Texas Athletics is entering a new era of facilities, with long-standing fan favorites set for major upgrades and new additions. 

Athletics director Chris Del Conte announced on Feb. 4 a number of the athletic buildings would be getting improvements in the next couple of years to boost fan experience and athletic performance for athletes across several sports. 

Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium

The Texas Longhorns’ football stadium is getting extensive updates and changes to develop the student athletes and expand the fan experience.

For player rest and recovery, Texas Athletics is adding the St. David’s Recovery area for athletes. Student athletes already receive physical care, nutrition planning and mental health counseling, but this new recovery center will include saunas, cryotherapy and massage beds. 

Bellmont Hall, located on the east side of the stadium, has a myriad of renovations coming its way. The press box is being moved to the south end zone to make way for luxury suites for $10 million per suite. The Bellmont Hall lobby is also being updated to match the aesthetic of the new suites.

“If you walk into Bellmont, nothing has been done to Bellmont since 1968,” Del Conte said. “So we’re redoing Bellmont Hall, (adding) an entrance to our athletic program to take us upstairs to the new suites.”

Indoor Football Facility

The new indoor football facility is slated to be finished by mid-July. It will feature a parking garage, an indoor and outdoor field and a lineman drill space. 

“Ongoing facility investments will help us further align our physical resources with the world-class expectations that (exist) for one of the nation’s best departments,” Del Conte said when plans for the facility were announced. 

Red & Charline McCombs Field

Texas is looking to reimagine what the softball stadium can be. McCombs Field has batting cages, a locker room and an advanced training room, but the amenities for the fans don’t match the demand. Fans are left standing in the outfield, unable to claim a coveted ticket. Texas Athletics has secured a $10 million donation and is looking to raise another $10 million to renovate the stadium.

After bringing home a national championship, nearly every single Texas softball game has been sold out, and head coach Mike White says it’s time to reward the fans for coming out to support the team. 

“1997 (is when) the stadium was built, so it’s getting a little bit outdated,” White said. “The ability for McCombs to come through with $10 million that we can match with another $10 (million) should really help us out a lot and give our fans a better facility to be able to watch games.”

Volleyball Arena

Del Conte voiced his love for Gregory Gymnasium, but acknowledged the issues that come with being in a facility that old. To solve this, Texas Athletics announced a “baby Moody” that will act as a gym for Texas volleyball and a concert venue that will seat around 7,000 fans. 

“Moody Center has been an unbelievable gift to the city,” Del Conte said. “We’ll have the same facility structure for volleyball.”