Northwestern celebrates groundbreaking for $800M stadium rebuild

Schill took the opportunity to thank those stakeholders in attendance who helped bring the project to fruition, including the Ryan family, whose donation to the university is funding the over $800 million stadium rebuild.

“Over the next two years, a new Ryan Field is going to rise out of the ground behind me,” Schill said. “The new Ryan Field will be more than a stadium and a playing field. It will be more than a world-class home to our amazing football team. Ryan Field will soon be the best stadium in the world for student-athletes and fans anywhere.”

Demolition of the former 98-year-old stadium wrapped in early June and construction has since begun with plans to be completed by the 2026 football season. Construction manager Greg Cuttell said the project is on schedule and is building down before vertical and stadium footprint work begins.

“We’re as anxious as Mr. Davis and Northwestern to see those football players run on the field on Sept. 12, 2026,” Cuttell said.

In the meantime, the Wildcats will play the majority of their home games at a temporary stadium on Northwestern’s campus near the lakefront. Construction is ongoing at the Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium, the home of the university’s soccer and lacrosse teams.

Schill spoke of the planned community uses for Ryan Field, an aspect which caused controversy across the North Shore with Wilmette and Evanston neighbors arguing the stadium shouldn’t be used beyond academic and university endeavors.

The stadium’s ability to be used for commercial ventures — including a maximum of six annual full-capacity concerts — came down to a tie-breaking vote by Biss at the Evanston City Council in November 2023. He and several council members who voted in favor of zoning changes to allow the events were in attendance at the Monday morning event.

Biss described the vote as a “risk worth taking” for the sake of the future of the partnership between the city and the university — a relationship that has seen many ups and downs in the 161 years since Evanston’s founding.

“I believe to my core that the city of Evanston and Northwestern University will not be our best selves unless we are working closely together,” Biss said. “Our assets are so different, our strengths are so unlike one another that there are things that we can do together that we just couldn’t hope to do alone.”

Biss cited the ongoing guaranteed income program, which has seen $500 monthly stipends go to those most in need in Evanston, as one of those projects that wouldn’t be possible without the partnership.

Davis also spoke of the partnership, highlighting the 15-year, $150 million Community Benefits Agreement included as part of the approval of the stadium. Funding from that agreement is being used — among other ventures — to bolster city affordable housing efforts, provide financial aid to Evanston Township High School students looking to attend the university and fund local workforce development and racial equity programming.

A community advisory council is in the works as part of the agreement, with Davis saying Northwestern and the city are taking time to ensure there is proper representation for all those involved in the process. Data on other commitments in the agreement, including a promise to have 35% participation by minority- and women-owned businesses involved in the construction and design of the stadium, will be forthcoming.

“Since the beginning, we’ve always said that this is more than building a premiere college football stadium … it’s about bringing people together,” Davis said. “I hope you know that those promises that we made, are promises that we intend to keep.”