SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS FOOTBALL

USC's Board of Trustees approved up to $22 million in proposed renovations to Williams-Brice Stadium on Thursday during a teleconference call.

Speaking afterwards to media, athletics director Ray Tanner went into greater detail about the process and what to expect in the course of those upgrades.

The effort will be led by Contract Construction, and the fruits of their labor will be seen following the 2019 season.

"They're going to have three different crews working, east, west, and south. We'll be ready for 2020, first game," said Tanner.

The Board's vote on Thursday represented Phase II approval, but three more approvals will have to be given by the state of South Carolina before the project is officially a "go": the Commission on Higher Education, the Joint Bond Review Committee, and the State Fiscal Accountability Authority. Those meetings are expected to be held in June, Tanner said.

The proposed upgrades include loge seating and air conditioned space for around 8,000 patrons, but also other features such as new seating in the east, restroom and concession upgrades.

"We'll take out the east seats, in the middle, the seats will be completely replaced," Tanner said. "More breathable seats. We're just improving the fan experience, bottom line. There's a number of new concession areas that will be constructed and a number of new restrooms that will be constructed as well. The southeast corner, southwest corner, all those things are going to be upgraded. They go hand in hand."

Tanner cited the changing dynamics of the college football in-game experience as a primary reason for deciding to move forward with this project.

"I remember when people were competing for 100,000 seats in football. The trends have gone the other direction. It's about the amenities, the fan experience, and what can keep people coming to the ball park."

Soon, the university will release pricing points for ticket options to correspond to the upgrades for the 2020 season.

"Those areas we improve will certainly have increased fees that will cash flow the project," Tanner said. "There is a return on this investment. That said, we have strategically done our best to price these upgrades reasonably to accommodate our fan base. They're being finalized and will be released n the near future. We like to give our supporters ample time to make decisions."