Arizona State Univ. is launching a $50M fundraising drive "to help pay" for a $225M renovation of Sun Devil Stadium, according to Jeff Metcalfe of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. ASU President Michael Crow announced the campaign last night to a "group of potential donors who were the first to see new renderings of a stadium that looks much more familiar than a version with a shade canopy that drew mixed reaction" in April '12. Crow announced that the football team will "play at Sun Devil Stadium during construction rather than moving to Chase Field in downtown Phoenix as once proposed." Provided the project is "approved by the Arizona Board of Regents, construction would begin in spring 2015 and continue through the 2017 off-season." ASU also will "explore stadium naming-rights options as a revenue source." A separate but "related project to remove 5,700 seats in the upper north end zone will begin in February." The eventual renovated stadium capacity "will be approximately 60,000, down from the current 71,706." The stadium also will "feature an outside video ribbon that will project images on the east and west sides throughout the year." Other highlights include a "terrace pavilion on the north plaza, double-sided video board in the north end zone, new student section in the south end zone and escalators connecting concourse levels." More room between concourses will "allow for a new premium seating level of suites and club seating." A new sound system also "will be installed." New ASU VP/Athletics Ray Anderson will be "among those driving fundraising for the stadium." Renovations will be "paid for via private donations, revenue from a 330-acre athletic-facilities district being developed along Tempe Town Lake, Pac-12 revenue, stadium naming rights and incremental revenue from stadium operations." Taxpayer funds "will not be used for the project" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 1/15).
