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BUFFALO, NY - The University at Buffalo today unveiled plans for a 14,500-seat expansion to UB Stadium, completing one of the requirements for the university's move to the Division I-A level for football in the Mid -American Conference for the 1999 season.

Foit-Albert Associates Architects unveiled the plans at a press conference this afternoon at UB Stadium, which will seat over 30,000 once the expansion takes place. Ground is expected to be broken in the spring of 1999 and completion of the new seats - which will occupy both end-zone areas - is slated for August 1999.

The $2.5 million project is part of UB's capital program and has been submitted to the State University of New York Construction Fund.

"We have made significant progress with our plans to expand UB Stadium, which will allow over 30,000 students, alumni and other supporters to participate firsthand in the excitement of Division I football in Western New York," said President William R. Greiner. "We are demonstrating to the Mid-American Conference and to our entire region that we are totally committed to making this a successful venture for all of us. Our participation in Division I intercollegiate competition at the MAC level will bring a new realm of sports excitement to our area."

The stadium expansion is the first of two criteria that UB must complete before being reclassified as a Division I-A institution. The second is selling over 17,000 seats per game for the 1998 home schedule. Associate Athletic Director Bob Arkeilpane announced today that more than 12,000 seats have been sold thus far with four months before the home opener on Sept. 12 against Lock Haven University.

"The response we have gotten has been tremendous, particularly from our alumni and the many Western New York corporations who have made clear to us their desire to help bring major college football to the area," said Arkeilpane. "We would like to stress, however, that we still have a long way to go and we hope that support from our campus and the greater community will continue to grow as we get closer to realizing a goal that has been over a decade in the making."

"The fact that we have secured over 12,000 season tickets for our 1998 football season is evidence of our commitment to successfully participate at the Division I-A level," said Greiner. "Because of our incredibly strong start in selling season tickets, we are very confident that we will be able to sell the remaining 5,000 by this fall. We especially thank the many corporate donors who have stepped forward to generously support UB football."

When successful, the Bulls will join only 111 other universities in the nation to be classified at the I-A level for football. That fact was not lost on Greiner.

"It is appropriate for our region's university to take its place among our national peers in athletics as we do in research, teaching and public service," he said. "Completing the move from Division III to Division I-A in only eight years is a measure of our commitment to national standing in all of our endeavors."