The University of South Florida has officially broken ground on a new football stadium on campus, set to open in time for the 2027 season.

USF students, staff and alumni attended with Florida elected officials to hear about the new facility and witness the symbolic “ground breaking” that signals the start of construction.

University President Rhea Law opened the ceremony by emphasizing the significance of the stadium to the school and thanking the donors. She added that the stadium will not only be used for football.

“Sure, there will be USF football, but there will be women’s lacrosse, there will be concerts, there will be festivals, there will be other events,” Law said.

“We want to run this year-round, so there are plenty of reasons to come back to the University of South Florida and celebrate with us.”

Four new ones PLAYS stadium were released earlier in the week. USF officials said the design should help the Bulls gain an edge by boosting morale — and hopefully fan attendance.

The project is estimated to cost $340 million and house about 35,000 people.

The stadium will have an open-air north lawn area dedicated to tailgating, live music and non-game events.

Gonzmart Family Foundation and Horton Family Foundation donated $1 million each to help finance the stadium before the dedication ceremony.

“The support we have received and continue to receive will allow us to recruit, retain and develop elite football players and elite youth,” USF football coach Alex Golesh said.

USF Vice President of Athletics Michael Kelly said he began dreaming of an on-campus stadium for the university in the 1990s and is glad to see it finally become a reality.

“This stadium is going to be the centerpiece of what I’ve said many times, and I still believe, in the center of my heart, it’s going to be one of the best athletic districts in all of college sports,” Kelly said.

All seats on the west side of the stadium will be dedicated to USF students. Other amenities included on the home side will be student-only concessions, special seating in the form of a green Bull U logo and a DJ deck.

“This stadium is bigger than football. It is a reminder to USF that we can and will continue to do great things everywhere you look,” said Will Weatherford, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. “The University of South Florida is on the rise.”