A Turner-Walsh joint venture has topped out the new $850 million Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois for project owner Northwestern University, Turner announced in a Nov. 12 release.
Stakeholders, including over 400 construction workers, commemorated the installation of the college football stadium’s final steel beam, which project team members, architects, engineers and trade partners had signed. Also in attendance were members of the Ryan family, Northwestern University leaders and city officials.
The JV won the stadium project in 2023 and broke ground in 2024 amid legal challenges from residents who didn’t want a concert venue in the neighborhood.
The stadium — both the existing and upcoming — was named Ryan Field after 1959 Northwestern graduate Patrick G. Ryan, founder of AON Corporation and chairman of the Northwestern Board of Trustees.
The Ryan family donated $480 million to the funding of the new stadium in 2021, Front Office Sports reported. The project, which has a maximum budget of $862 million, is fully funded by private backers, including the university. It is the most expensive stadium in college football, per Front Office Sports.
The stadium’s roof canopy structure is about finished, which marks the end of structural steel erection, according to updates to the project’s timeline on its website earlier this month. In the meantime, interior wall construction continues, along with the installation of utility infrastructure. Seating installation is also underway.
The new Ryan Field will have a capacity of 35,000 seats. That’s 12,000 fewer than the current venue, which the project team says is designed to create a more intimate setting. The project remains on track to open in 2026, per Turner’s release.
When complete, it will be among the most accessible and sustainable stadiums in college sports, per the New York City-based contractor, targeting LEED Gold certification and featuring community-oriented green spaces and public plazas.
