New CSU Football Stadium Approved By Board Of Governors

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4) - It looks like Colorado State University will get its new on-campus football stadium after the Board of Governors approved the school president's proposal on Friday.

Just as the Rams football program lost its leader Jim McElwain to the University of Florida, the team learned it will get a new home after a 3-year battle. The Board of Governors approved the new stadium with an 8-1 vote.

The new stadium, with an increased capacity of nearly 30 percent to up to 4,200 seats, will be built on the campus' southwest corner. It will cost anywhere from $190 million to $220 million to build.

CSU President Tony Frank told CBS he's obviously very happy with the board's decision, but wouldn't say he's relieved.

"But now the hard work really starts, so I don't know that it's a relief in that respect," Frank said. "Now we've got to go about all the business of making this live up to all its expectations and live up to its promise."

Exactly how CSU will fund the project is still up in the air, and it's not clear when construction could begin.

Although the board decided it's worth the financial risk, opponents question the math and call the plan an unnecessary obsession. They say the school can't justify the cost and ask that repairs be made to the current field instead. They said they will look at options, including a lawsuit.