Originally published August 20, 2019.

The 82-year-old Foreman Field is officially gone, and in its place stands the brand new 70 million dollar Kornblau Field at S.B. Ballard stadium at Old Dominion University. The stadium was officially turned over to the University on August 28th.

President Broderick and officials held a tour of the new field and all its amenities on Thursday afternoon, two days before the kick-off game against Norfolk State. After the last game of the season on Nov. 24th, construction began shortly after to bring a newfound life and football experience to students, families, and fans in just a matter of nine short months.

There are quite a few different amenities that fans will notice immediately upon walking into the new stadium. ODU has embedded a new clear bag policy that will ensure that fans get through security faster, and is hoping for a safer, better peace of mind football experience. ODU plans to hand out over five thousand free clear bags to season ticket holders on Saturday to kick off the game, compliments of the Old Dominion Athletic Foundation. The clear bags are available for purchase at the Old Dominion Bookstore on Monarch Way.

Other notable amenities include an increase in the number of bathrooms, cash registers, stadium seats, elevators, and concession stands. During the construction of the new stadium, every detail was thought about in order to maximize fans’ football experience. The stands now have an extra eight to nine inches of leg room, an increased the seat capacity to 21,944, while Foreman Field held just about 20,118 seats.

Officials also kept in the mind the environment while planning the construction, giving the stadium lighting LED bulbs that will reduce energy consumption by up to 50 percent. The new stadium also now holds a whooping 93 surround sound speakers, that are powerful enough to hear, but won’t be disruptive to nearby neighborhoods.

Along with many new amenities added to the stadiums appearance and practicality, the stadiums chef, Robert Patton, has designed a brand new menu to bring to the concession stands. The new menu will include items such as crab cakes, impossible cheeseburgers, salads, and vegan options to add variety that other football stadiums may lack.

President Broderick was cautious upon planning for the new football field. He emphasized the importance of waiting to build the new stadium until enough funding was available, without raising fees or tuition for students. “People will be pleasantly surprised,” said Broderick.

From the stands being ten feet closer to the field, to the new LED screen, bigger media room, and artificial turf field, the new Kornblau is nearly done and ready for Sat. afternoons home game. The priority room is still under construction, and should be ready by the next home game.

ODU plans to go all out for the first game, and tailgaters can expect a ribbon-cutting ceremony, parachuters, and other experiences that will hopefully make fans feel like they are a part of the game.