Turner Construction and the University of Kansas have celebrated the completion of a $400 million football stadium reconstruction, according to an Aug. 25 news release from the New York City-based contractor.
Turner provided preconstruction and construction services for the rehab of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, according to the release. The reconstruction included the partial demolition and rebuild of the stadium structure, new press boxes, club and premium suites, concessions, retail space and a dynamic fan experience zone.
The upgraded stadium, located in Lawrence, will also support conferences, entertainment, retail and dining, according to the release.
The University of Kansas selected Turner as construction manager in 2023. The stadium acts as a key piece in the school’s Gateway District project, which aims to transform the north entrance to campus. In addition to the stadium work, the overhaul adds a 55,000-gross-square-foot conference center to the campus, an amenity which the university says the region lacks.
The project also included work at the Anderson Family Football Complex. Turner, which originally built the structure in 2008, renovated and added to the team offices and training spaces at the venue. The contractor has a longstanding partnership with the university, having completed 25 projects for the university, including 16 for Kansas Athletics alone.
Altogether, the construction team logged more than 1.6 million work hours on the stadium project, said Jason Brown, project executive for Turner Construction, in the news release.
“This incredible achievement would not have been possible without the unwavering dedication of our Turner team, our valued trade partners, and the skilled onsite workforce,” Brown said in the release.
Turner has a history of delivering major stadium projects, including in its home state. In April, the firm, along with joint venture partner Gilbane, topped out on the $2.1 billion New Highmark Stadium, the future home of the Buffalo Bills. Prior to that, the contractor hit the pitch for a future home of the New York City Football Club. The $780 million Etihad Park will be the Big Apple’s first stadium dedicated to soccer.
