AUG. 2, 3:12 P.M. – An unknown, private development firm recently contacted Syracuse University with plans for a new football stadium, SU athletic director Daryl Gross confirmed to The Daily Orange in a telephone interview Thursday afternoon.

An anonymous source contacted The D.O. late Wednesday night with initial information.

‘Recently a private developer approached the University and expressed interest in conducting a feasibility study related to an idea they had for a new privately-financed athletic stadium,’ Gross wrote in a statement to The D.O. ‘Private developers frequently approach the University with ideas and we indicated to this developer that they could conduct a feasibility study at their own cost.

‘It is very premature to consider this a University project, as this is simply a concept that has been advanced by a developer. We expect that the developer will discuss the results of their feasibility study with us once it has been completed.’

The Carrier Dome, the largest on-campus domed stadium in the United States, opened in 1980.

Gross also confirmed a statue of 1961 Heisman trophy winner Ernie Davis will be completed in the next six months. Private donations paid for the cost of the statue.

No other information on the potential stadium or the statue is available at this time.

Return to dailyorange.com for details.

Ethan Ramsey, The D.O’s managing editor, reported via telephone from Richmond, Va.

Published on August 7, 2007 at 12:00 pm