Kentucky hopes to finish its planned renovation of Commonwealth Stadium by the fall of 2015, Director of Athletics Mitch Barnhart said Thursday night.
UK intends to add 16 rto 20 luxury suites, create about 2,000 club seats, upgrade restrooms and concessions, plus build a multi-purpose room in stages over the next two football off-seasons, Barnhart said.
The next step will be to get approval for the project from UK’s Board of Trustees, he said. The project got a boost earlier Thursday when Gov. Steve Beshear and legislative leaders voiced their support.
Expressing confidence that UK will be able to pay for the renovation, Barnhart said the cost will be “right in our wheelhouse.”
Barnhart downplayed the chances of a ticket price increase in 2013.
“Our goal for next year is just to get fans back in the stands,” he said.
Jerry Tipton of the Lexington Herald- Leader has covered Kentucky basketball since the 1981-82 season. That time includes five coaches, five Final Fours, four athletic directors, two interim athletic directors and many memories. Before coming to Lexington, Tipton worked eight years for the Huntington (W.Va.) Herald-Dispatch. He covered Marshall’s basketball team for two seasons before coming to the Herald-Leader.
