As Northwestern's Ryan Field Price Tag Rises To $850 Million, More Renderings Released

EVANSTON, IL — Northwestern University's new football stadium and concert venue will cost $50 million more than previously estimated, officials announced this week.

The projected price tag of the Ryan Field project has now risen to $850 million. Alongside the cost increase, university officials released updated renderings of the 35,000-seat venue, which is under construction and scheduled to open for the 2026 season.

The new facility, described as “transforming the traditional stadium model into a year-round community asset,” replaces the nearly century-old Ryan Field, formerly known as Dyche Stadium.

Ryan Sports Development co-CEO Pat Ryan said the stadium represents a "new vision for the future of college sports."

According to a release of what was purportedly the "first public look at the new Ryan Field," the Ryan Family is leading the stadium's design and development for free. Not working pro bono: the construction firm Turner Walsh and architecture firms Perkins & Will and HNTB.

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"We're committed to creating spaces that embody the best of what the modern fan experience can be, while building a legacy of economic empowerment and cultural benefits for our community," said Ryan, whose family gave the school $480 million to rebuild its namesake stadium. "The Ryan Family is proud to be partnered with Northwestern in creating this transformational project."

University representatives claimed the project will generate more than $659 million in economic impact locally, create thousands of jobs and boost tax revenues.

They have also pointed to a 15-year public benefits agreement that Northwestern officials negotiated with the city, worth about $10 million annually.

A narrowly divided Evanston City Council approved zoning changes in late 2023 to allow for up to six concerts annually at the stadium, a decision that prompted a lawsuit from neighbors who argue the rezoning was improper and the stadium will will disrupt their community.

A Cook County judge dismissed several counts of the suit in April, but the residents filed an amended complaint in May.

The amended complaint alleges that Evanston’s approval of the Ryan Field zoning changes violated procedural and substantive due process by failing to meet required voting thresholds, improperly treated the amendment as a text rather than map amendment, engaged in illegal contract zoning and will create both private and public nuisances due to commercial events at the stadium.

The next status hearing in the case is set for January.

Read more:

• Northwestern University's Ryan Field Project Progresses with Expanded Construction Hours
• Northwestern Breaks Ground on New Ryan Field Amid Legal Challenges
• 4th & Long For Ryan Field Lawsuit: Judge Out Tosses 3 Of 4 Counts Of Neighbors' Complaint
• Ready To Rock At Ryan Field: Plan For Concerts At New Football Stadium Approved