As the University of Utah prepares to return to campus this fall, let’s look at the brand-new stadium expansion a lot of fans can expect to experience this upcoming season.

The Expansion

When the U returns to full capacity this fall, students and fans will be greeted by a new and improved Rice-Eccles stadium. The expansion project, which began construction in 2019, will enclose the south end zone of the stadium and bring a number of new amenities. From new premium seating to new locker rooms for the student athletes, this expansion will bring many improvements to Rice-Eccles this season.

New Seating

The main goal of the project was to add more seats to Rice-Eccles Stadium. Once the expansion opens, the capacity of Rice-Eccles will be increased by nearly 6,000 seats — from the current capacity of 45,000 plus to around 51,000. This expansion will bring a number of new premium seating options ranging from club seats to box suites, which will enhance the fan experience in the south end zone.

The biggest thing to come to the south end zone is the new field-level club. The field-level club, along with the other premium seating options, is guaranteed to make the return to Rice-Eccles as exciting as possible, bringing a fantastic fan atmosphere with it. With more fans in attendance during games, the fan experience this fall will be phenomenal and will be a great way to get back into the swing of things.

The New Locker Rooms

Another thing to look out for is the new locker rooms. The new locker rooms (for both home and away teams) will replace the old ones in the south end zone. With these new locker rooms, the game day experience for both teams will be that much as better as they will have state-of-the-art amenities, which will enhance their play during the games. As football players make their official return to Rice-Eccles Stadium this fall, they should expect new and improved locker rooms that will help elevate their game to the next level.

The Fan Experience

From seating to the new lockers, fans should expect a great atmosphere in Rice-Eccles this fall. The south end zone is situated right next to the M.U.S.S. (Utah’s student section) so with the increase of seats, the fan experience and atmosphere in Rice-Eccles will be electric. Fans should expect a loud and fun atmosphere as they return to the stadium after missing the 2020 season.

Other Events

Besides football, this expansion will bring other numerous events. From stadium concerts to Super-Cross, this expansion will enhance other events within the stadium. With the new premium seating, expect to get great views for any upcoming events being held at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

The expansion also allows Salt Lake City to make a bid for an upcoming Winter Olympics as well. The number of opportunities that this expansion will bring is endless and undoubtedly help bring many fantastic events and opportunities to the city.

Additional Amenities

Another amenity the south end zone will bring is a new restaurant for people to eat at during the game, and even terrace seating. All of the amenities coming with this expansion will be high-end and enhance the fan experience.

Looking Forward

The total cost of the project is around $80 million dollars and will be completed just before the fall football season. The goal of the expansion is to enhance the fan experience at Rice-Eccles Stadium while also helping all the sports programs and student athletes at the University of Utah.

With more revenue being generated because of this expansion, all programs will greatly benefit from this, and in return, bring even more student athletes to the University. With more recruits coming to the University of Utah, the fan experience for all sports will greatly improve and bring a greater atmosphere to campus.

All fans, students and athletes should be excited to return to campus this fall with the impressive expansion to Rice-Eccles Stadium. There will be a free open house for the public to view the new expansion on Aug. 21, 6-8 p.m. MDT. To obtain free tickets or more information about the open house, visit the Utah Utes’ official website.

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