USF’s stadium price tag turned heads at first, but then Florida entered the chat

We know that college athletics today is vastly different and much more expensive than just a decade ago. However, even by that standard the plan by the University of Florida to renovate The Swamp for a jaw-dropping $1.45 billion -- billion, with a B -- is excess on steroids.

My goodness. That's almost as much as Lane Kiffin's NIL budget.

It makes the brand new stadium USF is building on campus look like the mother of all bargains at a mere $348.5 million. USF's payout swells to $407 when infrastructure and other costs are added in, but that's still more than three times less expensive than Florida's plan, in addition to being transformational for the entire university.

“It’s about as big as a check as we’re gonna write for anything,” Board of Trustees Chair at the time Will Weatherford said.

Yeah, USF's plan seemed like a lot of money at first, and it is, but then Florida unveiled a plan that basically says "hold my beer."

Beer? It's more like, "hold my keg."

Should the Bulls rush back in and add some more bells and whistles to make it look like they're keeping up with their northern neighbor?

Of course not. The Bulls are getting a brand-new home for much, much, much less than UF will pay to spruce up a nearly 100-year-old stadium.

EDGE: USF.

USF's plan calls for fixed seating throughout (translation: no bleachers, even in the 8,000-seat student section). Florida's plan is a little unclear, but the early renderings make it seem like "some" of the 88,548 seats will be those clunky old bleachers that Gator fans have endured forever -- hopefully with padding.

EDGE: USF.

According to a UF news release about the project, "Key priorities include maintaining the historic seating capacity, preserving the iconic Orange Wing Walls, and protecting the unique bowl design that has defined The Swamp. Fans will continue to sit close to the field and right on top of the action, preserving the intensity, noise, and home-field advantage that have made Ben Hill Griffin Stadium the most intimidating environment in college football."

I've been to The Swamp many, many times and never realized the Orange Wing Walls were iconic, but whatever. I've also been around to the other top SEC stadiums, and The Swamp can get very noisy -- point conceded.

But, sorry Gators, as far as that "most intimidating environment in college football" claim, I take exception. LSU's Tiger Stadium on a Saturday night when the Cajuns have ample time to, um, "prepare" can put your eardrums at risk.

I speak from experience there.

Williams-Brice Stadium in South Carolina takes a backseat to no one in noise with its saying, "If it ain't swayin', we ain't playin'!"

Neyland Stadium in Knoxville can set off an earthquake if things are going well.

And (snark alert): that "most intimidating environment" line didn't hold up too well last September when USF rolled into The Swamp and left with Billy Napier's scalp.

EDGE: Florida, because The Swamp will definitely be louder than the Bulls' new home, but with points deducted from the Gators for hyperbole.

Now, no one is saying The Swamp couldn't use a fresh coat of paint. But as the site HailFloridaHail pointed out, "Back in 2021, when stadium renovations first came up, the initial price tag was set at $398.5 million."

So what, exactly, will Florida get out of this that is worth an extra $1 billion?

Let's take a look.

According to the news release, the Gators refurbished Swamp will include "expanded concourses, upgraded concessions and restrooms, improved accessibility, elevated premium hospitality experiences, enhanced technology infrastructure, and state-of-the-art video and audio capabilities."

USF's new home will have all those things, too. Plus, it will have the state's longest rooftop bar -- to be ready in case LSU ever comes to town.

And as Matt Baker of The Athletic noted, "The (UF) price dwarfs even some of the largest recent stadium projects. Penn State’s ongoing renovation at Beaver Stadium is about half the price at $700 million (roughly $750 million after adjusting for inflation). Texas A&M’s overhaul of Kyle Field a decade ago came in at $484 million (about $690 million in today’s dollars)."

Yes, the plan at Florida will be most expensive stadium project ever in college football. Did it have to cost that much?

No.

But after seeing its football fortunes bottom out in the last few years, I guess Florida felt like it had to be No. 1 in something.

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