Kansas receives record-setting $300 million gift from donor David Booth

USA Today

2 days ago

Later this month, when it kicks off its 2025 football season, Kansas will unveil a newly renovated David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium that just underwent a nine-figure facelift.
Even before that happens, the stadium's namesake has some even more generosity in store for his alma mater.
Kansas has received a $300 million gift from donor David Booth, the school announced on Wednesday, Aug. 13. It is the largest gift in school history and is among the largest in the history of college athletics.
REQUIRED READING: What are the best college football games of Week1? We list the top 10
Of that $300 million, $75 million will go toward launching the second phase of a $448 million overhaul of the Jayhawks' football stadium and the abutting Gateway District, a multi-use development planned next to the stadium that includes a new hotel, retail and restaurant spaces, student housing, parking and an outdoor event plaza. The remainder of that total will, according to the university, 'generate a stream of income that will strengthen Kansas Athletics across generations.'
"David's unprecedented generosity is transformative now and for our future," Kansas athletic director Travis Goff said in a statement. "It accelerates phase II of the Gateway District and the new 'Booth' and inspires others to step up and join in completing this vision. We're profoundly grateful for David's leadership and extraordinary impact on generations of student-athletes and fans. There is no more generous and impactful Jayhawk, and we are so fortunate to call him a friend and mentor."
Booth is a Lawrence, Kansas native and Kansas graduate who is the founder of Dimensional Fund Advisors, a global investment firm that manages $853 billion in assets. The Jayhawks' football stadium was renamed after Booth in 2017, when he pledged $50 million over five years to renovate the venue.
Over the better part of the past two years, the 104-year-old stadium has been effectively rebuilt, with new seats, suites, lights, turf and scoreboard. The construction forced Kansas to play last season away from campus, with home games occurring at the stadiums of Kansas City's NFL and MLS teams. The east side of the old venue remains in place and will be rebuilt as part of the second phase of the project.
"One of life's greatest privileges is being able to give back to the people and places that gave so much to you," Booth said in a statement. "KU and Lawrence are a big part of my story, and it means a lot to support the community that invested in me. Philanthropy, like investing, pays dividends over time. Each gift compounds, creating opportunities not just for today, but for years to come. This is really about the future we're building."
Kansas opens its 2025 football season on Saturday, Aug. 23, when it hosts Fresno State. The Jayhawks are coming off a disappointing 5-7 season in 2024, but are expected to be better this year, receiving six votes in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll.