Tax May Fund UA Stadium Expansion

Frank Broyles, athletic director at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, plans to spend between $50 million and $60 million to expand Razorback Stadium.

Broyles says the expansion will take the stadium from 49,000 to 65,000 seats and add 280,000 SF of room behind the south end zone for use as private apartments, dormitories or office space. The area would also contain a restaurant.

“We’ve got to upgrade the stadium or get out of the football business,” says Broyles. “We’ve got no choice.”

Broyles says he met with Northwest Arkansas mayors and discussed the possibility of implementing a “hamburger tax” to help pay for the facility.

“There would have to be a vote,” Broyles says. “We’ll have to wait and see.”

In late August, Broyles went before the Northwest Arkansas Council, a private group of business and civic leaders, to try to raise money to renovate the 60-year-old stadium.

Two different models for the renovated stadium were presented at a press conference Sept. 1. Broyles described one as traditional, the other as having a “European flair.”

The European-style stadium was designed by Eisenman Architects of New York City, which is also designing a stadium for the Phoenix Cardinals professional football team. The Eisenman design is similar to that of European soccer stadiums and would be the first football stadium of its kind constructed in the United States. Broyles says the Eisenman design would cost about 10 percent more than the traditional design.

The renovation would add 204 seats in 17 new suites, 2,400 new club seats and 300 restaurant seats.

Broyles hopes to have the project completed by late 2000 or early 2001.