The University of Oregon Releases Long Awaited Plans for Hayward Field Renovation

By Adam Kopet

The University of Oregon released the design Tuesday for the renovated Hayward Field.

The new stadium will feature 12,900 permanent seats with the ability to expand to 30,000 seats for large events, such as the 2021 IAAF World Outdoor Championships.

Additionally, the new facility will include a nine-lane track and the ability to host all field events inside the stadium.

The iconic east grandstand will be no more, but the new roof around the bowl will continue to feature wood as an important design element.

A new feature, a part of Powell Plaza, is the nine-story Bowerman Tower. The structure, which will be accessible from both inside and outside the stadium will include offices, a conference room, a dedicated media space and a viewing platform.

Underneath the stadium, new practice and locker room facilities will allow athletes to warm up and practice on a six-lane, 140-meter straightaway, an improvement over the current facilities under the west grandstand.

The Department of Human Physiology will also find a new home in the northwest corner of the stadium.

These plans come almost two years after construction was originally supposed to begin following the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials. The current plan has construction beginning in June and a completion date in 2020.