By Mark Nagi
The only constant… is change.
That is certainly the case in the world of collegiate athletics. The way that the NCAA and its member institutions do business looks very different today than it did a decade ago.
Conference realignment. NIL. The most absurd coaching buyouts you’ve ever seen. Unlimited transfers. All those changes (and many more) center around one thing the most.
Money. There’s never enough money.
And the University of Tennessee, like every other school, wants and needs more of it.
Last week, the UT System Board of Trustees gave its stamp of approval to the construction of the new Neyland Entertainment District, clearing the final hurdle for a project that will reshape the UT campus and change the way thousands of fans tailgate before a Tennessee football game. They’ll break ground this summer.
This entertainment complex might not completely be the brainchild of Tennessee athletics director Danny White, but its success or failure will be tied to his tenure, perhaps even more than coaching hires and team successes. Nothing to this scale has been attempted in college athletics. UT is trying to give people a reason to visit campus year-round.
Last month, White took part in the Big Orange Caravan stop in Chattanooga. His message for media and Vols fans alike was one of overwhelming positivity. “It’ll just be awesome,” he said. “We are really excited about the entertainment district… the hotel, condo, restaurant, and amenities. It’s a private development, about a $280 million development, that will happen on the south end of our stadium. I think it will transform not just gameday but 365 days out of the year for our student body, for our student-athletes, and for the Knoxville community.”
The new entertainment district will be built between Neyland Stadium and the Food City Center. To make this happen, most of the popular G-10 parking garage will be torn down and rebuilt to support the new hotel. Commuting students use that garage and will be displaced for a while.
Thousands of fans have used G-10 for tailgating purposes for decades. It’s the perfect location, a 3-wood from the south end of Neyland Stadium. Those on the upper deck get the best views not only of the stadium but also of the Tennessee River. But those days will be no more.
Fans and boosters who purchased parking in that garage will be displaced. Looking ahead to the Fall, UT is still working on a parking plan, one that will move many of those tailgaters far away.
One of the calling cards for this district will be the modernization of the new G-10 (or whatever it will be called). Anyone who has tried to leave G-10, especially after a concert, probably has at least one horror story of being stuck for hours. “The G-10 garage was never built for events, which is why we’ve had so much trouble getting people in and out of it,” said White. “The new garage will be much more efficient in that way. And the top of it will be the entertainment district.”
There are positives and negatives to this plan. Those without a tailgate spot will have new places to eat, drink, and be merry. Most of the folks who have made G-10 a part of their gameday experiences are upset at the changes.
But Tennessee needs to bring in more revenue. To compete in the current landscape of college sports, you can’t do so on a budget.
“I think we’ve always been in the sports entertainment business,” said White. “We’ve always had concerts in our arena and in our stadium. But we have these big expensive buildings. How do we monetize them more frequently?”
