Renderings of the upgrades slated for Williams-Brice Stadium. | Photo via the University of South Carolina
USC’s Board of Trustees approved a Request for Proposal (RFP) + is now looking for an architecture firm to focus on Phase One of reimagining Williams-Brice Stadium. This announcement comes a few months after the board of trustees approved a new master plan outlining several proposed improvements that could change campus + Columbia’s landscape — upgrades to Willy B. included.
Five things to know about the Williams-Brice’s upgrades
Phase One primarily focuses on the design of the West and East Sides of the stadium — think: premium suites + the installation of club seats.
Funding for the project will come from capital gifts, suite, and premium seating purchases, and related revenue streams.
Construction is expected to be complete prior to the 2027 football season and there’s no expectation of games having to relocate from Williams-Brice Stadium.
Williams-Brice has the lowest number of suites in the SEC; 18, and current renderings slate the addition of 36 new suites — 30 Original + 6 Founders.
The football stadium can currently hold 77,559 but may drop lower due to the addition of suites.
Initial renderings of a Founders Suite | Rendering via the University of South Carolina
While Phase One is fleshed out, future phases of the redevelopment + enhancements of Willy B. are being conceptualized.
More USC news
Last week, USC announced that it’s planning to develop a $350 million, specialized hospital focused on neurology-related illnesses — think: dementia, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, strokes, and more. The new, stand-alone hospital will be the first of its kind in SC, featuring 115 beds, providing state-of-the-art care, and is planned to be located in the BullStreet District as part of USC’s Health Sciences Campus.
Events
Events
Tuesday, Oct. 29
Halloween Carnival | 6-8 p.m. | Joseph F. Rice School of Law Courtyard | Free | Children and their families can pick out a free costume, grab candy, play games, and more.
A Pizza Party with Annie DiRusso | 7-10 p.m. | Graduate by Hilton Columbia SC | $35 | Enjoy fresh Paulie Gee’s wood-fired pizza and an intimate concert at this VIP live music series from The Wild Honey Pie.
Friday, Nov. 1
The War and Treaty | 7:30 p.m. | Harbison Theatre, Irmo | $40+ | Sing along to this GRAMMY-nominated duo for only one night at Harbison Theatre.
Saturday, Nov. 2
Gamecock Football vs. Texas A&M Aggies | Williams-Brice Stadium | $85+ | 7:30 or 7:45 p.m. | The Gamecocks look for a follow-up to their big win at Oklahoma.
ReptiCon | Jamil Temple | $10+ | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | See live animals from around the world, and purchase pets and pet products directly from the experts.
Riverbanks Zoo welcomes a baby Toco toucan — something it’s been waiting for for over a decade. The new toucan chick is currently behind the scenes in the Bird Conservation Center as it learns to fly and eat on its own and will be on exhibit next spring.
Number
$10 million — that’s the amount Mungo Homes spent on its new headquarters in Irmo, which broke ground in September of last year + is now complete. The new 20,250 sqft headquarters will allow for 40+ new jobs.
Development
The Brookland + 4West development — a 14,500-19,000 sqft mixed-use development project — is now complete after LS3P, a local architectural firm, locked in as the last commercial tenant to join the community. The new office is over 11,000 sqft. Recap the development project. (Cola Daily)
Biz
Maurice’s Piggie Park located on Charleston Highway, West Columbia burned in a large fire over the weekend. In a Facebook post, the business said: “The BBQ Pits, food preparation and processing plant facilities, and our offices are completely gone.” It plans to rebuild + other locations in Cola are closed until further notice.
Sports
Ray Tanner Field is the new name of Founders Park baseball field + marks the first time USC named a competition surface after a former coach or athlete. Tanner was USC baseball’s head coach for 16 seasons + led the team to back-to-back national titles. A dedication ceremony will take place in February. (Gamecocks Online)
Arts
Be early to your next flight out of the Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) so you can stop and admire this new mural, painted by the Girls Who Paint Murals group. Speaking of flying with ease, we’ve got a guide to keep local travel plane + simple.
Community
The Third annual Paint the Town Garnet and Black Block Party will take place on Friday, Nov. 1 to kick off homecoming week for USC. From 6-9 p.m., head to the Five Points Fountain to see the fountain dyed garnet, and then enjoy food trucks, games, live music, and more.
Listen
Locked On is ranking the last five games for the Gamecocks from easiest to hardest. Go beyond the scoreboard and behind the scenes of the South Carolina Gamecockswith Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
Arts
See how trailblazers shattered traditions, embraced new perspectives, and forever changed the canvas of modern art at “French Moderns,” a stunning new exhibition at the Columbia Museum of Art. Plan your visit.*
Tech
Are you putting yourself at risk online?Social media is great for connection, but oversharing can lead to account hacks, identity theft, and scams. Discover seven crucial tips to keep your information safe and secure.*
Health
Noise filtering, nearly invisible, rechargeable, long-lasting: Check, check, check, and check. This tiny hearing device turns noise into clarity, isolating the voices you care about for crystal-clear convos.*
Local artists will paint temporary murals on the street during the event so be sure to browse by a few times to see progress. | Photo via City of West Columbia
The City of West Columbia is preparing for its 8th annual Fall Back Fest, taking place on Friday, Nov. 1 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. on the 100-300 blocks of State Street. The free, fall festival celebrates local live music, art, food, drinks, artists, and vendors. Here’s what locals can expect.
What not to miss
Ten local artists will paint temporary murals on the street live during the event.
Live music from The Big Time Band and Six One Five Collective
Local vendors will provide food + beverages along State Street — see a full list of participating vendors.
Meeting Street Artisan Market will host a night edition market at the Interactive Art Park, located in front of Savage Craft Ale Works, and feature ~20 local vendors.
Bonus: The City of West Columbia is offering $5 Off Uber + Lyft for the festival.
A 60% off deal on an LED floor lamp perfect for your entertaining space. The minimalist lamp can be set to dozens of color combinations + light effects for the exact ambience you desire.
Bring your “A” game to Soda City Market this Saturday. The City of Columbia + Carolina Pong partnered to install a permanent ping pong table on Main Street in the pocket park between the Tapp’s building and Cyberwoven. Now, every Saturday morning from 9:30-11:30 a.m., you can join in on pickup games. They’ll have a few paddles on hand, but you’re welcome to bring your own.
Keep an eye out for more permanent ping-pong tables coming to Columbia soon.
Answered
Answered
If Columbia was a Halloween candy, what would we be and why?
With Halloween candy on the brain, we asked our readers which candies represented Columbia. Here’s what a few of you said:
“Haribo Happy Cola Candy” — Gail H.
“Hershey’s Chocolate Bar, sweet and solid!” — Nancy S.
“100 Grand because it’s not a top-tier candy bar but has some elements of those and overall not bad.” — Candace C.
“Candy corn because it is more than meets the eye. Stack candy corn and it becomes a corn cob.” — Ralph J.
“Bottle cap candy + Wax Soda pop candy” — Ann. O
“Starburst” — Tomalyn J.
If we’ve awoken your sweet tooth and you have kiddos, see ~10 places you can trick-or-treat around our city at the button below.
