supposed to begin “full construction” of the stadium in February, according to USF Athletics’ Strategic Plan. In a statement to The Oracle, Johnson said “mobilization” and “site preparation” are underway on the site.
She did not clarify what that meant.
“The construction team continues to prepare the site and we expect their work will become increasingly visible,” Johnson said in a statement on March 14.
Fencing currently surrounds the construction site, spanning a portion of Sycamore Drive before jutting into the woods towards Genshaft Drive.
Original fencing from Sycamore Fields – the intramural fields that the site originally featured – appeared to have not been removed.
On March 11, USF Athletics Director Micheal Kelly said on an episode of Bulls Unlimited that Manhattan Construction has been surveying the site. He also said permitting has been approved by the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
SFWMD issues Well Construction Permits, which ensure wells meet industry standards, as well as Environmental Resource Permits, which are needed in any activity that affects the flow of surface water.
Related: Here’s how USF says it is funding its stadium
Johnson also said there have been no changes to the previously approved finance plan.
The USF Board of Trustees approved a $340 million budget for the project in June, primarily through a $200 million loan that was issued by USF Financing Corporation.
The price could still rise. The BOT has not yet voted on a Guaranteed Maximum Price for the stadium.
BOT chair Will Weatherford called the stadium “a $400 million project” in November, but also said the university will be able to afford it.
“USF looks forward to providing the community with additional updates as the project moves forward,” Johnson said.
USF has been sparse in issuing updates. There has only been one stadium-related news update posted on the university’s website since groundbreaking.
Correction: A previous version of this story stated that the $200 million loan was issued by the Florida Board of Governors.
More Stories
OPINION: USF coaches need to be more than game-day leaders
In his first year at USF, baseball head coach Mitch Hannahs brought an old-school approach to the program. He stayed off social media and had minimal interactions with fans, except during press conferences and games. And toward the end of the season, Hannahs began to decline interviews with The Oracle — both for himself and […]
USF prepares for more scholarships, revenue opportunities after NIL settlement
As universities began directly paying athletes on Tuesday as part of the House v. NCAA settlement, increased scholarships and revenue opportunities will become the norm under the landmark NIL ruling. Former USF Athletic Director Michael Kelly told The Oracle that the settlement also paves the way for another opportunity for USF to be invited to […]
USF’s Fowler Avenue ‘isn’t going anywhere’ despite NIL changes
Corey Staniscia didn’t need a court ruling to see where college sports were headed. Long before a federal judge approved the House v. NCAA settlement on June 6, Staniscia saw what was coming — a future where schools, not just collectives, could pay athletes directly. So, as the CEO and co-founder of the Fowler Avenue […]
USF support program helps international student-athletes thrive
For Mathis Haugen, a USF international student-athlete from Norway, his journey started with a leap of faith. Haugen said he planned to take a gap year after high school and then apply to college. But when USF recruited him in fall 2021, everything changed. Now a senior, the men’s soccer defender had never visited the […]
USF men’s basketball rounds up roster with latest commits
USF men’s basketball officially has a full house, finalizing its revamped roster with all 15 scholarship spots now filled. New head coach Bryan Hodgson has wasted no time building a new roster. After Hodgson was hired in March, he began his tenure by securing three high school recruits and five players out of the transfer […]
USF beach volleyball balances summer training away from campus
In the summertime, while some USF students are having fun in the sun, athletes don’t stop their training. USF beach volleyball players Morgan Anderson and Sasha Pasloski know all too well what goes into a Division I athlete’s summer routine. Although the Bulls won’t play their inaugural season until the spring, they have been preparing […]