(BCSNN) -- Florida has finally announced that its long‑anticipated renovation of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, aka "The Swamp," and it will cost an eye-popping (or jaw-dropping, depending on which part of the face you prefer to illustrate things with) $1.45 billion, an unprecedented price tag that marks the most expensive stadium overhaul in the history of college athletics.

The multi‑phase project is scheduled to begin after the 2026 season and be completed by 2030, transforming one of the sport’s most iconic venues while preserving the identity that made the Swamp famous.

The renovation aims to maintain the stadium’s current 88,548‑seat capacity and retain the close fan‑to‑field environment that has defined Florida football for generations. In a letter to alumni, Board of Trustees chair Mori Hosseini said the project “will breathe new life into one of the nation’s most iconic college football venues and elevate it into the premier collegiate athletic destination that sets the standard for everyone else.”

Athletic director Scott Stricklin presented the plan to the board Thursday morning, emphasizing that every design decision was made with the Swamp’s character in mind.

“Every decision throughout the design process has been evaluated through the lens of preserving and amplifying the energy that makes Ben Hill Griffin Stadium unique,” Stricklin said. “The design will maintain the intimacy of the seating bowl, preserve the proximity of fans to the field, and continue to create the intimidating environment that has defined Florida Football for generations. We are not diminishing what makes The Swamp special — we are strengthening it.”

The project will include upgraded technology, improved traffic flow, expanded gathering spaces, more accessible concessions, and enhanced restroom access. To meet ADA standards, widened aisles and handrails will be added to the lower bowl, requiring some seats to be moved higher in the structure.

UF’s committee on facilities and capital investment approved Legends Global to guide strategic planning, while Manhattan Construction Group and Hunt Construction Group will serve as construction managers. The board was scheduled to vote on the project Thursday, one day after appointing former University of Alabama president Stuart Bell as Florida’s next president.

Funding will come from a combination of private donations, capital reserves and long‑term debt, with final approval from the Florida Board of Governors expected in the fall — coinciding with head coach Jon Sumrall’s first season in Gainesville.

Completed in 1930 with a capacity of 21,769, Florida Field has undergone multiple expansions, most recently a $50 million renovation of the west side in 2005. Approaching his 10‑year anniversary as athletic director, Stricklin said the goal is to ensure the Swamp remains one of the sport’s premier venues for decades.

“The Swamp is one of the most iconic stadiums in American sports,” Stricklin said. “It serves as the front porch of our athletics program, a symbol of the University of Florida, and the setting for some of the most memorable moments in our institution’s history. This renovation represents an investment in the future of one of the nation’s premier football programs, an investment in the experience of our fans and students, and an investment in a facility that will continue to serve the University of Florida for decades to come.”