KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT)— Tennessee football fans will encounter significant changes to parking and tailgating routines this season as construction gets underway on a new entertainment district near Neyland Stadium.
The project has already led to the closure of a large portion of Lot G-10, one of the most popular parking and tailgating locations on campus. The changes are primarily affecting donors and longtime season ticket holders who have parked in the area for years.
University of Tennessee officials say season ticket holders must make a $100 donation to the university’s priority fund to secure on-campus parking. Some fans who previously parked in G-10 have been reassigned to lots farther from the stadium as construction begins.
For fans like Jeff Benton, whose wife’s family has held Tennessee football season tickets since the 1950s, the transition marks the end of a longstanding game day tradition.
“I would put that spot against any other in the country,” Benton said. “Right underneath the stadium sign where it says Vols and right overlooking the river.”
Benton previously hosted his tailgate atop G-10 but has now moved operations to Lot 14, located near Tennessee’s soccer and volleyball facilities. He said he has already started preparing for the longer walk to Neyland Stadium.
“We’ve been putting plans together ever since,” Benton said. “We’ve already tested out the walk from here and it’s about 20 minutes.”
To help offset the loss of G-10 parking, the university has expanded game day parking options. Additional spaces are available at Lot 14, while new parking locations have been added at Fort Kid, World’s Fair Park and Poplar Street.
UT officials say all designated game day lots will open at 7 a.m. and fans will have access to a shuttle tram service that will transport visitors to and from Neyland Stadium.
Despite the inconvenience, Benton said he supports the project if it ultimately benefits the university and its athletic programs.
“We know they’re going to do something phenomenal because Tennessee does everything phenomenally,” Benton said. “They’re doing a great job.”
The university is also encouraging fans without season tickets to park in downtown Knoxville and use Knoxville Area Transit buses to travel to campus, helping reduce congestion around the stadium.
The entertainment district project is part of a larger redevelopment effort surrounding Neyland Stadium. UT President Randy Boyd has said the new parking facilities are expected to be completed by next fall. The entertainment district itself is targeted for completion in 2028, while a planned condo-hotel development associated with the project is expected to open in 2029.
As construction continues, fans are being urged to plan ahead and allow extra time to reach the stadium on game days as decades-old parking and tailgating traditions adapt to the evolving landscape around Tennessee football.
