THE FLATS – The design for Georgia Tech’s upcoming $70 million renovation to Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field is complete.
The first major renovation to the 113-year-old home of Georgia Tech football since 2003 will begin immediately following the conclusion of the 2026 season and will be completed ahead of the 2027 campaign.
The renovation is part of Georgia Tech athletics’ Full Steam Ahead initiative, which was officially launched in 2024. At launch, the preliminary concept included upgrades to the facility’s videoboard and sound system, elevated premium spaces and the addition of chairback seating to replace current bleacher seating across the stadium.
As the project has evolved and analysis completed through the course of the design process, the architect and construction manager identified that some originally proposed elements are either functionally unfeasible within the existing structure of the stadium, or could only be accomplished through a substantial increase to the project budget (likely more than doubling the originally approved financial investment).
Specifically, extensive studies identified that implementing a modern flip-up chairback system throughout Bobby Dodd Stadium is unfeasible due to tread depths (the horizontal measurement from the front edge of one row of seating to the front edge of the row directly behind it). Like many stadiums of its vintage, Bobby Dodd Stadium has tread depths that are much narrower than the modern industry standard. Modern stadiums are built with a 33-inch tread depth to accommodate chairs, and 30 inches is the minimum for installation of a flip-up chairback system. The tread depths at Bobby Dodd Stadium are 26.5-27 inches in the lower west, 27 inches in the lower east and lower north and 25.75 inches in the upper east.
Therefore, the only options to install a flip-up chairback system would be to either eliminate every other row of seating throughout the stadium, which would have drastically reduced capacity, or demolish and reconstruct significant portions of the stadium. In addition to being extremely costly, it was also unlikely that those options could be completed within a single offseason construction timeline.
Based on the analysis, the best and most responsible solution for adding permanent chairbacks to Bobby Dodd Stadium is attached chairback seats, which allows seats to be affixed directly to the stadium’s existing bleachers.
Many industry-leading bleacher-attached chairback seats were tested. Several proved to be too tight for spectator seating within the stadium’s constraints, as they would lead to insufficient legroom for taller individuals.
However, a bleacher-mounted, non-flip-up mesh chairback seat was identified as a product that could be installed at Bobby Dodd Stadium without sacrificing fans’ safety, comfort or experience. Fans were invited to test the seats during Georgia Tech football’s spring game in April, and they received positive reviews, leading to the final decision that the bleacher-mounted, fixed mesh seats would be the permanent chairback solution for Bobby Dodd Stadium.
When considering the extent of the chairback installation throughout the stadium, several factors were examined. First, the 25.75-inch tread depths in the upper east remain too narrow for the bleacher-mounted chairbacks. Second, comfortable spacing for the non-flip mesh chairbacks is 20 inches per seat, as compared to 18 inches per seat, which results in a loss of seating capacity. Further, as part of the fan experience improvements included in the design, aisles will be widened and handrails added in most sections where new seats are installed, resulting in a further decrease in capacity.
When considering all of the factors, and in the interest of not reducing stadium capacity to levels that would greatly affect Georgia Tech fans’ opportunities to see the Yellow Jackets in action at Bobby Dodd Stadium, the decision was made to install 12,500 chairback seats. Following three-straight crowds of 50,000-plus to close the 2025 football season (Georgia Tech’s most crowds of 50,000-plus since 2014), as well as three sold-out concerts in 2025-26, post-renovation stadium capacity will be approximately 50,000, significantly higher than originally projected capacity of approximately 42,000.
“We remain committed to delivering a renovation that positively impacts all fans, preserves capacity at a level to meet demand and maintains the tradition of our historic home,” Georgia Tech vice president and director of athletics Ryan Alpert said. “This project is designed to modernize the gameday experience, while preserving the character and atmosphere that make Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field so special. We’re looking forward to delivering on those promises and welcoming fans to a newly renovated Bobby Dodd Stadium in 2027.”
In all, the stadium’s significant upgrades include:
- the addition of 12,500 chairback seats;
- new handrails and wider aisles in designated sections;
- a new, state-of-the-art videoboard;
- a new, state-of-the-art sound system.
Additionally, the stadium’s premium areas will receive substantial renovations, including:
- remodeled suites;
- construction of a new Founders Club on the west side of the stadium;
- an overhaul of East Club seating and indoor spaces, including the addition of a new VIP Members Club.
To set up a 1-on-1 meeting with a member of the Alexander-Tharpe Fund Staff to learn more about the exciting new premium seating options that will be available at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field in 2027, click HERE.
Due to the overall change in the facility’s seating manifest caused by the installation of the 12,500 chairback seats, Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field will undergo a full reseating process ahead of the 2027 season. However, the number of season ticket members that are significantly impacted by the reseating is anticipated to be lower than originally expected due to stadium post-renovation capacity of approximately 50,000 being considerably higher than the preliminary concept of an approximate 42,000-seat capacity. Details on the reseating process will be finalized and announced in the coming months.
This summer, Georgia Tech athletics will announce a list of 100 improvements to the gameday experience at Bobby Dodd Stadium that will be implemented prior to the 2026 season, ahead of the renovation project that will be completed in 2027.
SEATING BOWL
FOUNDERS CLUB
EAST CLUB
VIP MEMBERS CLUB
SUITES
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.
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