Historic Plan to Transform University of Nebraska-Lincoln Memorial Stadium Moves Forward
The University of Nebraska Board of Regents has approved Nebraska Athletics’ plan to transform the state’s largest stadium.
"Big Red Rebuild" signals the beginning of a new era for Lincoln’s Memorial Stadium. Designed by HDR and HNTB, the project will be led by Kortne Gosha, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln's senior associate athletic director for capital planning. Chris Nations and Legends Global will serve as the owner's representative, and Kiewit as the general contractor.
“'Big Red Rebuild' is a statement about the future of Nebraska Athletics,” said Troy Dannen, UNL’s director of athletics. “We have listened intently to Nebraska fans and are building a best-in-class fan experience that will also drive revenue for the University of Nebraska, create exciting new year-round programming for Nebraskans, create new opportunities for our student-athletes, and position Nebraska to compete and lead at the highest level in a rapidly evolving college athletics landscape.”
The redesigned stadium will improve access, seating comfort, sightlines and amenities throughout. A connected east-west bowl will create a fully continuous main concourse, allowing 360-degree circulation and making it easier for fans to move throughout the stadium — an important priority for Nebraska fans. When completed, Memorial Stadium will seat 80,000 fans, including 20,000 new chairback seats designed to increase comfort and 7,000 seats for Nebraska students and band members. Expanded concessions and restrooms are planned to reduce wait times, while enhanced accessibility aligned with the Americans with Disabilities Act aims to help every fan fully participate in the game-day experience.
“Our team is proud to bring the fans’ vision for the future of the stadium to life,” said Andrew Elmer, HDR’s director of sports and recreation. “The design carefully balances preservation of its legacy and iconic character with data-informed solutions that enhance comfort, connection and programming opportunities.”
Full construction is set to begin following the 2026 football season. Fans will see progress quickly, with the project reaching approximately 50% completion for the 2027 season and fully transforming Memorial Stadium in time for kickoff in 2028.
About HDR
HDR is a 100% employee-owned professional services firm. Founded over a century ago to bring electricity to a changing world, we are now a global company specializing in architecture, engineering, environmental and construction services. Our success in built and natural environments continues as we collaborate to solve our clients’ and communities’ most complex challenges.
