Hayward Field Expansion in the Works

Photo: University of Oregon

The University of Oregon board of trustees is meeting next week to begin discussions on renovating historic Hayward Field.

The facility has numerous high-profile meets on its future schedule, none bigger than the IAAF World Championships in 2021. The renovations would begin next July after the U.S. Olympic Trials and would be “substantially” complete before the 2017 NCAA Track & Field Championships.

Among the upgrades:

Potential seating capacity would be expanded to 30,000. Currently, there are 10,500 permanent seats with options to expand to 20,000 through temporary seating.
The Bowerman Sports Science Clinic would be razed and re-built three times larger.
The Eugene Register-Guard reports that the west grandstand will be demolished and re-built even larger, while the historic east grandstand will be maintained.

“From the moment I set foot on campus, I could sense the significance of Hayward Field to our university and the community,” President Michael H. Schill said. “It is a place that embodies the spirit of the University of Oregon. Its storied history is intimately tied to the history of this great institution. This project will be a tribute to all who have enjoyed its grandeur as spectators or competitors, and to all who visit in the years to come.”

Tinker Hatfield, a well-known shoe designer for Nike, will be involved in the design of Hayward Field’s renovation.

In addition to the 2021 IAAF World Championships, Hayward Field will play host to all NCAA Track & Field Championships through 2021, and is being considered for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials as well. It also hosts the Prefontaine Classic, one of the top track meets in the U.S., each spring.

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