Ohio Stadium is getting a facelift.

OSU athletic director Gene Smith announced on Tuesday that The Horseshoe is undergoing a four-year, $42 million renovation project. The venue will actually cut 2,600 seats, which Smith estimated will cost the university $1.2 million in ticket revenue.

The plan will result in the following upgrades:

  • restore and re-coat the 94-year old concrete on C-deck
  • upgrade power distribution systems for the east, west and south stands
  • improve and upgrade B-deck to include better lighting, larger televisions, an improved sound system and better scoreboards, which will improve the experience of fans with obstructed-view seats
  • renovate the premium seating area to consolidate the university suites into one University Suite and add 35 loge boxes and 12 luxury suites

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The project will be funded by the athletics department from auxiliary funds, debt and private donations. Ohio State’s previous capacity was 104,944, which ranked third in the country behind only Michigan and Penn State. The reduction will still put Ohio Stadium in the top five in capacity.

That, however, wasn’t what Smith said OSU was concerned about when discussing the project.

“We are committed to providing our fans, players and coaches with one of the best facilities in the nation,” Smith said in a statement. “We knew we had to get some of this done in order to avoid future degradation of the cement on C-deck. At the same time, we have fans requesting upgraded seating options. We see this as a great opportunity to accomplish both projects. It’s an important investment in the stadium that is beloved by so many.”