Ryan Field: A New Vision

University leadership has been actively listening to athletes, coaches, fans, stadium neighbors and Evanston residents to better understand the shortcomings of the current stadium and the “wish-list” for a new Ryan Field. The current stadium:

• lacks many essential features, accessibility and amenities found in modern stadiums befitting a Big Ten school.
• has poor and outdated acoustic engineering to safeguard stadium neighbors from noise
• emits significant light pollution that can be changed through modern technology. 

We have a once-in-a-century opportunity to build a new world-class stadium for all of Evanston that is completely privately funded and developed in collaboration with the community.  The new Ryan Field will be an improvement in every way and deliver a sports experience befitting one of the world’s great universities. It will be the preeminent site to take in a college football game as well as a gathering space for all ages. The new Ryan Field and plazas will:

• create a world class home for Northwestern University Athletics and a best-in-the-nation football experience for fans, players, and the community.
• be consistent with the global standing of Northwestern University and its premier footing in the Big Ten.
• be a community-oriented venue providing space for local non-profits and community organizations to use for fundraising and other activities.
• feature a state-of-the-art canopy that will help contain crowd noise and lights. The new, modern design will be a vast improvement over the current stadium.
• include new and improved greenspace modeled after iconic parks like Maggie Daley Park in Chicago

And, with USC and UCLA joining the Big Ten, the new stadium will help showcase Northwestern University to an even broader and more global audience.  

• Historically, stadiums existed for large capacity events. Ryan Field was originally built for this purpose. Large capacity event-only stadiums are now out-of-date.
• The new Ryan Field will be designed for a maximum capacity of 35,000 — a more intimate setting with a capacity approximately 12,000 less than the current Ryan Field.
• There will be community plazas, much more green space and park area, and significant landscaped buffers between the stadium and surrounding neighborhoods.
• The stadium will be lower than it is currently – about 30 feet lower than the current height of the press box.

Yes, the new Ryan Field and plazas will be built to exceed all ADA requirements for accessibility by all. The new stadium will apply Universal Design standards and will set a new standard for accessibility and inclusivity, making it among the most accessible stadiums in the country.

Yes, the new Ryan Field and plazas will be built to LEED gold certification.

No. Zero taxpayer dollars are needed to build and maintain the new Ryan Field and plazas. 

• The projected economic impact is more than $600 million to the City of Evanston during the construction period alone
• Tripp Umbach, a nationally recognized economist, projects the new Ryan Field will create 2,900 new jobs and generate over $10 million in direct fees to Evanston throughout the construction period.

• Since a facility like this cannot be financially viable on just seven football games, the University is considering hosting a limited number of concerts each year.
• The University is not proposing a specific number of such events at this time as it continues to fully analyze what is required for financial viability and intends to work closely with the City of Evanston, residents, and community partners in determining the optimal number of concerts per year.
• Preliminary market studies indicate that the current interest in concerts in the area could generate over $35 million in new tax revenue for the City of Evanston from Northwestern over the first decade of the new Ryan Field alone.

• The stadium will also host community-oriented events such as winter festivals, holiday celebrations, student movie nights, intramural sports championships as well as additional student community programming.
• The space will offer a low-cost, high value venue for faculty events.
• The new stadium will be an ideal venue to host other top collegiate sporting events like the Women’s Lacrosse Final Four.

As a vast improvement over the current stadium, the new, modern design will feature a state-of-the-art canopy that will better contain crowd noise and curtail lighting impacts.

The University is in the process of receiving bids from contractors to fix the chillers. We anticipate that noise mitigation construction will be completed prior to the end of this year.

The way Ryan Field is laid out now, fans are forced to tailgate well beyond the footprint of the stadium. The new plazas in the new Ryan Field will create an organized and well-defined space for pre-game activities.

• The new Ryan Field will be designed for a maximum capacity of 35,000 — a more intimate setting with a capacity approximately 12,000 less than the current Ryan Field. That means fewer people coming to and leaving games.
• Plans call for a bike valet system, keeping more cars off the road. Northwestern University aspires to have the stadium be among the most bike-friendly college venues in America.
• There is a plan in the works for strategic and streamlined ride sharing with designated drop-off points to prevent unnecessary traffic in and around the neighborhood.
• And, the University is planning to engage with CTA and Metra in hopes of optimizing public transit to/from the new Ryan Field Campus.
• We have a plan to reduce congestion on game days.

The University is committed to creating economic opportunities for minority-owned, woman-owned and local Evanston businesses and residents. The target for total subcontracted spending with local, minority-owned and woman-owned businesses is 35%, with priority given to businesses and individuals located in Evanston.