FRISCO, Texas — Toyota Stadium, home of the NCAA Division I Football Championship since 2010, is about to undergo a major face lift.
The stadium will get a $182 million renovation beginning after Monday night's title game between Montana State (15-0) and North Dakota State (13-2).
In an interview with MTN Sports at the venue on Thursday, Toyota Stadium Vice President of Operations Nick Shafer likened the upcoming improvements to "having a faster, cleaner, better car than we have now," and will enhance the fan experience for all of its tenants, be it FC Dallas, high school football or, in the future, further FCS title games.
Because of the renovations, the final two years of the NCAA's deal with Frisco and championship game will be assumed by Nashville, Tenn., and FirstBank Stadium on the campus of Vanderbilt University for both 2026 and 2027.
Future championship games sites beyond that will be decided by a bidding process.
"I think we'll miss the game," Shafer said. "But let's have a great game (on Monday) and then you guys go off to Nashville and let them do their thing. They're a great crew over there. They do bowl games, they've got a great facility."
"But it will be exciting when (Toyota Stadium) starts getting built out and then we'll kind of get into those conversations again with the NCAA."
According to a September media release, the renovations will increase club seating by 175% and suite capacity by 58%. Overall stadium capacity will increase by 10%. A roof structure will also be added to surround the the majority of the seating.
New audio and visual technology will be included — including what FC Dallas says will be 6,000 square foot video board — along with improved concessions and media spaces, and a new drainage system for the field.
"We love the (championship) game," Shafer said. "And we think part of these renovations is to fix areas that we need fixing, to make sure that we can support the fans and alumni of these games when they come here, that it's a championship facility."
For a closer look at MTN Sports' interview with Shafer, see the video wheel above.
