The second phase delivered an academic center, a full-service dining hall and an experience lobby for visitors and recruits.

Built on a tight, occupied site, the project required that work continue around active game days while protecting the university’s iconic “Kissing Columns,” which were relocated to form a new entrance to the stadium.

The construction team faced a range of challenges, including unmapped utilities, hazardous coal-contaminated soil, buried railroad debris and more than 5,000 design clashes—each resolved through 3D modeling and building information modeling (BIM) tools that saved roughly $500,000 and months of delays.

Photo by Matt Kocourek Photography

Maintaining stadium operations during three football seasons demanded close coordination with university staff, fire marshals and event personnel.

When a key stadium gate was blocked, crews built a 30-ft-tall scaffold egress tower with ADA-compliant ramps to preserve crowd access. In addition, weekly “game day readiness” walks ensured safety and code compliance.

With more than 1.2 million work hours logged and a peak workforce of over 200 tradespeople, the contractor implemented enhanced safety measures beyond standard protocols, including pre-event inspections and continuous public-safety monitoring. Despite shifting leadership and material delays, the project stayed on schedule.

In a proactive move, the contractor resequenced construction to finish the football locker room six months early—aligning with the season start and demonstrating the teamwork that defined the stadium’s latest transformation.