CONWAY, SC (WBTW) – Coastal Carolina University is moving forward with the multi-million dollar expansion of Brooks Stadium, following a State Fiscal Accountability Authority meeting on Tuesday.
SFAA spokesman Delbert Singleton told News13 the SFAA board voted to approve $22.9 million in bonds for Coastal Carolina University to use on its expansion and renovation of Brooks Stadium. Singleton says Gov. Nikki Haley was the only person to not vote in favor of the move.
The expansion of Brooks Stadium at Coastal Carolina University is needed to comply with an agreement between the university and the Sun Belt Conference.
Coastal Carolina University Athletic Director Matt Hogue says the project, in all, will cost $31.8 million, up from a previous $29.9 million. Approximately $22.9 million comes from bonds approved by the SFAA Tuesday and the rest from a “combination of private sources and debt service allocation previously approved by the Coastal Carolina University Board of Trustees.”
Hogue says the expansion would put Brooks Stadium at 20,700 capacity. Approximately 1,100 seats previously cut from the project – totaling nearly $2 million – have been re-added. Hogue says the school had the ability to re-add the eats if funding for them was privately sourced.
University officials say they will immediately work with engineers and architects to put together plans for the bidding process. Those plans must first be approved by the state engineer in order to be put out to bid.
Coastal Carolina University President Dr. David DeCenzo sent News13 the following statement after Tuesday’s decision: “The University is pleased with the outcome today at SFAA. With this final approval, we will now embark on the stadium expansion project.”