The south end zone project is projected to finish as originally scheduled and ran across “no major surprises,” said Ben Bunge of Weitz Construction — the company completing the project. 

The timeline for the project’s completion will be Aug. 11 for the Sukup End Zone Club and Aug. 24 for the stadium seating, Bunge said. 

“Everybody’s excited,” said Chris Jorgensen, director of Facilities, Planning and Management for the ISU athletic department. “The south end zone project is something that has been discussed for 25 years. So to finally see that we’re less than 100 days from seeing it in action … everybody is excited to see that.”

Jorgensen added that the stadium is around 80 percent completed.

The Sukup End Zone Club has an upper and lower level and are 20,000 square feet apiece for a grand total of 40,000 square footage.

The upper level features a large window to view the game, and the lower level will have multiple televisions for the fans to view multiple football games at once but no real view of the field. 

The seating additions will bring Jack Trice Stadium’s capacity from about 56,800 to 61,000 people, with the lower bowl adding 3,000 bleacher and comfortable seating.

The project also adds an identical video board to the one on the north side of the stadium.

When the project is complete, it will close the three-quartered bowled Jack Trice Stadium, replacing the hillside seating on the south end of the stadium.

Could Jack Trice Stadium have another addition beyond the south end zone project? Jorgensen said that it could be a possibility. 

“You guys know Jamie [Pollard, ISU Athletic Director] that he’s always thinking and brainstorming on what the next step is going to be,” he said, adding that there is nothing officially in the works now. “But I think we are always trying to think one step ahead.”

When the renovation’s complete, Iowa State plans on adding a second phase to the south end zone that will include four parking lots between the stadium and Reiman Gardens with a change to the scenery as well.

The plans will complete around the time of the completion of the south end zone project, Jorgensen said. 

ISU football opens its season against in-state rival Northern Iowa, where fans will get to see the complete south end zone in action for the first time on Sept. 5.