LAWRENCE, KS — The project team behind Phase 2 of the University of Kansas (KU) Gateway District delivered the south grandstands and the lower bowl seating on the east side of the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium to KU, enabling approximately 8,400 additional fans to attend home games during the 2026 football season. The achievement of this milestone ensures that the Jayhawks can practice and play their full 2026 home football schedule at the stadium while construction on the broader mixed-use district — which will feature student housing, a flagship hotel, retail space, and a plaza — continues safely around the live sports calendar.
The handoff represents a massive logistical achievement by the project team, which includes master developer Edgemoor/Sunflower Partners and design-builder Clark-JE Dunn, A Joint Venture. Since December 2025, the team has been working to transform the stadium's east and south sides into a safe, comfortable environment for fans during the upcoming season. While the full stadium completion is targeted ahead of the 2027 season, this initial hand-off delivers the critical elements needed for an improved gameday experience this fall.
“From the outset, we planned this project so KU fans could safely enjoy the 2026 football season in their home stadium,” said Dan Moylan, Development Director for Edgemoor/Sunflower Partners. “Reaching this milestone is a reflection of the strong collaboration between KU and our team as we continue creating a connected, year-round destination for KU and the broader Lawrence community.”
To pull off this complex effort, the project team collaborated closely with university leadership to execute a strategic "soft pause" approach. By hyper-focusing labor and sequencing on elements critical to the gameday experience, crews completed a significant portion of the stadium structure before temporarily halting work in the fan seating areas, so supporters can safely occupy those sections throughout the 2026 season.
Approximately 40 percent of the east and south side seating will be available for gamedays this fall. At this time, construction will shift to the district's two-level parking garage and student housing components, allowing KU to capture gameday revenue and maintain home-field advantage while progress on other elements of Phase 2 continues uninterrupted. Work on the stadium event level, below the lower bowl seating, will continue throughout the season.
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“Preparing a stadium for football operations while major construction continues around it requires disciplined planning, detailed sequencing, and constant coordination," said Chris Desko, Project Executive with Clark-JE Dunn, A Joint Venture. "Our team remains focused on schedule, the fan experience, and safely advancing work across the stadium and the larger Gateway District.”
Key stadium features completed ahead of the hand-off include:
- Expanded and optimized seating options: Crews finalized the installation of more than 8,400 seats in the stadium’s lower bowl, which includes the south endzone grandstands and approximately 700 club and suite options, so fans can come back to the center of the action.
- New east side structure: More than 1,775 tons of structural steel have been erected, establishing the architectural geometry of the new east side and setting the framework for the future upper bowl and additional spaces and concession options.
- Concourse and fan amenities: Precast and cast-in-place concrete was completed for the lower bowl concourse, enabling KU to operate temporary concessions and guest services throughout the 2026 football season.
- Signature "wheat straw" light fixtures: Crews successfully installed the stadium's remaining custom architectural light towers. Modeled after Kansas wheat straw, these custom fixtures redefine the Lawrence skyline while providing full illumination for upcoming night games.
- Playing field readiness: The team completed all necessary work in time to return the field area to KU, allowing them to roll out the playing surface right on schedule.
Following the conclusion of the 2026 home schedule, the project team will return to construction on the active stadium bowl, including the completion of the upper bowl, permanent concessions, restrooms, and hospitality spaces ahead of the 2027 season.
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Photos courtesy of Multistudio
