On-campus football plans proceeding

Since 1929, Spider football teams have played their games in an off-campus stadium in the city of Richmond.

That might be about to change. With more than $20 million in gifts and pledges, the University is in position to expand First Market Stadium, now used for lacrosse, soccer and track, into a 9,000-seat facility to include football. The Board of Trustees still must give final approval to the project.

The expanded stadium would be located entirely within the University’s existing boundaries and would not encroach on bordering neighborhoods. However, to help alleviate neighbors’ concerns, particularly about traffic, the University has been meeting with area neighborhood associations and held two public meetings in April to discuss the project.

“We have heard from many neighbors who are excited about building a stadium on campus, and we have also heard from neighbors who are concerned about traffic issues,” said Jim Miller, director of athletics. “From what I have seen at these community meetings, the neighbors who have expressed concern about the traffic are interested in partnering with the University to develop strategies to appropriately address game day as well as general commuter traffic issues.” He said studies regarding traffic and parking are underway.

Miller said the stadium’s capacity would be slightly less than the adjacent Robins Center, home of Spider basketball since the 1970s. The stadium would be used for five or six home football games per year.

Miller said the on-campus stadium “obviously will benefit our student-athletes.” In addition, he said, “a significant portion of our student body will be able to enjoy on-campus football. Both student governments have unanimously supported the construction of an on-campus stadium. There is no doubt that student attendance at events on campus will be much higher than attendance at off-site venues.”

Improvements to the stadium site would include general landscaping upgrades, a new scoreboard and new sharp-cutoff, low light pollution field lighting. The expanded facility also would have a new high-tech sound system to help minimize the “splash” of sound outside the stadium.