LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — This weekend's home opener for the University of Kansas football team will take place inside the newly revamped "David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium" - something KU officials have already nicknamed "The Booth."
The game, which is already sold out, is against Fresno State. Kick-off is set for 5:30 pm Saturday.
Crews have been working for the past 33 months to renovate the stadium, but final touches have been taking place all week long.
The massive project immediately grabs the attention of anyone who has not seen the stadium since the westside and north end demolition took place after the 2023 season. The eastside grandstand, now called the old side, largely remains unchanged.
Last year, the Jayhawks split their home season between Children's Mercy Park, where Sporting Kansas City plays in Major League Soccer, and Arrowhead Stadium, the home venue for the Kansas City Chiefs.
"We had great crowds, great environments at both Children's Mercy and at Arrowhead, of course, but there's something about being at home," said KU Athletics Director Travis Goff.
Besides watching the game on the field, fans will be able to see great moments and athletes from KU football history illustrated on public displays.
"Talking about our history, talking about the things that make the University of Kansas unique and special, I think, for all of us—the chancellor all the way through—there was that deeply imbedded commitment to that," said Goff.
The project unfolded with the collaboration of architectural firms HNTB and Multistudio. The brick-and-mortar has been handled by Turner Construction, Henderson Engineering and Legends Project Development.
Goff also attributed the present and past campus leadership to the development of the same site where KU football had been played since 1921.
"The journey that we've had, the components that make KU special, we wanted to embrace that," said Goff.
In the new westside bowl, KU was intent on improving the Jayhawks' sightlines and providing better proximity for the fans to the field. All seats on the west side have a seatback and 3,000 seats have access to premium areas. There are also 42 luxury suites on the west side of the stadium.
All new concession offerings are also part of the home-game experience.
The player entrance to the field before the kickoff has been enhanced from previous seasons - big time. Previously, the team walked over from another building - the Anderson Family Football Complex - and through an artificial tunnel of sorts to get on the field, an estimated 40 yards away. The school erected cattle guards as barriers while the players trotted onto the turf.
"We had a fake tunnel for the guys to walk out of. I think, unfortunately, that was a depiction of where we were for all too long," said Goff.
Where KU goes next is anybody's guess. Fans will tell you it sure would be good to christen the new stadium and start off the season with a victory.
But there's more at stake here. The new football stadium is just one part of a larger KU Gateway project. The long-term vision is to eventually restructure the east side and reconfigure the look at the corner of 11th and Mississippi streets. For the timetable of the next phase, Goff said, "We're working on it. We're excited. We feel like we've got a ton of wind in our sails."
Saturday's game will be nationally televised on FOX. KU has seven home games at "The Booth" this season. ###
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