The Univ. of Utah athletic department received "initial approval" from school trustees to "expand and remodel Rice-Eccles Stadium" at a cost of $80M, raising capacity to 51,000. Athletic revenue is "covering the bond debt apart from any state funding." Construction is targeted to begin after the '20 football season and be completed in August '21. The project "will feature premium seating in the south end zone, with terraces, loges and suites." Utah football has "sold out 56 consecutive football games with a capacity of about 46,000" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 11/14).
The trustees' approval comes as the USOC today "prepares to visit" '02 Winter Games venues in Salt Lake City, "among them the stadium, which was the site of the Games' opening and closing ceremonies" (DESERET NEWS, 11/14). USOC organizers yesterday visited Denver to "talk about" a potential '30 Games bid, "on the heels of news that competition for the U.S. bid is narrowing." Reno-Tahoe is out, leaving Salt Lake City and Denver as the lone potential bidders (DENVER POST, 11/14).
