The Swamp is getting a billion-dollar overhaul, and two of the biggest names in stadium construction will run it. The University of Florida has tapped a Manhattan Construction and AECOM Hunt partnership to manage a roughly $1.45 billion renovation of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, the program announced June 11.
The two firms will serve as construction managers. Florida Athletics also brought on Legends Global as owner’s representative, the third party in a structure built for a project this size and this public.
What the renovation buys
The scope is about modernizing a stadium that opened in 1930 without gutting what makes it work. Plans call for expanded concourses, upgraded concessions and restrooms, better accessibility, premium hospitality, new technology infrastructure and a fresh video and audio package. What’s not changing is the part fans care about. The roughly 88,000-seat capacity stays, the Orange Wing Walls stay, and the steep bowl that puts the crowd on top of the field stays.
“The University of Florida has been clear about what matters most: preserving the stadium’s identity while enhancing the overall experience,” John Reyhan, president at Manhattan, told Construction Dive. He pointed to “careful planning, disciplined phasing, and a commitment to safety” as the way to renovate a building that has to keep hosting games.
That phasing is the hard part. Work is targeted to start after the 2026 season ends and to finish before the 2030 season, when The Swamp turns 100. The Gators plan to keep playing home games throughout, which means crews will be building around a live 88,000-seat venue on an SEC schedule. The project still needs final sign-off from the university’s board of trustees, expected in September, with funding coming from donations, capital reserves and long-term debt.
Another billion-dollar college venue
These builders know the territory. AECOM Hunt is partnered with Turner Construction on the $2.1 billion Tennessee Titans stadium in Nashville, and the pair earlier delivered the $5.5 billion SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, which hosted Team USA’s first World Cup match June 12. Tulsa-based Manhattan lists more than 100 sports and recreation projects, including the $182 million Toyota Stadium overhaul and the $240 million expansion of Texas Tech’s Jones AT&T Stadium.
The deal also says something about where the money is going. Stadium spending has barreled ahead even as parts of the nonresidential market soften, and college football has become a construction category of its own. Exchange has tracked the trend through the Browns’ $2.4B domed stadium and the Bears’ Indiana stadium push. The UF award was reported by Construction Dive.