Jurich 'very cautious' about stadium expansion

The real-estate consulting firm looking into the feasibility of expanding Louisville football's Papa John's Cardinal Stadium hasn't finished its report yet, but U of L athletic director Tom Jurich isn't in a rush anyway.

Johnson Consulting, a Chicago-based firm that most recently helped build Florida Atlantic's new football stadium, is studying the north end of PJCS as a potential spot for adding seats to the 55,000-seat stadium.

There is currently a row of hedges, with a grass berm behind them leading up to U of L's football training facility and offices.

"When we get the report, we'll go through it thoroughly," Jurich said. "It's something I want to be very cautious about what we do. I think it makes a lot of sense but I want to make sure we can do it before we get started."

Jurich spoke to media members on Tuesday after announcing a matching gift from Thorntons convenience and gas stores that could be worth up to $6 million. If the donations reach that number, U of L will have enough to break ground on a new athletics academic center on the south of PJCS.

The $14 million project would start construction in early 2015 and target fall of 2016 as a completion date.

But changing the north end of the stadium isn't a priority just yet. Jurich said he wants to focus on the current projects, like the academic center, before looking ahead to PJCS expansion.

"I'm looking at what fits for us and what fits for the community," Jurich said.