The signing was the finale of a celebration under the arch of old Memorial Stadium inside the McNamara Alumni Center. Gopher Athletics Director Joel Maturi, University President Bob Bruininks, and Pawlenty each thanked the many U staffers, legislators, and others who shepherded the bill through the legislature four years after Bruininks first publicly proposed returning Gopher football to campus. On stage with them were coach Glen Mason, Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson, Speaker of the House Steve Sviggum, and bill sponsors Sen. Geoff Michel and Rep. Ron Abrams.

"For years, we have been the only Big 10 school without an on-campus football stadium," Bruininks said. "This new facility will have a huge positive impact on our football program, recruiting and all of our athletic programs."

The measure calls for the state to pay $10.25 million per year for 25 years. As part of the legislation, the University will exchange 2,840 acres of undeveloped land in Dakota County with the state for future use as a metropolitan area nature preserve. The bill also includes a naming-rights deal; in exchange for $35 million the stadium will be named TCF Bank Stadium.

The University will raise private funds and implement a student fee of up to $25 per year to pay for the rest of the stadium's costs. Bruininks noted that while the stadium will now get underway, “tens of millions of dollars still need to be raised.” Groundbreaking is expected to occur this summer and major gift fundraising is ongoing. A public fundraising campaign is likely to start in 2007.

Bruininks commended the bi-partisan nature of the vote authorizing the stadium financing. He also noted the courage of the Board of Regents, as the stadium idea was first floated four years ago, when the University was suffering budget cutbacks and the state was facing major budget shortfalls.

Pawlenty praised Bruininks for recognizing that "to have a successful, dynamic university, you have to have a successful, dynamic sports program."

TCF Bank Stadium will be located just northeast of the site of old Memorial Stadium, on what are now surface parking lots. Additional land north of the stadium will be converted into parking. The stadium, with a price tag of $248 million, will seat 50,000 and is expected to open September 12, 2009, the date of the Gophers’ first home game that season. Potential stadium architects HNTB Architects, Crawford Architects, and HOK Architects made public presentations Wednesday.

Image Gallery: Stadium BIll Signing Ceremony
Images from the May 24 signing of the bill authorizing state payments for 55 percent of a new on-campus football stadium on the U's Twin Cities campus.
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