The University of New Mexico released its next phase of improvement plans for University Stadium on Jan. 23. The upgrades will focus on the critical infrastructure, accessibility and safety needs of the stadium.
The plan is part of the first phase of the University’s “Stadium of the Future,” intended to modernize University Stadium and the South Campus Sports and Entertainment District.
Interim Vice President and Director of Athletics Ryan Berryman said that the increased attendance at football games this season highlighted some of the problems with the stadium.
“When we had packed attendance, it really exacerbated some of the challenges that we knew were present in the stadium, but really got magnified when it was at full capacity,” Berryman said. “It’s not surprising for a stadium built in the ‘60s to have constraints in a modern-day environment.”
This season, the Lobos had a 57.8% increase in average attendance at home football games — the largest increase in the FBS, the highest level of college football. One of the main issues seen from this spike in attendance is a lack of restrooms at the stadium, currently meeting only 28% of the stadium’s capacity. The first phase of the plan would increase that to 97% and eventually to 113% in phase four.
“When you look at what needs the most TLC, it’s the football stadium, because it’s been here the longest and hasn’t been touched in the greatest amount of time. Certainly we’ll look at everything in the South Campus district, but the stadium, clearly — just by age — needs the most work,” Berryman said.
The University seeks to fund the $58 million used to make these reservations with the $50 million capital outlay request this legislative session, in addition to another $8 million Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham already allocated to the project, according to UNM News.
The planning process for the renovations is already completed, Berryman said. If the University is allocated the requested funds, it would receive them in July and be able to complete minor upgrades before the football season starts in August, with most of the major projects beginning after the end of the 2026-27 season.
“University Stadium is an important part of UNM’s campus and a shared public asset for our state,” UNM President Garnett Stokes said in a press release on Jan. 23. “This phased approach allows us to address critical infrastructure, accessibility, and safety needs in a thoughtful, responsible way while laying the groundwork for long-term improvements that benefit students, fans, and the broader community.”
The request is broken down into four major parts: nearly $16 million for construction on the North entry plaza, approximately $21.5 million for Concession and Restroom Renovation, around $8 million to widen the concourse and almost $13 million on the stadium’s south concessions and restrooms.
Compared to some of its peers in the Mountain West Conference, UNM has slightly-above average capacity seating at 37,440, and contains 1,340 club seats and nine suites. For reference, Snapdragon Stadium, the home of the San Diego State University Aztecs, opened in 2022, seats 35,000, and contains 832 club seats and 39 suites, according to UNM Athletics.
“We’re always gonna have to do what’s right for New Mexico. Somebody else in our conference may build a 60,000-seat stadium. That may not be right for us. So, there’s some trade-offs there, but having those data points to show that other people around us in our peer group are investing in football is definitely important,” Berryman said.
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UNM also hopes to utilize University Stadium for more than just football, as it is the largest capacity event venue in the state, according to UNM Athletics.
“(University Stadium) is a popular place for concerts to stop over and structural challenges often prohibit that, and so we’re hopeful that these renovations can help open the doors to more of those opportunities. We’re open for business, whether it’s concerts, soccer matches, commencements, any of that, we’re open for business. I think we’ve heard feedback over the years that we’ve really put into this plan that will help us have the potential to host more of those events,” Berryman said.
Jaden McKelvey-Francis is the editor-in-chief of the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at editorinchief@dailylobo.com or on X @jadenmckelvey
