Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville will increase its capacity from 72,000 to about 7̶6̶,̶0̶0̶0 76,800* by 2018.
But Arkansas Athletic Director Jeff Long said Monday at the Little Rock Touchdown Club that he hopes the stadium expansion doesn't create a divide for Razorbacks fans across the state.
"I don't want this state to turn our stadium expansion into a stadium debate," Long said. "We need the entire state behind us."
The University of Arkansas System trustees approved the project for the UA athletic department to issue $120 million in bonds and for the department to move forward with the estimated $160 million project that will enclose the 78-year-old stadium on the Fayetteville campus.
The expansion will include new premium seating and suites on the e̶a̶s̶t north side of the stadium*, outdoor loge boxes and club seating. The east and west walkways at the stadium will be connected to the new seating areas.
Long said construction will begin after the LSU game Nov. 12 and will be completed by the beginning of the 2018 season.
"We're fortunate because it doesn't affect the existing suites or seats," Long said. "We'll be able to be work through the 2017 season and be ready for the 2018 season. Our fans will see work beginning right after the LSU game."
Long had nothing new to report on the Razorbacks' future plans regarding War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, where the Hogs have played at least one game a season since 1948.
Long said he and the university have not had any recent discussions with the War Memorial Stadium Commission. The Razorbacks have three years remaining on the contract with War Memorial, including an Oct. 1 nonconference game against FCS program Alcorn State, a nonconference game in 2017 and an SEC game in 2018, which is contractually obligated.
"We are going to have a difficult decision in the future about what to do with War Memorial," Long said. "We will be playing games at War Memorial until 2018. After that is when we will begin discussions."
Arkansas is 2-0 and is No. 24 in the Associated Press and coaches polls this week after defeating then-No. 15 TCU 41-38 in two overtimes Saturday night. Quarterback Austin Allen scored on a 5-yard run to win the game for the Razorbacks.
"What an incredible game that was," Long said. "What a gutsy performance. Those kids did not give up. The coaching staff did not give up.
"We controlled that game for most of it. Then that fourth quarter came and most teams would just wilt. When a team comes back like that, they just wilt. But what a testament to the team and the coaching staff to pull from within and win that game."
Long said he believes the TCU game may have been Allen's breakthrough game.
"How many times has a quarterback run for a touchdown, throw for a touchdown and then caught a two-point conversion?" Long said. "Austin is unflappable. He's confident. It was only his second start. We have great things in front of us at the quarterback position."
Long, who remains a member on the College Football Playoff committee after serving two years as chairman, said he would be honored if the Hogs were successful enough to have him removed from the room during discussions on Arkansas.
"We have a long way to go," Long said of the Hogs' season. "We have a lot of games to go. Certainly, I'm honored and prideful anytime the Razorbacks are mentioned in connection with the top 25 and the College Football Playoff."
Other highlights from Monday's Touchdown Club luncheon:
• Touchdown Club vice president Rex Nelson on TCU quarterback Kenny Hill's unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the fourth quarter Saturday against Arkansas: "I've got an injury report update. TCU quarterback Kenny Hill slashed his own throat. The bleeding is quite serious and we don't know if he's going to make it or not. That's an update from the hospital in Fort Worth that I wanted you to have."
• Long on having 17 current or former Arkansas Razorbacks compete in the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro: "It was incredible exposure for the state of Arkansas and the university."
• Touchdown Club president and founder David Bazzel to Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, reminding him that Cabot senior quarterback Jarrod Barnes was in attendance to receive his All Arkansas Preps Player of the Week award: "Governor, you saw Jarrod play against your grandson [Asa Hutchinson III]." Barnes' Cabot team defeated Hutchinson's Bentonville team in the Class 7A boys basketball state championship game in March.
Sports on 09/13/2016
*CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story contained the wrong location for new premium seating in the stadium and an incorrect figure for the total number of seats in the expanded Razorback Stadium.