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December 9, 2024
Northwestern University today celebrated the formal groundbreaking for the new Ryan Field, a 100% privately funded project set to bring thousands of jobs and nearly $660 million in economic impact to the City of Evanston and surrounding areas.
The ceremony took place at the site of the new stadium and included remarks by University officials and Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss. The speakers were joined in the groundbreaking by members of the Ryan Family, whose vision, leadership and generosity are the catalyst behind the new stadium.
“The Ryan Family is proud to enable this generational, transformational project that will catapult Northwestern to the forefront of athletics facilities while creating a powerful year-round asset for the Northwestern and Evanston communities,” said Pat Ryan Sr., founder of Aon Corporation (NYSE: AON) and founder and CEO of Ryan Specialty Group (NYSE: RYAN). “So many of the Ryans have called Evanston home for important chapters of our lives, and we look forward to delivering on the promises we have made through this investment, including new jobs for residents, investments in community programs and services, increased tourism opportunities and unprecedented economic impact for the community at large.”
“The new Ryan Field is important to our Wildcats, yes, but it is much more than a football stadium. This state-of-the-art facility also will serve as a vibrant venue for the Evanston community, hosting community-oriented events such as winter festivals, family movie nights and youth sports events,” Northwestern President Michael Schill said. “None of this would be possible without some very generous individuals. From athletics to academics and research, the Ryan Family has supported Northwestern in ways that will resonate with our community for generations to come.”
Northwestern continues to target 35% of total subcontracted spending between local, minority-owned, and women-owned businesses for the construction of the new Ryan Field, totaling an estimated $208 million.
“The University has committed to partnering with local, minority, and women-owned businesses, and we are proud to be a part of that mission,” said Pamyla Fountain Brown, vice president, senior director of Community and Citizenship, Central Street Consortium. “Our priority is to be good neighbors while our talented team is bringing this facility to life, so we will continue listening to the community’s feedback throughout the entire construction process.”
Additionally, the new stadium will be one of the most accessible stadiums in college football and achieve LEED Gold-Certified standards for sustainability. The world-class facility is set to open in 2026 and will include a community park and public greenspaces for residents to enjoy year-round.
