In a surprising turn of events, Chancellor John Wiley announced Wednesday that UW-Madison will stop plans to renovate Camp Randall.
“We just think we need a little more time,” he said.
Wiley cited a lack of funds as the primary reason for the halt in construction, saying the renovation, which officially began this month, will be postponed for an undetermined amount of time.
“Lots of things have happened in the last year that were un-anticipatable,” Wiley said.
Wiley said the Sept. 11 attacks added unforeseen costs of extra security for athletic events. Other financial downfalls include a $700,000 cut in state funding from the 2001-03 budget and a failure on behalf of the university to meet its fundraising goals.
The Board of Regents approved the $99.7 million project in November 2000, at which time the university proposed returning to the Board in March with a complete financing plan.
“In a time of significant budget cutbacks at all levels of government, we feel it is prudent to take extra time to ensure that we have sufficient revenues to finance the construction costs associated with any renovation,” Wiley said in a letter to UW Systems President Katharine Lyall and Board of Regents President Jay Smith.
The construction around the stadium that is currently underway is a utility upgrade and will continue as planned. The upgrade began last week and completion is scheduled for August at a cost of $11.2 million.
Madison’s City Council unanimously approved the construction for the area surrounding Camp Randall, including updates to transportation systems to and from the stadium. Similarly, all of the area neighborhood associations favored the proposal.
Ninety percent of the project’s funding will come from athletic department revenues and private donations and will proceed as scheduled.
“We’re just not as comfortable with revenue as we hoped we would be at this time,” Wiley said.
Wiley asked Athletic Director Pat Richter to continue to give the project top priority, including oversight of all fundraising efforts.
“We are committed to completing this project,” Wiley said. “But as we move forward, all options–including the possibility of reducing the number of suites and increasing club-seat capacity–will be studied.”
Wiley and Richter were hesitant to set a specific start date for the renovations, although they were optimistic it would restart within one year.
“I’m confident it will go on, but I’m just not confident it will be today,” Wiley said.
Richter echoed Wiley’s sentiments, adding this is not an ideal situation.
“We’re disappointed. I think everyone is going to be disappointed,” Richter said. “But we are trying to be prudent.”
Richter said the UW football team’s performance last season had no effect on the decision to delay renovations.
“I don’t see that as an issue at all,” he said.
Associate Athletic Director Al Fish said despite being disappointed by the chronological setback, UW’s decision is for the best.
“I don’t think it matters what I think about it,” he said. “The most important thing is that it will be done.”
Wiley said safety concerns, failing infrastructure, need for improved customer service and accessibility issues were the major reasons to remodel the stadium. No major structural renovation has been done since 1966, when an upper deck was added.
Camp Randall was built in 1917 and is the fourth-oldest college-owned football complex in the country.
Wiley noted Madison’s encouragement for the project in the letter to Lyall and Smith.
“It is supported by our fans, our teams, and approved by the city,” he said. “We are poised to complete a renovation of our classic football stadium. We need to pull together to accomplish this goal. However, we must proceed prudently, with solid financing and without compromising the operating budgets of either the Athletic Department or the campus.”
