The UF Athletic Association announced in a promotional video June 11 that it had received the green light to plan and develop a $1.45 billion renovation of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
“We are The Swamp, and now it’s our time to carry it forward,” said Laura Rutledge, an ESPN, ABC and SEC Network reporter and UF graduate who narrated the video. “To preserve what makes The Swamp unlike any other. This is The Swamp: Bigger, better, louder.”
Construction for the project — which is set to be the most expensive stadium renovation in college football history — is scheduled to begin following the 2026 season and is expected to be completed ahead of the 2030 campaign, just in time for the venue’s 100th anniversary. Florida is still set to host its home football games in the stadium during the project, with some sections closed off during specific phases.
Mori Hosseini, the UF Board of Trustees chair, released a statement June 11 with a price tag for the renovations. The total budget is an increase from the $400 million that was previously proposed.
“The UF Board of Trustees will be taking the first important steps today toward launching the long-awaited and much-anticipated renovation of our beloved Ben Hill Griffin Stadium,” Hosseini wrote. “This $1.45 billion project will breathe new life into one of the nation’s most iconic college football venues and elevate it into the premier collegiate athletic destination that sets the standard for everyone else.”
According to the project website, the renovations will be funded by capital reserves, private giving, project-generated revenues and financial mechanisms, including long-term debt, with approval from the Florida Board of Governors.
Since its opening in 1930, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium has served as the home of Gators football. It was last renovated in 2003, adding 2,900 club seats and luxury suites. The upcoming renovation is expected to include wider concourses throughout the stadium, enhanced concession spaces, an upgraded sound system and scoreboard, and more restrooms.
Despite the changes, a handful of elements will be preserved, such as the capacity, orange wing walls at each corner of the stadium, the venue's bowl design and fan seating close to the action to maintain the noisy home-field advantage.
In April, UF Athletic Director Scott Stricklin said the Gators would maintain the stadium's capacity of 88,548, making The Swamp the largest stadium in Florida. The renovations were previously expected to reduce capacity to 84,399 to comply with updated Americans with Disabilities Act regulations.
Therefore, to avoid a loss of capacity, Florida is spending more on renovations and adding sections throughout the stadium, such as premium seating areas.
“This project represents an incredible opportunity to modernize and elevate the experience at one of the most iconic venues in sports while protecting the traditions that make it special,” Stricklin said. “We are excited about the momentum surrounding this project and what it will ultimately mean for our fans, student-athletes, and the future of Florida Athletics. The Swamp will be bigger, better and louder.”
The University Athletic Association said it will select Legends Global to serve as the Owner’s Representative, where it will guide strategic planning and project execution throughout the four-year project. This American venue management group represents over 450 venues worldwide and hosts 20,000 events annually. Manhattan Construction Group and Hunt Construction Group will partner as the construction management team for the renovations.
According to the Associated Press, Stricklin said Florida began looking to upgrade the venue in 2018, but the process was delayed by COVID-19, turning the project from a short-term fix into a long-term one.
UF generates $75 million annually from the stadium through ticket sales, concessions, parking and contributions, Stricklin said, making it the athletic department's most important asset. The remodeling is expected to add $65 million in annual revenue, bringing the total to $140 million.
“We can be really aggressive, and this will generate a lot of excitement, not only among fans but also among businesses that want to figure out how to be a part of it,” Stricklin said. “We can leverage that to not only help pay for the stadium, but we can also leverage that for NIL opportunities.”
Stricklin said projects within Florida's scope include Texas A&M’s $450 million renovations to Kyle Field from 2013 to 2014 and Penn State’s $750 million overhaul of Beaver Stadium, scheduled for completion in 2027.
According to the Associated Press, Florida officials toured Fenway Park, Wrigley Field and Lambeau Field for inspiration to maintain the history of the venue while modernizing it for the future. The design ended up most resembling the renovations at Lambeau Field from 2012 to 2013, where the Green Bay Packers kept the lower bowl intact while making changes above it.
Season ticket holders will receive priority seating in the renovated stadium, with details of the priority seating system to be announced closer to the project's completion. Fans who are not season ticket holders will have the chance to express interest, join priority lists and explore future seating opportunities as inventory becomes available. Overall, the seat selection order will be announced by the Florida Gators Ticket Office at a future date.
Contact Jeffrey Serber at Jserber@alligator.org. Follow him on X @JeffreySerber.
Jeffrey is a summer 2026 sports enterprise reporter and a third-year journalism sports & media major with a media, management and production minor. In his free time, he enjoys hanging out with friends and family, and rooting for the Miami sports teams
