BOISE, Idaho — Boise State University’s nearly completed North End Zone expansion is preparing to welcome student-athletes, fans and community groups, creating a space university leaders say will be used far beyond football game days.
During a tour of the new interior, Boise State Associate Athletic Director for Facilities and Operations Nate Burk said the expansion was designed to remain active throughout the year.
“This is more than just, uh, you know, six, seven, eight times a year for football,” Burk said. “This is a space that we’ve designed to use 365 days a year.”
WATCH: Boise State's North End Zone Expansion project nears completion
Boise State football players will begin using the new club and dining area when fall camp starts Monday. Players will eat in the space three days a week, and all Boise State student-athletes will have access to the new dining and nutrition area when the fall semester begins.
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The space will also be available for community and campus events when student-athletes are not using it. Burk said reservations are already coming in for holiday parties, corporate retreats, galas and formal events.
“We have a whole team of professionals dedicated to the activation of those spaces,” Burk said.
Burk said early planning also helped keep the North End Zone project on schedule and on budget. Boise State purchased steel and other construction materials before several tariffs took effect in 2025, a move he said saved the university roughly seven figures.
The nearly completed expansion will also introduce new experiences for football fans. On game days, fans in the new field-level suites will be able to watch Boise State players emerge from the tunnel before running onto the field.
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Fans throughout Albertsons Stadium will also be able to explore the new North End Zone features from the concourse level. Some fans got an early look at the space during last month’s Pac-12 conference launch party.
“It sure feels good to have this done, and really about what it means for our student-athletes and then the community,” Burk said. “I’m just really happy how things turned out.”
The North End Zone is expected to host its first fans during Banana Ball this weekend. In preparation for the event, crews are transforming the iconic Blue Turf into a baseball field, with the batter’s box located near the corner of the North End Zone.
The new space is expected to be fully ready for Boise State football’s first home game of the season in September.
