All Texas A&M Univ. home football games “will remain at Kyle Field during an upcoming major renovation, which will be performed in three phases with a potential value of up to $225 million for each,” according to documents cited in a front-page piece by David Harris of the Bryan-Station College EAGLE. The documents “put to rest, at least for now, speculation that the football stadium would be torn down and a new one put in its place.” That would have “prompted home games to be moved out of town.” The request noted that each phase in the redevelopment “will need to be completed in an eight-month window.” The deadline for completion of the renovation is Aug. 1, 2016. A&M system officials “will take applications for the construction manager through Dec. 7.” Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp “suggested earlier this year that it will cost at least $425 million to renovate Kyle Field and bring the total number of seats to between 93,000 and 103,500, up from the current capacity of 82,600.” However, the RFP “puts the price tag at more than $600 million.” The RFP includes “demolition and replacement of the entire west stands,” with an addition of “six rows of seating closer to the field and private suites.” A new media level “would be put on top of the upper bowl to house the press as well as coaches.” The plan also “calls for demolition of the Read Building and G. Rollie White Coliseum on the east side of the stadium, as well as a replacement of the lower seating bowl on the east side.” The plan has a lower seating deck on the south side “with chair-back seating along with the addition of an upper seating deck and concourse.” The seating capacity of the upper deck “would be about 12,000, with the future potential of an additional 7,000 seats.” The playing field “would be lowered about 7 feet and moved about 18 feet to the south” (Bryan-Station College EAGLE, 11/21).
THUMBS UP: In Las Vegas, Joe Schoenmann reported Clark County (Nev.) commissioners on Tuesday “unanimously approved an agreement between the county and UNLV regarding some 60 acres of county property that UNLV needs to develop its mega-event center.” The approval is “another step toward realizing" a 60,000-seat domed on-campus stadium. The UNLV/Clark County deal is “contingent upon UNLV gaining approval for its mega-events stadium from the university system board of regents, as well as obtaining funding for the development.” The mega-events center is a “joint venture of UNLV and Majestic Realty Co.” The stadium’s cost is “estimated around $800 million” (LASVEGASSUN.com, 11/20).
