Sac State approved to explore Cal Expo Grandstands for new stadium site

Sept. 3, 2025 - The Cal Expo Board of Directors on Thursday, Aug. 28, approved granting Sacramento State exclusive rights to explore building a new football stadium at the Grandstands.

Last year, Sacramento State announced plans to rebuild Hornet Stadium and improve the game-day experience for students and the community, but Cal Expo proposed a new opportunity to university leadership.

"In addition to being two state agencies, Sac State is our neighbor, just over two miles down the road," said Tom Martinez, CEO of California Exposition & State Fair. “We are excited to collaborate on a project that benefits the broader Sacramento community by bringing Hornet football to Cal Expo.”

Sacramento State has seen a significant boost in enrollment following initiatives launched by President Luke Wood, including the nation’s first Black Honors College, the first Native American College in the California State University system, and Combat U — a public-private partnership providing a pathway to a degree and career in combat sports.

In addition, there’s been a growing interest in the Hornet football program since the hiring of head coach Brennan Marion. Marion has brought a new vision and excitement to the program that’s increasing Sac State’s visibility across the country.

“We have been ambitious about trying to elevate the brand recognition of Sacramento State from a regional institution to a national institution with a regional commitment,” explained Dr. Luke Wood, president of Sacramento State. “We have the largest enrollment now that we’ve ever had face-to-face. We’re in a really healthy position.”

The University aims to transform the Grandstand into a football stadium with seating for 25,000 — expandable to 40,000 in the future — along with modular locker rooms and dedicated space to enhance the game-day experience.

At the board meeting, Wood outlined the benefits of a partnership:

• Sacramento State and Cal Expo are both state agencies with the ability to bond.
• Existing infrastructure will cut construction costs nearly in half.
• The University is approximately 2 miles from Cal Expo, with a bike path connecting the two locations for a 14-minute bike ride.
• Game-day parking will be eased by the nearly 15,000 available parking spaces at Cal Expo.

“There’s no reason that we can’t have big time college football here in Sacramento,” said Sacramento State Athletics Director Mark Orr. “What we need is a facility that can support the aspirations we have for football. The students and community deserve it.”

Cal Expo and Sac State will continue conducting independent and joint environmental and seismic evaluations to determine necessary improvements to the 9.25 acres of land. While the University continues to explore the potential for moving the football program to the Cal Expo Grandstand, investments have recently been made to the on-campus Hornet Stadium with new lights, seating, and video boards among other game day experience enhancements."

CONTACT: Lanaya Lewis, [email protected], 916-217-8366

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