A planned multi-phase renovation to the University of Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, home to the Florida Gators football team, will not affect the venue’s current seating capacity, according to UF athletic director Scott Stricklin.  

The news was reported on April 2 by several media outlets, including Gators Wire and Swamp247, which cited Stricklin in their reporting.  

The stadium, also known as “The Swamp,” currently has a seating capacity of 88,548, according to UF’s Division of Student Life website. It is the 12^th–largest college football stadium in the country.  

I nitially, the renovation was planned to reduce the stadium’s capacity by more than 4,149 seats, which would have dropped the capacity from 88,548 to 84,399, according to reporting by Swamp247. This was for UF to comply with the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990), Stricklin said while speaking on The Gator Nation Football Podcast in June 2025, with reporting by Gators Online.  

According to Swamp247, the updated renovation plan will make the stadium “compliant with ADA code through aisle-widening and handrails without affecting the venue’s maximum attendance capability.” 

UF first announced renovation plans for Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in July 2023, advertising for an architect to modernize the more than 90-year-old stadium.  

“We’ve conducted a number of studies over the last five-plus years about what the future could look like for Ben Hill Griffin Stadium,” Stricklin said in a July 2023 press release. “We’ve engaged with vendors that specialize in iconic venues and stadium experience for both fans and players while offering a variety of solutions. It is now time to take that information and engage with an architect who can present renovation, construction and phasing options for the Swamp.” 

The release noted that the renovation would be the biggest facility project in the history of the University of Florida Athletic Association (UAA), with an estimated cost of roughly $400 million.  

“The financial model will be similar to previous Gators facility projects with an aggressive fundraising campaign to anchor the funding efforts,” the release said.  

Renovations, the release said, would include upgrades to the entry gates, concourse, seating, concessions, restrooms, video boards and sound systems.  

In December 2023, UF hired Kansas City, Missouri-based Crawford Architects LLC, in association with Gensler, a global architecture, design and planning firm, “to formally begin developing renovation, construction and phasing options for the Swamp,” according to a UAA press release.  

Gators Online recently reported that the planning process for the stadium renovation is in the final stages.  

As the planning process winds down, the UAA recently sent a letter to fans that included a survey, asking for their feedback on the stadium renovation.  

“… We are now entering a deeper phase of fan engagement and a critical stage in planning as we further evaluate seating concepts, the overall project budget and a projected construction timeline,” the letter said.  

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium was built in 1930. The last major renovation to the stadium occurred before the 2003 season, according to the Florida Gators website. The $50 million improvements, which were funded by fans and private support from Gator Boosters, added 2,900 luxury club seats, an expanded press level, a renovated and enlarged Bull Gator Deck, “enlarged President’s Suite and 34 additional suites.” 

Nick Anschultz is a Report for America corps member and writes about education for Mainstreet Daily News. This position is supported by local donations through the Community Catalyst for Local Journalism Fund at the Community Foundation of North Central Florida.