Fresno State exploring new construction, as well as renovation of aging football stadium

Fresno State, which for decades has faced a dilemma over what to do with its aging football stadium, is now exploring the construction of a new on-campus facility as well as a renovation of the 41-year-old Valley Children’s Stadium with a push from university President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval.

“Future investment in our facilities, namely our football stadium, is critical to the long-term success of our athletics program and has the potential to be a significant boost to the quality of life in our region,” Jiménez-Sandoval said.

“Perhaps no other event in our diverse Central Valley has the power to gather and unite over 41,000 people behind one common cause like Fresno State football games do six times every fall season.”

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The committee that the university president formed last November and charged with developing a blueprint for sustained athletics success is exploring those opportunities, as well as infrastructure improvements elsewhere in the Bulldogs’ footprint, revenue generation, marketability and the student-athlete experience.

Jiménez-Sandoval said that he hoped to have a clear direction by early 2023 on what a renovation plan and new construction would look like.

“Currently, every option is being evaluated for feasibility so we can make an informed decision,” he said.

Fresno State has had a number of opportunities over the years to parlay success on the football field and increased community support into upgrades to a stadium that lacks amenities now common at college and pro sports venues.

Former Bulldogs coach Pat Hill, now an analyst on radio broadcasts, first sounded that alarm back in 1997 shortly after he was hired. Facilities upgrades were discussed in 2012 and ‘13, in 2017 and ‘18. The most recent renovation plan, fronted by former athletics director Jim Bartko, never made it far off the ground.

That plan looked good on paper, but when it was spiked former university president Joseph I. Castro said that it simply didn’t pencil out financially.

Tumey: ’Neglectful’ with the stadium

But with the Bulldogs’ profile again rising nationally and with athletics director Terry Tumey and his staff driving a surge in attendance, mostly from students, delays are deleterious.

“First of all, the fact that we’re approaching the thing and trying to understand how to invest in the stadium, is primary,” said Tumey, who was hired shortly after the plan by Bartko fizzled. “Regardless of whether it’s a renovation of the current Valley Children’s Stadium or it’s a new development, both of those things are great things. What it comes down to is it has to be the right offering, because we’re only going to get one shot at this.

“Being able to do it right is the issue at hand, and doing it right and being efficient with resources is always the case, because we have a plethora of different things that we need to invest in. We all recognize that, but we all recognize how neglectful we have been with the stadium.”

While Fresno State has installed new lighting and turf, it has not made substantive upgrades to the fan experience.

Mountain West rivals make improvements

In the Mountain West Conference, meanwhile, the two other California State University schools that play football at the FBS level have either a new stadium or are renovating an existing venue.

San Diego State played its first game at the 35,000-seat Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday, a 38-20 loss to Arizona.

San Jose State is renovating the east side of its stadium to include a 55,000-square-foot football operations center with locker rooms, meeting rooms, training rooms and offices as well as space for the Spartans’ soccer program and dining and hospitality facilities.

Elsewhere in the conference, Colorado State moved into a new on-campus stadium in 2017. Boise State, which increased capacity of its football stadium in 2012 and opened a football operations center the following year, announced plans in August to add suites and club seating in the north end zone as well as upgrades to ExtraMile Arena where the Broncos play basketball.

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“We all recognize it needs to happen sooner rather than later and not even later, just sooner rather than sooner,” Tumey said. “At the end of the day, we are looking at trying to continue to keep Fresno State athletics at the right level and what’s appropriate for this university, and in order to do that we need to invest.

“But I can’t begin to tell how much of a benefit it is to be able to speak in concert, to say this has to be done, we have to find a solution and time is of the essence. To be able to have your leadership speaking that same way, it gives you a chance. It gives you a chance to do really the job in an appropriate manner and in one that’s appropriate for the university. I feel really good about it.”