Tempe, AZ – Arizona State University announced the much anticipated updated plans for Sun Devil Stadium tonight at a private event for boosters. Immediately following, the new conceptual renderings were released to the public.

Here are the most frequently asked questions and answers provided by ASU as it relates to the new and improved House of Heat:

Conceptual rendering of the new Sun Devil Stadium.

Why does Sun Devil Stadium need to be renovated?

Sun Devil Stadium is one of the most prominent landmarks at Arizona State and needs to be upgraded to reflect an elite university and an elite athletics department.  Built in 1958, the cost to remedy the structural issues and address minimal ADA issues is estimated to be $120 million. Also, more than $1 million per year, on average, is spent on repairs to Sun Devil Stadium.

How much will the renovation cost and how will it be funded?

Dr. Crow and ASU’s leadership team have committed to investing $210 million to improve Sun Devil Stadium – the largest university loan since the school’s founding in 1885. The renovation will be paid for through private donations, Pac-12 Conference revenue, Athletics District revenue, stadium naming rights and incremental revenue from stadium operations.

How can I donate to the stadium?

Contact the Sun Devil Club to find out how to donate to the Sun Devil Stadium “Momentum Campaign” at (480) 727-7700 or visit www.thesundevils.com/momentum.

When will the renovation begin?

After the February removal of the north end zone seating in the upper deck, Arizona State will request approval to begin the project from the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) in September of 2014. If Sun Devil Athletics gains approval within the time frame, ground breaking for Sun Devil Stadium is planned for Spring 2015.

What is the timeline for the renovation?

The project will be completed in phases and an accurate timeline will be rolled out once Sun Devil Athletics has approved an architectural plan.

How will the renovation affect game-day traditions?

Sun Devil Athletics will maintain the great traditions that are expected from a Sun Devil football game: fireworks, Tillman Tunnel, Stomp the Bus, etc. Based on fan feedback, a concerted effort was made in the planning of the stadium to maintain the traditional elements.

Where will Sun Devil Football play during the renovation?

Sun Devil football will continue to play in Sun Devil Stadium during the renovation process.

Why “stay and play” versus playing at another venue?

Moving Sun Devil Football to an off-site facility would negatively impact the game-day experience for ASU students, season ticket holders, student-athletes, as well as the Tempe Community. Moving to another venue was also not financially sound for Sun Devil Athletics. The preliminary estimates of costs to move Sun Devil Football out of Sun Devil Stadium were at least $2.5 million, for a minimum total of $7.5 million over three years.

What additions or changes will be made to Sun Devil Stadium?

• Replace lower bowl tread on east and west sides, which would allow for more legroom, and seats and benches with seat backs.

• All public areas (concourse, restrooms, concessions, ramps, etc.) will be raised and rebuilt with substantially more fixtures and services provided to be consistent with modern football venues across the country.

• Escalators will connect various concourse levels.

• Addition of a new state-of-the-art video board to be installed on the north plaza, as well as a new sound system.

• A unique terrace will be built on the north plaza where concerts and community events can be hosted.

The new north endzone will feature a new video board and pavilion area.

• Current press box will be enhanced and new kitchen installed.

• Upper deck will be reconfigured to increase height between concourses, allowing the development of a new premium seating level for new suites and club space.

• Club area will be air-conditioned and the club seating will be open-air.

• A new student section will be built and plans include a student club area.

• Most unique element of the renovation will be the addition of a “scrim” or video ribbon on the outside of the stadium. Videos and images can be projected off the stadium throughout the year to passers by on either side of the venue.

• SDA is evaluating adding the following to the scope of the stadium project: renovating the football facilities (locker room, sports medicine/training, weight room, equipment room, recruiting center, and office space) and completely revamping the Sun Devil Athletics Academic Center.

How will the renovation of Sun Devil Stadium impact ASU and the Valley?

The community will benefit from the economic impact and sense of pride Sun Devil Stadium instills in alumni, fans, students and residents. This positive momentum is good for the entire university and an important step in ASU’s rise to prominence.The Arizona Republic called 2013 Pac-12 Football Championship Game a “giant commercial for school and state.” The year before ASU played in the 1996-97 Rose Bowl, applicants to ASU increased by .52% over the prior year; the next year ASU had a 14.1% increase in applicants.  According to the ASU Foundation CEO, every football win equals $1 million in academic donations to ASU. According to the Tempe Tourism Office, each ASU home football game provides a $9.4 million economic boost to Tempe.

How does Football impact the other sports at ASU?

Sun Devil Athletics revenues are largely driven by football. In fact, football generated $39.3 million in FY13, which was approximately 60% of the department’s total revenues. Football’s revenues are largely derived from football stadium and related donor activity. Revenue the football program generates funds Sun Devil Athletics’ 22 varsity programs and provides scholarship opportunities to over 500 student-athletes.

The shade canopy has been scrapped and fans will continue to see the fireworks above Sun Devil Stadium.

