Memphis Tigers fans are getting an early look at the new Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium next month. The Tigers football program will host a fan fest on Saturday, August 8, a makeup date for an event originally planned at the end of spring practices in April, which was canceled due to weather.
The event will give fans a preview of the stadium’s nearly complete, multi-million-dollar renovation before the season officially kicks off. Athletic director Ed Scott said the fan fest is also a chance to get the football program acclimated to the space. “We have a new coach. We have a lot of new players, so we want to get them in the stadium to get a feel for the turf and also the surrounding areas,” Scott said.
The stadium will undergo final inspections later this month, with the Tigers expected to have temporary occupancy starting August 1 and gradually moving in from there. The goal is to have renovations fully complete ahead of the home opener against Arkansas State on September 5. Beyond the fan fest, Scott said the athletic department is also looking to schedule a public open house so fans can get familiar with the stadium’s new layout, now in its third iteration in about three years.
A specific time for the fan fest hasn’t been announced yet, and how much of the stadium will be accessible depends on how construction progresses. “We will try to be as close to game-ready as possible,” said Tabrian Arnold, associate athletic director overseeing capital projects and operations. “We have a lot of new and moving pieces in the stadium now. So, we want to test everything as much as possible and make the necessary adjustments.”
