Notre Dame announced Wednesday that Notre Dame Stadium will undergo a renovation that will cost an estimated $400 million and take nearly three years.
The school said construction is expected to begin within two years.
Good news for "Touchdown Jesus," the iconic mural on the Hesburgh Library north of the stadium: The renovation will not obstruct its view of the stadium.
It is the largest building project in the school's 172-year history, and it will add more than 750,000 square feet to the stadium for athletic and academic purposes. There will be three multi-use buildings, which will be between six and nine stories and include classrooms, a career center, a dining hall and recreational sports facilities. Also new will be premium seating on both sidelines and a press box. The stadium's interior should not be changed that much.
As a comparison, Baylor is opening a new stadium this fall and its total cost is expected to be $260 million. Texas A&M's Kyle Field currently is undergoing a renovation that will take about 18 months and cost $450 million.
The Chicago Tribune reported that the project was approved by the university's board of trustees at its meeting Wednesday in Rome, and will be funded by private donors and bonds. University policy requires that a certain percentage of the cost must be in hand before breaking ground, which means it likely will be at least a year until the renovation begins.
Notre Dame Stadium last underwent a renovation in 1997; that cost $53 million.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
