Vanderbilt football dedicates south end zone building, culminating FirstBank Stadium construction

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When Clark Lea came to Vanderbilt, he said, he came to win a national championship.

But that didn't seem possible in 2021, his first season. That year, the Commodores started the season with a loss to ETSU.

Things have changed since then. In 2021, the Vandy United program was in its infancy and was dedicated solely to upgrading facilities. On Sept. 25, Vanderbilt finally dedicated the opening of its new south end zone building at FirstBank Stadium, which includes premium seating areas for football, a team store and a new locker room. A new athlete dining facility is also in the works. The dedication comes more than two-and-a half years after the first groundbreaking of the facility in the north end zone in January 2023. That facility was completed in 2024.

"The thing that I want to underscore with my players is how much they appreciate the investment in the spaces that prepare them to play," Lea said. "And I think for so many of them, it's a reminder of good things happen when you invest, when you believe, when you do the work, it eventually ripples and pays off."

Vanderbilt, in Lea's fifth season, is currently 4-0 and ranked No. 20 in the US LBM Coaches Poll. The Commodores will take on Utah State at FirstBank Stadium on Sept. 27 (11:45 a.m. CT, SEC Network). Quarterback Diego Pavia and tight end Eli Stowers have proved two of the SEC's most electric players so far.

Vanderbilt emphasized that the facilities connect all the sports. The north end zone building primarily houses basketball practice gyms and offices, but it also contains seating to watch football games. From the south end zone building is an observation deck where Hawkins Field is visible.

Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said in a speech that it was a goal to invest in athletics when he took over the job in 2020 and to reconnect the university to the city of Nashville. That investment, he believes, has shown up in the school's success on the field across all sports.

Shortly after the facilities project was announced, NIL became legal in college athetics, and later the House settlement allowed for revenue sharing between schools and athletes. Athletic director Candice Lee said she always believed that Vanderbilt could adapt to the changing times, but that things were tough especially at the beginning.

"Some days were very challenging, especially in 2021 and 2022," Lee said. "But the reality is that one of the things we've learned is that you have to be agile, and you can't pick one lane. We have to be good in ... multiple lanes. So we needed both, and thankfully, people answered the call."

The new facility has some on-field impacts that go beyond the enhanced experience for fans who sit there. Lea said having the buildings in the end zone gives the stadium a different feel and it makes the acoustics different, too. The new locker rooms mean the team no longer has to dress across the street.

Lea said he is pushing for the university to add an operations facility next, and that "it's got to happen with urgency."

But as a former player, Lea says the investment is noticeable and appreciated.

"I think for so long, the program has been treated almost like it's second class," Lea said. "I think it's important internally that we have to treat it as we believe it to be, and that's the best in the country. ... Our job is not just to celebrate that change, but to push and pull and to take it further so that it can be sustained succcess and we can celebrate championships here."

Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.