The Nevada athletics department is finalizing plans for the upcoming $11.5 million renovation of Mackay Stadium in Reno.
The project, which was approved by the state’s Board of Regents in December, began this spring with the construction of two-story, 2,800-square foot restroom facility that is expected to be done in time for the Sept. 3 season opener against UC Davis. The bulk of the stadium renovation will begin after this season and will be completed prior to the 2016 season.
The renovation will feature the construction of an 8,000-square foot stadium club on the west side and the installation of loge boxes, club seats and chairback seating on the east and west sides of the stadium. The plans also call for new ADA accessible seating areas and the widening of aisles with the installation of handrails to increase safety and fan experience at the stadium.
With all of the improvements, a re-seating process will be necessary as seating configurations in seven sections will be affected and capacity will be reduced. While the re-seating will not go into effect until the 2016 season, the process is set to commence in August. The athletics department has produced a 24-page guide and will soon launch a website dedicated to the project.
The Wolf Pack’s “Loyalty Points” system, in which fans accumulate points based on season ticket purchase and donor giving, will be used to determine priority levels during the re-seating process. The last day to make contributions that count toward Loyalty Points for the re-seating process is Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2015. In order to be part of the first access during the re-seating for the 2016 season, fans must be 2015 season ticketholders.
Over the course of this year, the Wolf Pack’s ticket sales team has reached out to every Wolf Pack season ticketholder to explain the scope of the project and discuss the seating options that will be available after the renovation for next year.
“‘From the outset, we’ve worked closely with our fans to get feedback on the Mackay Stadium experience and we’ve engaged our season ticketholders and our community on this process,” said Rory Hickok, Nevada’s deputy athletics director. “We’ve been very encouraged by the response every step of the way. This stadium renovation project will greatly improve the gameday experience of every Wolf Pack fan and we’re excited to move forward with the next step.”
In terms of seating, the project includes 38 new four-seat loge boxes, 238 club seats and 3,880 chairback seats. A new elevator will be installed on the west side of the stadium as part of the stadium club project.
The project has been in the planning stages for more than three years as athletics department officials have worked directly with fan focus groups and analyzed data collected in fan surveys. The additional amenities will create new price points for the stadium. Nevada will remain one of the top values in the Mountain West Conference as its most expensive seat will remain in the bottom half of a comparison of the 12-team league.
All of the changes to the stadium seating areas, including configuration and pricing, will go into effect for the 2016 season. Season tickets for this fall are on sale now and begin at just $99 per seat. Fans with questions about the project, or those interested in tickets, should contact the athletics department at 775-348-PACK.