UT Celebrates Groundbreaking for 865 Neyland Entertainment District
September 21, 2026, 10:18 p.m.

Left to right: Eric Ducote, senior campus design manager, UT Knoxville; Jared Schrom, principal, RVX Ventures; Taylor Gray, principal, RVX Ventures; J.R. Berger, president, Magellan Development Group; Dixon Greenwood, broker; Donde Plowman, chancellor, UT Knoxville; Danny White, vice chancellor and director of athletics, UT Knoxville; David Miller, senior vice president and chief financial officer, UT System; Austin Oakes, associate vice president of capital projects, UT System; Allen Bolton, senior vice chancellor for finance and administration, UT Knoxville. Image by Tennessee Athletics

KNOXVILLE - University of Tennessee, Knoxville, leadership and community partners gathered Sept. 19 to break ground for construction of the 865 Neyland entertainment district. Located between Neyland Stadium and Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center, the innovative development will serve as a vibrant hub for UT fans, visitors and the Knoxville community. “The 865 Neyland entertainment district is going to be a game changer for our fans and a huge asset for our entire campus,” said Chancellor Donde Plowman. “The investment creates new opportunities for fan experiences, community engagement and year-round activities.”


A dynamic destination

Developed through a public-private partnership between UT, RVX Ventures, Magellan Development Group and Arctos Sports, 865 Neyland will feature approximately 100,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor entertainment, dining and retail space alongside a 24-story hybrid condo-hotel.

“There’s not a college athletics department in the country that has an entertainment district and a hotel development at this scope and scale,” said Danny White, vice chancellor and director of athletics. “It’s really a game changer, and we’re a first mover in this space. I think it’s a differentiator when I think about recruiting visits and the ability to show our student-athletes in a physical way that Tennessee has the biggest and best, most passionate fan base and we’ve got the facilities to prove it.”

Plans for the mixed-use development include:

• A rooftop bar overlooking Neyland Stadium

• An anchor restaurant inspired by East Tennessee traditions

• A multilevel sports bar

• Two outdoor plazas with green space and additional food and beverage offerings

• 3,000 square feet of LED displays

• A performance stage featuring a 50-foot LED display for hosting major artists, watch parties and special events

“It’s a very creative approach to creating community. Sports bring us together and unite us, and I couldn’t be happier about this,” added Plowman.

Demolition of UT’s G10 parking garage, located within the development footprint, is scheduled for fall. A new parking garage is expected to be completed by August 2027. The entertainment district is scheduled to open in early 2028, followed by the condo-hotel tower in 2029.

For more information, visit 865Neyland.com.