How will the renovated stadium help us compete and win?

During the past decade, other Pac-12 Conference schools have spent $1.5 billion in upgrades to their stadiums and football practice facilities. ASU is one of only two schools in the Pac-12 that has not renovated its football facilities in the past decade. A renovated Sun Devil Stadium will help ASU compete for the best and brightest student-athletes, since recruits list game day atmosphere as one of the top-3 reasons they select a University.

How does the renovation improve the fan experience?

In addition to the added elements, fans will enjoy enhanced seat comfort, increased quantity and quality of restrooms, increased legroom, escalators, enhanced video and audio functionality.

Will fans and season ticket holders have input on new amenities?

Sun Devil Athletics took feedback through surveys, focus groups and fan feedback to create the latest renderings of Sun Devil Stadium.

Why does the latest rendering look more like Sun Devil Stadium than the first rendering?

Sun Devil Athletics took feedback through surveys, focus groups, and fan feedback to create the latest rendering. Fans want to renovate Sun Devil Stadium, but they don’t want it to lose its identity.  The goal is to maintain the look and feel of Sun Devil Stadium while completely reshaping the amenities and infrastructure to enhance the overall experience.

What happened to the shade canopy concept?

Adding a shade structure would cost an estimated $132.2 million, alone, in costs of the stadium renovation. Following the initial renderings, Sun Devil Athletics received overwhelming feedback and concern over the ability to see fireworks after touchdowns. In fact, shade was a less important improvement for the new Sun Devil Stadium than the following: Enhanced Seat Comfort, Enhanced Restroom Quality, Increased Legroom, Enhanced Concession Quality, Sound System Quality, Greater Restroom Quantity, and Scoreboard Quality. After several surveys and focus groups the decision was made to not include a shade canopy in the current renderings.

When will seating and suite options be made available?

Seating location will be communicated by Sun Devil Athletics’ ticket representatives once the information becomes available.

Will my current seats be available for the 2014 season?

The only changes to the stadium for 2014 will be the demolition of the north end zone. Fans with seats in the impacted area have already been contacted to relocate their seating.

What seating areas will be impacted throughout the renovation?

Nearly every seating area will be impacted and Sun Devil Athletics will roll out appropriate communications plans once affected areas have been defined. Impacted seating areas will be determined once SDA has a final renovation schedule.

What is the final seating capacity going to be?

Current stadium capacity will be reduced to improve the fan experience. However, seating capacity will be determined once Sun Devil Athletics has approved an architectural plan for the new Sun Devil Stadium. The removal of the north endzone upper deck will reduce capacity by 5,700 in 2014. Once construction is complete, the stadium capacity is estimated to be approximately 60,000.

Are there benefits to buying 2014 season tickets?

Absolutely. The defending Pac-12 South Champions host UCLA, Notre Dame, and a rematch against Pac-12 Champions Stanford. Current season ticket holders will receive priority points and priority for upgrade opportunities in the renovated stadium, once they become available.

Will the renovation to Sun Devil Stadium affect game day parking?

The affect on parking has yet to be determined. All efforts will be made to impact as few parking spots as possible. Parking is allocated by Sun Devil Club priority points and Sun Devil Athletics will communicate early and often about changes to parking availability. However, Arizona State is an ever-changing campus and stadium parking will continue to be impacted and be in high demand for the foreseeable future.

The new House of Heat will remain in it’s historic location between the Tempe Buttes

How can I find information about the renovation project?

Please visit www.thesundevils.com/momentum

Will naming rights for the stadium being sold?

We are looking at any and all options to generate additional revenue to make improvements to Sun Devil Stadium. 

What is Arizona State University and Dr. Crow’s commitment to this project?

Dr. Crow and ASU’s leadership team have committed to investing $210 million into restoring and improving Sun Devil Stadium. Dr. Crow is fully committed to Sun Devil Athletics, as he sees it’s impact and benefits on the University.

What is the renovation history of Sun Devil Stadium?

Since Sun Devil Stadium was built in 1958, no major renovation of this proposed scale has taken place. The last change to Sun Devil Stadium occurred in 1988 with the addition of 1,700 seats when the Arizona Cardinals came to the Valley.

Will capacity be reduced during renovations?

Current stadium capacity will be reduced to improve the fan experience. However, seating capacity will be determined once Sun Devil Athletics has approved an architectural plan.

What is the University Athletic Facilities District and how will it work?

The district is 330 acres at the north end of the Tempe campus that will contain mixed-use development. Revenue from the district will be set-aside through a special funding mechanism to pay for athletic facilities. In the true spirit of the New American University, the district is an entrepreneurial way to generate revenue through the development of real estate projects on university-owned land. It has great potential to be a long-term source of funding for improvements to athletic facilities.

Take a virtual video tour of the new Sun Devil Stadium:

http://www.thesundevils.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30300&id=3161710&db_oem_id=30300