So we have completely whiffed on this story with all of the news surrounding National Signing Day, but there has been some great news regarding the expansion of Bryant-Denny Stadium the past few days, and that news was confirmed today.
The South end zone expansion project was officially approved today by the University of Alabama Board of Trustees. The 80.6 million dollar project will result in an upper deck being added to the South end zone, and that will expand capacity to approximately 101,100. Furthermore, two more jumbotrons will be added in the stadium, bringing the total up to four, and I'm sure there will be plenty more skyboxes added as well.
Construction will begin immediately, and the work should be completed in time for the season opener of the 2010 football season (which has been rumored to be Penn State). In other words, by the time Julio Jones is a junior, the bowl will be enclosed and Bryant-Denny will hold over 100,000 people. Considering that it was barely ten years ago that Bryant-Denny held only approximately 70,000 people, you really have to give credit to the University for the staggering rate at which they have improved the football program's facilities.
Finally, it should be noted that a couple of weeks ago, athletics director Mal Moore did not rule out further additions to the stadium. I would not imagine we will be adding any more upper decks, but I imagine it's only a matter of time before we dig down and move the field down lower, filling up the bottom sides of the stadium with even more seating. Either way, though, it's great to see Bryant-Denny is only getting bigger and bigger.