The University of Tennessee Athletic Department has completed the first of five phases of renovations to Neyland Stadium, and should complete the entire renovation process within eight to 12 years. 

The first phase was completed before the 2006 football season and includes the addition of the East Club--414 covered outdoor theater-style seats with an indoor hospitality club. The next phase, which will be completed by the 2008 football season, will include renovations to the concourse from the northeast to the southwest end, the addition of a media room and updates to the locker rooms and lettermen rooms. 

"In order for the stadium to continue to be a thriving, viable and competitive structure, major renovations are needed" Mike Hamilton The master plan was created after members of the UT Athletic Department visited six professional and college level football stadiums. Each of the stadiums were comparable to Neyland in age and have undergone recent renovations. The plan for Neyland was presented in November 2004 and will brace the stadium for the next 75 years. 

"In order for the stadium to continue to be a thriving, viable and competitive structure, major renovations are needed," said UT Athletic Director Mike Hamilton in a letter to UTsports.com . "The improvements include the renovation and widening of the concourse areas to assist in traffic flow and make all fans' experience more enjoyable, the addition of family restrooms, increasing the current number of restroom facilities by almost 300 percent, the addition of concession stands, the creation of entry plazas, the addition of club seats, the updating of the infrastructure for water, and electric and sewer systems."

Funding for the $26 million project is solely from private donations, proceeds from club seats and from the 2004 sideline seating policy change.