Notre Dame Stadium getting $400 million facelift in renovations

Notre Dame Stadium is getting a $400 million refresh.

The University of Notre Dame announced Wednesday morning a comprehensive renovation plan for its venerable football stadium that calls for the the construction of three buildings on the east, south and west sides of the venue. Those three buildings will total 750,000 square feet of space to be used, in part, for academics -- Notre Dame announced the expansion will also coincide with 80 new faculty members being hired.

Fans will have greater access to video in the stadium, though how it'll be delivered is to be determined. Renderings of the renovations would seem to place a video board on the south end of the stadium, which is the only logical location for it with club seating on the east and west sides and the iconic "Touchdown Jesus" towering over the north end. The part of Notre Dame's release on video reads:

"Football fans, especially younger ones, have expressed a clear desire to have better access to data and video when attending Notre Dame games. Some of that will be addressed through enhanced broadband connectivity and some by the introduction of video, though the shape that will take has not yet been finalized."

Notre Dame Stadium, which opened in 1930 and was last renovated in 1997, currently does not have a video board for replays, stats or in-game ceremonies. In keeping with university policy for athletic venues, no signage/advertising will be added to Notre Dame Stadium.

About 3,000-4,000 new premium club seats will be added, which would bring the stadium's capacity to around 85,000.

The renovations are expected to begin in at least two years and will take 33 months to complete.

“At a time when some are questioning the future of the residential college campus, we believe the investment in these new facilities, which will house new research and teaching venues, several academic departments, a much-expanded student center, a digital media center and a variety of hospitality and programming spaces, will greatly enhance the campus experience for all those who study, live, work here and visit Notre Dame, as well as new amenities that will deliver outstanding game day experiences for Irish fans," Rev. John J. Jenkins, C.S.C, Notre Dame's president, said in a statement. "Since its founding, one of Notre Dame’s greatest assets has been the boldness of its vision – the ability to see possibilities and connections where others saw only obstacles and fragmentation. This project continues that boldness of vision.”

For the athletic department that preaches the marriage of sports and academics, adding classroom space to Notre Dame Stadium is a major win for its mission.

"At a time when so many would call into question the viability of the collegiate sports model in America, it is fitting that Notre Dame, a perennial leader in the measures of academic performance by student-athletes, offers a bold vision providing emphatic evidence that the full integration of athletics into the academic mission of a university is not only possible but desirable," athletic director Jack Swarbrick said. “Coach Brian Kelly and I are thrilled that one of the most famous sports venues in the world will now also be known as one of the most innovative educational facilities.”

-- J.J. Stankewitz, CSNChicago.com