No, it’s not just your imagination—Rice-Eccles Stadium is bigger and louder than ever. That’s thanks, in part, to energetic fans who missed cheering for the home team last season, but also because of the increased capacity at the stadium from the newly opened Ken Garff Red Zone.
Construction of the addition on the south end of the stadium began in December 2019, and it opened with the 2021 football season. It adds 5,000 new seats—including premium seats—bringing stadium capacity to 51,444. The Ken Garff Red Zone also includes new locker rooms, sports medicine facilities, and hospitality areas.
In addition, there is space for athletic training, equipment, media, and a recruiting lounge. The zone is named in honor of a $17.5 million gift from the Garff family—the largest single gift in Utah Athletics history.
“Updating the south end zone is the last piece in making Rice-Eccles Stadium truly one of the best college football environments in the country,” says U football coach Kyle Whittingham. “We are especially grateful that a family enterprise like Ken Garff, whose roots are in Salt Lake City, has made such a significant contribution to our Utah football family.”
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