Board of Trustees approves Neyland renovation proposal

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Tennessee's Board of Trustees has approved a proposal for a $106 million renovation to Neyland Stadium that the school is aiming to have completed by August 2019.

The board voted in favor of the renovation Friday afternoon after its finance and administration committee approved it earlier in the day. The proposal next goes before the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and eventually will require legislative approval.

Chris Cimino, Tennessee's senior vice chancellor of finance and administration, has said the project would be financed by donations and the athletic department's operating revenues. Tennessee chancellor Jimmy Cheek said Friday it would require ''no taxpayer dollars.''

The project includes renovating the south ground and concourse levels and relocating the visitors' locker room.

One of the recommendations involves shifting a back wall to create more space between the playing surface and any physical boundaries as a safety measure. Other potential renovations include expanding the main thoroughfare of the south concourse, improving concessions and adding rest rooms.

The project also would replace ''original and deteriorating concrete infrastructure dating back to 1921'' in the west side of the lower bowl as well as adding and extending aisle handrails in the upper bowl.

Neyland Stadium opened in 1921 and currently seats 102,455, giving it the fifth-largest capacity of any Football Bowl Subdivision program's home stadium.

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AP college website: collegefootball.ap.org