USF is building a $340M on-campus football stadium despite concerns academics are being left behind
The University of South Florida is looking for some big changes when the Tampa school plans to open a new $340 million on-campus football stadium in 2026
TAMPA, Fla. — When the University of South Florida kicked off its first football season in 1997, the program's offices were headquartered in a glorified trailer on campus known as the “Ponderosa.” Back then, the Bulls played their games miles away in Tampa Stadium, affectionately called the “Sombrero” for its curved shape.
That stadium is long gone and since 1998 USF has played at cavernous Raymond James Stadium, home of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers and host of three Super Bowls. They've drawn some big crowds for major opponents but often struggle to fill even half the 75,000 seats. The school also has no control over such revenue streams as parking and concessions.
Everything will change in 2026, when USF opens a $340 million, 35,000-seat stadium of its own on the eastern edge of the Tampa campus, university officials say. It'll be easier for students to access, become a focal point for alumni and school benefactors, improve football recruitment and possibly propel the Bulls into a major conference, they say.
“We just completed our 26th year of playing football,” Athletic Director Michael Kelly said in an interview. “It's just the right time and stage in our evolution.”
Yet there are some doubts about financing the stadium with a $200 million loan and a variety of other sources that school officials point out do not rely on taxpayer dollar. These include: $50 million in advances from future capital gifts, $31 million from the school’s Capital Improvement Trust Fund, $34 million in proceeds from a 2017 FCC auction and an estimated $20-$24 million from the sale of
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