Cool upgrade coming for Williams-Brice student section? Here’s what we know
The University of South Carolina on Tuesday took another step toward making the renovation of Williams-Brice Stadium a reality.
The school hired the architectural design firm Populous to lead the project and craft a vision for how South Carolina can bring its 91-year-old stadium into the 21st century. A top priority is increasing the number of premium suites inside the stadium, given that Williams-Brice’s 18 suites ranks last in the SEC and toward the bottom of all FBS stadiums.
The suites are a large source of untapped revenue — especially crucial as college athletics programs prepare for revenue sharing and the likely future of spending $20.5 million annually on student-athletes.
And there’s another possible upgrade that would enhance the stadium experience for USC students, according to memos and documents shared with a panel of S.C. House and Senate budget writers.
“The project will also investigate options to create conditioned space,” the joint bond review committee document reads, “under the north end zone stands and lightly renovate areas in the Floyd Building for student fan use.”
The Floyd Building — which sits on the north side of Williams-Brice Stadium and housed the football coaches offices for years — is used on gamedays as a holding area for the cheer and spirit squad teams as well as the maintenance crew, law enforcement and various back-of-house folks.
The document also says South Carolina is adding 10,000 square feet of air-conditioned space “within the existing stadium footprint at the North End Zone,” which might include the Floyd building, though that’s unclear.
“I would just say that’s a guesstimate,” South Carolina executive associate AD Chris Rogers told The State, “of we’re going to try to create that amount of space in the north end zone for students to have access to.”
Granted, Rogers added, that is simply a concept that USC is looking into.
“The plane hasn’t landed there yet,” Rogers said. But the fact that South Carolina deemed it important enough to include in its joint bond filings is an indication that it’s not some pie-in-the sky hope.
This idea was first floated by former athletic director Ray Tanner, who said back in October — right after USC released first renderings and a timeline for the renovation project — that he wanted to create an opportunity for students.
“I’d like to see our students have a special space as well that’s heated and air-conditioned,” Tanner said. “To have that opportunity for — especially maybe the upperclassmen — we’re talking about doing some of those things as we move forward.”
Tanner spoke about it almost as a long-term dream, something that could perhaps come to fruition in future phases of the renovation. But there is a chance — if the design and contracting team deem it feasible and the money is right — that it could be a reality in years, not decades.
If nothing else, the need is there. The current space underneath the student section is considered by most to be outdated and in need of some major TLC.
“It’s a legitimate zoo (under the student section). You’ll see people pass out because of the heat sometimes,” USC junior Harris Mellor, a mainstay in the student section, told The State. “Sometimes I like going in the upper deck where you can avoid all that stuff, and it’s a lot less crowded in those concession areas.”
Told that South Carolina was exploring an air-conditioned space for students, Mellor was elated.
“I could totally see them wanting to do that,” Mellor said. “And the fact that they’re looking to do that — that’s actually great news.”
Adding suites is expected to be first up in the Williams-Brice renovations, but South Carolina might also be quick to appeal to its donors of tomorrow with a space that could be unique to the Gamecocks.
“The goal of the stadium project,” Rogers said, “is to try and make the experience as good as you can make it for as many fans as you can possibly make it great for.”
This is all very fluid. Populous still needs to go through the design process. A contractor still needs to be selected. South Carolina still needs additional state approval. Then USC needs to figure out how much money it has at its disposal and what it can actually complete in the first phase of renovations.
But enhancing the student experience at Williams-Brice Stadium will at least be thoroughly looked into.
“Improvements at the north end zone would improve the game day experience for students who have no access to air-conditioned concession spaces to escape the heat,” according to the joint bond review committee document.
This story was originally published February 5, 2025 at 7:00 AM.
