Sacramento State announces plans to build new state-of-the-art football stadium

By Daniel Wilson

September 26, 2024

Sacramento State announced today that the university will construct a new state-of-the-art, multi-use sports and entertainment venue to replace Hornet Stadium and better position Hornet Athletics as a premier program.

Sac State President Luke Wood, Athletic Director Mark Orr and Head Football Coach Andy Thompson made the announcement in front of a large group of media and campus community members gathered at the Welcome Center, where they spoke about the opportunities a new stadium will create for the University and beyond.

“The stadium is a testament to our belief that Sacramento has the spirit and passion to transform this city into a college football city,” Wood said. “It will be a stadium worthy of Sacramento State’s academic and athletic prowess, and it will also honor our position as one of the nation’s premier media markets.” We are excited about what the future holds and can’t wait to open our new stadium.

The new stadium is being designed by Missouri-based architecture firm Populous, which has worked on world-renowned facilities including Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, Oracle Park, Wimbledon and The Sphere in Las Vegas.

Sac State’s new stadium will be able to host football, soccer and rugby, as well as professional and international competitions, club and other collegiate sports, NCAA championships, concerts and more.

“It’s time we build a stadium worthy of this community and this campus, and I couldn’t be happier,” Orr said. “This is a tremendous milestone for this university. This stadium will have a profound effect on our community. I couldn’t be more excited about the future and the impact it will have on our athletic programs and student-athletes.

The horseshoe design of the new stadium will accommodate at least 25,000 people in its student and premium sections and boxes. The current stadium can accommodate around 21,000 people. The increased capacity also makes the new facility a potential venue for future commencement and graduation ceremonies.

“When everyone is pulling in the same direction, it’s magical. We are so lucky that this is happening with this project. – Mark Orr, Sac State athletic director

A recently released feasibility study along with the president’s listening sessions informed the decision to upgrade the athletic facilities, which also includes ongoing renovations to the WELL basketball arena.

“The things we do are to continue to improve our program,” Wood said. “No matter what our future holds, we will have to move forward with upgrading sports facilities anyway. »

Construction of the new stadium is being funded by money allocated for athletics, including sponsorships and donor funds, Wood said, adding that no funding for the stadium will come from the university’s general fund and will not will have no impact on other campus programs or projects.

“Like all public institutions, we are going through difficult budget times,” Wood said. “Everyone across the state has had to tighten their belts, (but) unlike many (other) institutions, we are not experiencing a decline in enrollment. We are in a good position and this is a project that will not impact Sacramento State’s underlying budget.

Hornet Stadium was originally built in 1969, replacing what was then called Campus Stadium. The temporary facility held only 6,000 spectators until it was upgraded in 1992 for the Sacramento Surge of the World League.

In addition to the highly successful Hornet Football program, which won Big Sky Conference championships in 2019, 2021 and 2022, the stadium has hosted numerous sporting and other events over the years, including the Olympic Trials and Championships of athletics, the Junior Olympics, the Sacramento Surge of the World League and, most recently, the Homeless World Cup.

Hornet Athletics features 21 teams, 10 of which made conference championships last season, and seven won championship trophies.

“I just appreciate (President Wood and Mark Orr’s) dedication to making things the best for our student-athletes. and as coaches, all we ask is that we try to give our best for our student-athletes,” Thompson said. “We have a game this Saturday that we are looking at, but today is about moving this university forward and being able to offer the best facilities.”

Wood said renderings of the new stadium, construction of which will begin at the end of the current season, will be released in the coming weeks along with further details.

Orr said the new stadium is a testament to what can be achieved when everyone works together, including campus and city leaders, students, faculty, staff and the entire Hornet family.

“When everyone is pulling in the same direction, it’s magical,” he says. “We are so lucky that this is happening with this project.”

To learn more about the new stadium, including how to support the project, visit the Sac State website.