Fans cheer as South Carolina takes the field at Williams-Brice...

Fans cheer as South Carolina takes the field at Williams-Brice Stadium before the start of an NCAA college football game against Missouri, Sept. 27, 2014, in Columbia, S.C. Credit: AP/Stephen B. Morton

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina's trustees gave initial approval Friday for renovations to the school's football stadium that could increase the facility's suites from 18 to around 90.

The trustees action lets the school hire an architecture firm for the work at Williams-Brice Stadium, where construction would likely start after the 2025 season and be finished before the 2027 season, according to athletic director Ray Tanner.

There are no plans to relocate any games due to construction. No construction cost was given. The school said in a statement that funding for the project would come from “capital gifts, suite and premium seating purchases, as well as from related revenue streams.”

Tanner, who is moving to a new role once the school hires his replacement as AD, said the stadium's capacity of 77,559 will likely fall a few thousand once the construction is complete.

Luxury and club spaces that were added in 2020 dropped capacity from 82,500 to its current levels.

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