The city of Memphis and the University of Memphis are going to do a renovation that this aging stadium has never seen before. It seems that the home of the annual Liberty Bowl should be ready before the 2025 season.

Plans to renovate Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium or build a new facility have been talked about for some time. With Memphis being only the 25th-largest city in the United States and not guaranteeing a big enough television market, plans to build a giant stadium and attract an NFL franchise quickly fell through the cracks.

© University of Memphis

Some believed that the best solution was to tear down the old arena and put up a smaller one located on the college campus. But then Memphis residents would have to say goodbye to the annual Liberty Bowl. This is an old football legacy, dating back to 1965. Americans are traditionalists in some aspects, and that is also the case here.

After analysing the situation with local government leaders, the university decided to renovate the current home of the Memphis Tigers footballers. We started this process with a specific set of transformational goals in mind, and this renovation hits all of them - said Memphis vice-president and intercollegiate athletics director Laird Veatch.

© University of Memphis

At this point, the final budget has not yet been set. However, it is known that the costs will bebetween $150 and $200 million. It will be the most ambitious fundraising effort everundertaken by the University of Memphis athletics department. Funding will come from a combination of public and private support. The exact ratio of public to private funding is yet to be determined.

The school officials say that: success will require record levels of philanthropic support from the Tiger faithful. So if you're a fan of the University of Memphis team, consider how you can support stadium refurbishment. Maybe a good option is to try to raise funds at a place like Casino777 live casino. But in all seriousness - if university and city leaders are officially outlining plans for such a costly modernization, they're probably just about to finalize funding sources.

© University of Memphis

The overarching goal is to modernize and revitalize the existing structure, focusing on the west side of the stadium. After the makeover, the arena will offer various premium seating options as well as family boxes on the north end, and party deck patios for students on the south end. There is also a plan to create a hospitality experience within the halo space surrounding the stadium.

The arena's capacity is currently listed as 58,325 and the final number of seats after the renovation will be determined following the complete design process. However, current estimates predict that capacity will remain above 50,000.

© Sean Davis (cc: by-nc)

The venue has undergone several smaller renovations in its history. The most recent in 2013, when the Liberty Bowl and its surroundings underwent a $38 million upgrade. At that time, the building was repainted, new lighting, new lifts and turf were installed, VIP lounges were refurbished and facilities for the disabled were introduced. In addition, two new video boards appeared at a cost of $2.5 million.