Postcard from Tuscaloosa: Bryant-Denny Stadium Renovations Appear to be Hitting Home Stretch

With just over 50 days until Alabama's scheduled home opener, the work on the football facilities and Bryant-Denny Stadium appears to be reaching the final stages

Christopher Walsh | Jul 18, 2020

Postcard from Tuscaloosa: Bryant-Denny Stadium Renovations Appear to be Hitting Home Stretch /

We did an update on Bryant-Denny Stadium earlier this week, called This Isn't Your Parents' Bryant-Denny Stadium, but I decided to go back Friday because it's gotten to the point that changes from just a few are really noticeable.

For one, I was able to get up pretty close to the new tunnel at the end of the Walk of Champions.

Ok, it's a tunnel and you really can't see much in the interior which will be all lit up if they stick to the original plans, but that part of the project appears to be nearly done. There are some more cosmetic things to be wrapped up. Thankfully, few people were there when I was because it felt like being on the sun.

The new tunnel at Bryant-Denny Stadium — Christopher Walsh/BamaCentral

Actually, my initial hope was to just get this following shot, but all the activity in front of the stadium along University Blvd. last week was long gone.

Bryant-Denny Stadium renovation, July 17, 2020 — Christopher Walsh/BamaCentral

That's going to look really nice once they get rid of the fence. You might have also noticed that there's now more room to add more championship plaques.

Heading over to the west side of the stadium there were numerous small cranes being used to work on the support framing (at least that's my guess to what those things are. They kind of look like something out of The Matrix to me).

Again, compared to just a few days ago one can really see the difference in the ongoing $107 million project, which is due to be finished in time for the scheduled home opener Sept. 12.

Bryant-Denny Stadium ongoing renovations, July 17, 2020 — Christopher Walsh/BamaCentral

Over at the football complex, most of the exterior work is done, although a new parking gate was going up in front of the weight room, so you can't drive up the alley between it and Coleman Coliseum any more.

The outside of the new sports science center has been completed, and a good part of the interior as well, at least from what's visible through the windows.

Alabama's news sports science center — Christopher Walsh/BamaCentral

Finally, it appeared that the lobby of the Mal Moore Athletic Facility is still being worked on, but the landscaping is done. Alabama made this side by the parking spots wheelchair accessible.

New landscaping at the Mal Moore Athletic Facility — Christopher Walsh/BamaCentral

Published Jul 18, 2020

CHRISTOPHER WALSH

Christopher Walsh is the founder and publisher of BamaCentral, which first published in 2018. He's covered the Crimson Tide since 2004, and is the author of 26 books including Decade of Dominance, 100 Things Crimson Tide Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die, Nick Saban vs. College Football, and Bama Dynasty: The Crimson Tide's Road to College Football Immortality. He's an eight-time honoree of Football Writers Association of America awards and three-time winner of the Herby Kirby Memorial Award, the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s highest writing honor for story of the year. In 2022, he was named one of the 50 Legends of the ASWA. Previous beats include the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, along with Major League Baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks. Originally from Minnesota and a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, he currently resides in Tuscaloosa.