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Tennessee has provided plenty of entertainment at Neyland Stadium for the past few football seasons.
The school now hopes to extend that excitement beyond the 101,915-seat facility.
Volunteer Athletic Director Danny White The university announced Wednesday afternoon that it has begun exploring public-private partnerships to develop the entertainment precinct between Neyland Stadium and Neyland Drive. The mixed-use precinct will be anchored by a planned hotel adjacent to the southern end of Neyland Stadium, and it could include a “tabletop” above the G10 car park to support restaurants, retail and family-friendly entertainment.
“Innovation is at the forefront of everything we do,” White said in a university news release. “The idea for this new Neyland Entertainment District embodies this mindset. It is a large-scale project with the potential to have a positive impact on our entire city. We are eager to see the dream of a world-class developer to creatively maximize this extraordinary Market opportunity. We have the ability to build an entertainment ecosystem that doesn’t currently exist in the entire university environment.
“It’s much more than just seven or eight days of the year. It’s a year-round destination that not only enhances our game days, but enhances the day-to-day academic experience throughout the year for our entire student body and campus community.”
The initial concept for the project will enhance the aesthetics of Neyland Stadium’s facade and strengthen its connection to the Tennessee River, and include a boutique, full-service hotel, condominiums for sale, and space for meetings and other events.
A formal request for information has been issued to gauge developer input and interest, and the university has engaged project management firm Brailsford & Dunlavey as a guiding partner for the exploration phase of the Neyland entertainment precinct.
“Neyland Stadium has long been known for having one of the best gameday environments in college football,” said Tennessee Premier Donde Plowman. “We welcome Vol Nation to campus on Saturdays in the fall. This project has the potential to create a year-round destination that blends with the Tennessee River waterfront and enhances the campus and our community.”
Contact David Paschall dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.
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