The University of South Florida Bulls football team will have a new place to call home as the all-new on-campus stadium is expected to break ground on Friday.
According to a USF press release, major donors provided a generous gift to the on-campus stadium through a significant financial investment for the project.
Oscar and Miriam Horton invested $1 million through their foundation, The Horton Family Foundation.
“We deeply appreciate Oscar and Miriam’s investment in our new stadium, which demonstrates their confidence in the vital role the project will play in the University of South Florida’s future, including enhancing the on-campus experience for our students, faculty and staff, alumni and community members,” said USF President Rhea Law. “We are incredibly grateful to the Horton family for their longstanding support of both USF and the Tampa Bay community.”
Oscar is a former USF Foundation Board of Directors member and currently serves on the USF Board of Trustees. Additionally, he is a member of the Tampa General Hospital, Community Foundation Tampa Bay and the Bank of Tampa.
Oscar and Miriam shared that this gift to support the Bull's on-campus stadium stems from their belief in transformative power of university athletics.
“Athletics are the front door of the university,” said Oscar Horton. “Sports facilities and scholarships have a huge impact on student-athlete recruitment and the ability to build a strong athletics program. Miriam and I can’t wait to see all the many benefits this new on-campus stadium will bring to USF.”
The all-new stadium is set to open in 2027 and it will provide a unique, vibrant and shared campus experience that will contribute to the school's spirit and culture.
Renderings for the new stadium were released in September, unveiling unique additions.
The stadium is expected to have a vibrant student section, showcasing the university's school spirit with the iconic "Bull U" logo.
“I’m pleased that Oscar and Miriam chose to step forward with this important gift,” said USF Foundation CEO Jay Stroman. “Their generosity plays a vital role in helping bring the on-campus stadium to fruition.”
The student section is expected to have a DJ deck and dedicated student-only concessions, providing easy access to food and refreshments.
The north lawn in the stadium, which the university expects to use as gathering ground for tailgates, live music and other non-game day events, will be accessible throughout gameday.
The stadium will have shaded home stands on the south side in the lower and main bowls. A covered rooftop patio will gives fan a nice experience, and view, from atop the stadium.
The groundbreaking ceremony will take place on Friday at 3:30 p.m., and it will be live-streamed on ESPN+ and can be viewed on the USF Athletics social media account.
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