The Lead Off

• Ohio State University is planning a $125 million expansion and renovation of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, home to the Buckeyes football program.
• Athletic Director Ross Bjork says fundraising is underway, with construction expected to begin in the coming years pending approvals and financing.
• The project would expand locker rooms, training areas, and meeting spaces to address current space limitations for the football team.

COLUMBUS, OHIO (WOWO) Ohio State University is planning a $125 million expansion and renovation of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, a major upgrade aimed at expanding and modernizing facilities used by the Buckeyes football program.

Expansion plans for athletic facility

Athletic Director Ross Bjork said the renovation would focus on the north side of the facility, which currently houses offices, locker rooms, training rooms, and other team infrastructure.

Bjork said the project is designed to address long-standing space limitations within the program’s facilities.

“Frankly, for me, it’s just time to go,” Bjork said. “Like we’ve got to get this thing off the ground. We’ve been talking about it long enough, and now’s the time.”

According to Bjork, the expansion would include new and upgraded locker rooms, training areas, weight rooms, and additional office and meeting spaces.

He also noted that current constraints make it difficult to accommodate the entire team during meetings.

“Right now, not everyone can fit in the team meeting room when we have a team meeting,” Bjork said.

Fundraising and timeline

Bjork said fundraising efforts for the $125 million project are already underway, with initial planning steps in place. However, he said additional funding, visibility, and public bidding processes are still needed before construction can begin.

He estimated that construction could begin in early 2028, with renovations expected to follow a multi-phase development timeline.

The university has not yet finalized all project details but is expected to release additional information before the upcoming football season.

Facility history and prior upgrades

The Woody Hayes Athletic Center, dedicated in 1987, is named after former Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes, who led the program from 1951 to 1978.

The facility has undergone prior expansions, including a more than $19 million upgrade in the early 2000s and additional $7.8 million improvements around 2018.

The center serves as the primary practice facility for Ohio State football and also houses program trophies and historical displays.

Broader athletics revenue and funding context

Bjork previously told the university’s board of trustees that Ohio State athletics continues to see record revenue growth, including all-time highs in football ticket revenue and overall athletics ticket sales.

He also cited strong fundraising totals and licensing revenue as contributing factors supporting capital projects such as facility upgrades.

Naming controversy and campus context

The facility has also drawn attention due to the naming of its indoor practice field, the Les Wexner Football Complex. The naming has been the subject of student and survivor-led protests calling for its removal, citing concerns related to past allegations involving former Ohio State physician Richard Strauss and financier Jeffrey Epstein.

More than 500 formal requests have been submitted seeking removal of Wexner’s name, according to reporting.

The naming of the complex is considered honorific, meaning any change would be decided by the university’s board of trustees.

Bjork did not comment on whether the naming would be addressed as part of the renovation project.

The Takeaway

• Ohio State is pursuing a $125 million expansion of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center that would significantly upgrade locker rooms, training areas, and team meeting spaces for the football program.
• Athletic Director Ross Bjork said fundraising is ongoing, with construction tentatively expected to begin around 2028, pending financing and approval processes.
• The project comes amid record athletics revenue at Ohio State and ongoing campus debate surrounding facility naming and historical controversies tied to parts of the football complex.