OU unveils 'The Palace Project' for West side football stadium renovations
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NORMAN — OU football’s three-phase stadium master plan began with a vision.
Over a decade ago, OU athletic director Joe Castiglione and university leaders comprised a plan to improve game days at the now over 100-year-old Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The renovations to the West side of the stadium are the latest step in an aggressive strategy to generate revenue and provide OU fans with a modernized experience.
Essentially, OU has done its due diligence.
“This is all grounded in what we all want and believe are in the best interest of our program and its future,” Castiglione told The Oklahoman. “So there are times when decisions get made that aren't always fully understood at the time they're made, but they take a little bit of time to see how things evolve.”
Over a week after the university’s Board of Regents voted to advance the $450 million West side project — which will be funded by the athletic department and private donations and include the construction of 47 suites, 64 loge boxes, approximately 4,000 new club seats, six club/lounge spaces, an expanded press box, a sideline-oriented sports lighting system and sound system enhancements – OU formally announced “The Palace Project” on Friday.
The announcement includes unveiled renderings for the renovations, which are anticipated to begin following the 2027 season and be completed by the start of the 2029 season. OU also announced that, as part of the transformation, capacity will strategically decrease by approximately 7,000 seats.
“It's critical, it's absolutely a necessity for us to support an aggressive strategy for our overall athletic program to be successful in the years to come,” Castiglione said. “Other universities just like us are finding innovative ways and pursuing opportunities that basically help support the future sustainability of our programs."
The project is a massive investment in the program and one Castiglione and OU feels is absolutely critical in the revenue-sharing era. The announcement comes as OU sits at No. 8 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings and two wins from its first postseason berth since 2019.
Castiglione sees the project as a key revenue generator and just one example of the program’s aggressive approach to finding innovative ways and pursuing opportunities to support the future sustainability of OU’s athletic programs.
OU hopes the historic investment by the department and big money donors, combined with the Sooners’ upward trajectory on the field, will continue to elevate the program’s standing nationally.
“We've been so fortunate to have people who believe, from our president to our board, to the donors, corporate partners and fans everywhere that do whatever they can and their power to help the program be successful,” Castiglione said. “It's different for everybody, but everybody working together is what makes this happen.”
“It's validating to everybody that we aspire to have a championship-level program and that there's an understanding that it takes a championship-level investment to make it happen. When anything good happens, it's because of the collective efforts of everybody. And that, to me, is what is the most inspiring part of it all.”
Here are more details about the Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium renovations:
How will the West side renovations of OU’s football stadium impact season ticket holders?
When the West side project was approved, naturally, many long-time season ticket holders wondered what would happen to their seats.
OU announced Friday a stadium-wide reseating process that will begin ahead of the 2028 season. OU assures every season ticket holder, regardless of current seat location, will have access to multiple options through the process and the athletic department will contact all season ticket holders and offer to meet in person to review all options.
“It will be a hands-on approach,” Castiglione said. “I'll just say, this is something obviously, broadly and specifically, we've considered. This whole thing is a challenge. We wrestle with all aspects of this decision. We know how people feel about their seats and the history tied to them.
“At the same time, we're having to weigh the options we have to better define the future of our program and generate those sustainable and controllable revenue streams and how we relate that to investing in the future of Oklahoma football, but also our other sports programs. This is a championship-level investment, but we hope that equates to championship-level results, and that's what we know our fans want in the long run.”
One thing to keep in mind: This is only Phase 2.
If the demand is such that it warrants a significant increase in stadium capacity, there is opportunity to do so when OU shifts its focus to Phase 3 — the North end zone.
“These are decisions we make with a lot of care, but also with an eye on how we continue to grow our program,” Castiglione said.
What will construction look like during the 2028 season?
OU is still working on the final details of what the 2028 season will look like, but it thinks there will be more access to seats than originally thought.
Castiglione is hoping the new seats will be in place prior to the 2028 season, just without some of the amenities that will be available for the 2029 season. The plan as of now is a demolition immediately following the 2027 season, have as much construction as possible ready for the 2028 season, before completing the project in advance of the 2029 season.
“It's fair to say that we will be building this over two seasons, if you will,” Castiglion said. “The ‘28 season being the one season impacted, it'll be ready to go in its entirety in time for the ‘29 season.”
The new premium spaces won’t be completed until the 2029 season.
Statements from OU coach Brent Venables, OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. on “The Palace Project”
OU president Joseph Harroz Jr.
"Athletics is the great connector of generations of Sooners. It’s inexorably tied to who we are as a university, unifying us as the OU Family, past, present and future. The renovation of the west side of Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium honors the rich history of OU Football while addressing structural needs in a facility that has stood for more than a century. By acting now, we are creating the greatest and most unique game-day experience in sports, enhancing the fan experience to elevate every moment in the stadium, maximizing our home-field advantage, and driving resources directly toward competing for national championships. In a time of transformation across college athletics, this project strengthens OU Football for our student-athletes, our fans and the enduring legacy of the program."
OU football coach Brent Venables
“It's difficult to adequately express how excited our football program is for the Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium west side project, and I'm sure Sooner Nation is equally ecstatic. We are already blessed with one of the greatest venues in the sport, but this game-changing transformation will give new meaning to ‘The Palace on the Prairie.’ The renderings are stunning, and, once completed, this project will positively impact everyone who steps foot in the stadium. A huge thank-you to all who have supported or will support this project, financially or otherwise. Our football program is incredibly appreciative.”
Colton Sulley covers the Oklahoma Sooners for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Colton? He can be reached at csulley@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @colton_sulley. Support Colton's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU football West side stadium project will decrease capacity by 7,000
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