Neyland Stadium entertainment district will be big. It will change Tennessee game days forever

The University of Tennessee has selected designers and developers for its ambitious Neyland Entertainment District that will transform Vols game days and the Tennessee River waterfront on campus.

A hybrid condo-hotel with a rooftop restaurant and bar will overlook Neyland Stadium. And a lively entertainment hub will be created in the area between Neyland Stadium and Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center.

UT has assembled the team for the bold project.

It includes a management team that spurred the success of sports entertainment districts surrounding stadiums for the Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers and Philadelphia’s Phillies, Flyers and Eagles.

Knoxville-based broker/realtor Dixon Greenwood, Jake Miller, Taylor Gray, Hartland Hotel Group and Johnson Architecture are part of 865 Neyland Project Team, which UT announced July 24 will create the entertainment district.

Once the Tennessee State Building Commission approves the public-private partnership, specific designs and construction schedules can begin.

UT did not release the cost of the project.

What is the Neyland Entertainment District?

A hybrid condo-hotel peeking into Neyland Stadium will be the centerpiece of the development.

It will feature 240 rooms, 60 luxury condos, conference center, lounges, spa, fitness center, pool, terrace and rooftop restaurant and bar with a prime view on game days.

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The entertainment district will cover 175,000 square feet on the top level of the G10 parking lot, tying together Neyland Stadium and Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center into a game day entertainment hub.

Tailgating, restaurants, retail and other entertainment eventually would be part of the development.

“We are absolutely thrilled to witness our vision for this groundbreaking project taking tangible shape,” UT athletics director Danny White said in a school release. “The development team understood our vision and designed a legacy asset that will significantly impact our campus and overall community. We eagerly anticipate the upcoming phases of this historic endeavor, which is set to influence our campus and the city of Knoxville deeply.

“The Neyland Entertainment District is poised to become a valuable asset to America’s College Sports City.”

From Braves to Lakers, these developers have pro experience

UT selected designers and developers with expertise in creating entertainment districts.

They have managed components of Live at The Battery alongside the Atlanta Braves’ Truist Park; Texas Live and Live by Loews in the area between the Texas Rangers’ and Dallas Cowboys’ stadiums; Xfinity Live in Philadelphia; KC Live in Kansas City; and Ballpark Village Live alongside Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

Greenwood specializes in commercial and entertainment properties. Johnson Architecture, a Knoxville-based firm, has designed numerous commercial properties.

Hartland Hotel Group will develop the hybrid condo-hotel on the south end of Neyland Stadium. The group previously developed Hotel Figueroa in LA Live, the iconic entertainment district for the Los Angeles Lakers, Kings and Sparks, as well as The Grammy Awards and other massive made-for-TV media events.

What happens to UT game day parking?

There’s a tremendous upside to the Neyland Entertainment District.

UT will tout a game day hub unlike any in college sports. And the space also could be used for concerts, conferences and university events.

Perhaps the only potential downside for UT fans is that the entertainment district will be built on the top level of the G10 parking lot, a longtime tailgating area for Vols home games.

But UT said in a release that it will replace the parking spots lost from the development and identify alternative parking if G10 is temporarily unavailable during construction.

Additional parking will be added to support the entertainment district and game day parking, and student spaces will not be reduced.

Do other SEC stadiums have hotels?

A hotel towering next to Neyland Stadium will be quite a sight, and its rooftop restaurant will offer unique views on game day.

It’s not a new concept, but it’s more common in pro sports than on college campuses.

There are a few examples of on-campus hotels in the SEC. However, most are not located as close to the football stadium as the hotel next to Neyland Stadium will be.

• A Marriott overlooks Vanderbilt Stadium, where hotel guests can watch football games from their window with an end-zone view. The football team stays there the night before home games and recruits stay there on official visits.
• At Alabama, Hotel Capstone is on campus along Paul Bryant Drive across the street from Alabama’s basketball arena and baseball stadium and a half-mile walk from Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Alabama football team stays at Hotel Capstone the night before home games.
• Georgia’s football team stays at the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education and Hotel before home games. The hotel is located on campus less than a half-mile from Sanford Stadium.
• The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center is on Auburn’s campus across the street from the university library and a half-mile walk from Jordan-Hare Stadium.
• At Arkansas, the Inn at Carnall Hall is a former women’s dorm and men’s fraternity house on campus a half-mile from the football stadium. The 118-year-old building is now a boutique hotel and pricey option for fans for home games.
• South Carolina’s Williams-Brice Stadium, adjacent to the state fairgrounds, is surrounded by condominiums.

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com . X, formerly known as Twitter @AdamSparks . Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe .

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Neyland Stadium entertainment district will be big. It will change Tennessee game days forever