The much anticipated renovations to the north end zone of Jordan-Hare Stadium have been put on hold until further notice, per Athletic Director Jay Jacobs on Wednesday.
Jacobs set 2018 as the earliest time that the face lifts could begin. Jacobs claims that disruptions to the 2017 season don’t need to be created at Jordan-Hare, which will host Georgia Southern, Mercer, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Louisiana-Monroe and rivals Georgia and Alabama next season.
The idea of stadium renovations first arose in May of 2015, and upon review by team boosters in December, the project’s cost expectancy closed in on $145 million. The proposed renovations include improved and additional seating, along with two new scoreboards on the north side to mirror the jumbotron. A locker room, recruiting lounge, new concourse and club-level seating remain in the mix.
In a meeting with the Montgomery Quarterback Club, Jacobs stated that the project is “not dead.”
“We want to create a great fan experience,” said Jacobs. “We want to have a great place for our football team to play and a great experience for our recruits.”
The University could still implement the new locker room and recruiting lounge before the conclusion of the 2017 season. The infamous $14 million jumbotron was added prior to the 2015 season, and the capacity of Jordan-Hare has not been altered since 2004. Jacobs assured more clarification of the new plans are soon to come.
“As we move forward and we get the pro forma like we want, we’ll announce to the Auburn people exactly what the options are and they’ll decide.” said Jacobs.
Jacobs is sensitive to the quality and manner in which Auburn goes about the northern renovations in Jordan-Hare, due to the fans with tickets there, and his own upbringing.
“I have a lot of respect for them because that’s where I sat when I started coming here,” said Jacobs. “That’s where my great uncle had tickets in the north end zone because that’s all we could afford. I’m very sensitive to them so we have to make it good for everybody.
“There are certainly some that we have to be sensitive to because there are some families, some of our grassroots donors and grassroots fans that have been sitting in the north end zone for quite some time. We have to make it where it’s good for everybody. Sometimes that’s hard to do, but we’re smart enough and we can figure that out.”
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
