There was a time, not long after Troy Dannen took over as the Nebraska Cornhuskers’ AD, that the renovation of Memorial Stadium was dialed back in size, scope, and cost. The original price tag, set at $450 million, was reportedly shrunk down. However, according to a new report earlier this week, the project cost will be much bigger than anyone expected.
The project was started by former AD Trev Alberts just before he left Nebraska to take the same job with Texas A&M. Dannen stepped in and said that at least part of the renovation, especially some new turf and perhaps a scaling back of seating, would go forward. After sporadic updates about what’s happening, Dannen started unveiling bits and pieces this month when he showed off the new field the Cornhuskers will play on in 2025.
Nebraska AD Troy Dannen's Memorial Stadium overhaul may double original cost
The majority of the work will take place later this year and next, but according to Josh Peterson of HuskerMax, a costly project that should cost between $400-$500 million has a chance to approach $1 billion.
According to Peterson, the significant factors that could offer a rather massive price tag are the changes Dannen made to the facelift Memorial Stadium is getting.
“South stadium will still undergo changes, similar to what was originally planned under Alberts, but a portion of the overall cost will come from changes being made on the west side of the stadium. The lower portion of the west bowl in particular will undergo a facelift, with one "level" moving to three.”
“Each “level” of the new west side will have its own club level. Chairbacks are expected as well. Field club levels could be in the cards, similar to what we've seen happen at stadiums like AT&T or SoFi, homes of the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams/Chargers, respectively.”
It’s worth pointing out that the Husker Max author and radio personality has given a rather large range (between $500 and $1 billion) for the final cost. It’s possible the final project won’t be much more than what the original projections showed. However, if it more than doubles, real concerns about how the Nebraska Cornhuskers will pay for it will surface quickly.