>> DINA BAIR: CELEBRATION IN EVANSTON TODAY AS LOCAL OFFICIALS JOINED NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY FACULTY, THEY GATHERED TO WATCH AS CONSTRUCTION OF NORTHWESTERN'S NEW RYAN FIELD KICKED INTO HIGH GEAR WHO LEWIS REPORTS NOW FROM INSTANT. >> SEAN LEWIS: WELL, GOOD EVENING. THE DEMOLITION WORK IN THE BEGINNING OF CONSTRUCTION HERE IN EVANSTON HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL MONTHS HERE. THE CREWS HARD AT WORK RIGHT NOW, BUILDING THE FOUNDATION FOR WHAT WILL BE THE NEW RYAN STADIUM. CEREMONIAL GROUNDBREAKING ON WHAT BECAME A CONTROVERSIAL PROJECT. IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE TO SEE HOW MUCH WORK HAS GONE ON AT THIS SITE OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW 800 MILLION DOLLAR RYAN FIELD IS EXPECTED TO TAKE A COUPLE OF YEARS. >> WHAT'S BEING DONE NOW IS ON THE SUBSTRUCTURE. THE NEW 35,000 SEAT STADIUM WILL BE SMALLER THAN ITS NEARLY CENTURY-OLD PREDECESSOR. BUT WITH MANY MODERN AMENITIES IT IS MUCH MORE. >> THEN A FOOTBALL STADIUM. THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY WILL ALSO SERVE AS VIBRANT VENUE FOR THE EVANSTON COMMUNITY. IT IS AN IMPORTANT NOTE FROM NORTHWESTERN'S PRESIDENT BECAUSE THE PROJECT DID MEET WITH RESISTANCE AND LAWSUITS FROM LOCALS. >> WHERE IS THE OLD RYAN FIELD WAS LIMITED TO MOSTLY HOSTING FOOTBALL GAMES ON SATURDAYS. THE NEW STADIUM IS EXPECTED TO ALSO HOST OTHER EVENTS, INCLUDING CONCERTS IN NOVEMBER. EVANSTON MAYOR DANIEL BISS CAST THE TIE BREAKING VOTE TO APPROVE CONSTRUCTION. I DECIDED IT WAS WORTH TAKING THAT RISK. >> IN THE NAME OF THE PARTNERSHIP. >> SEAN LEWIS: NORTHWESTERN ALSO HELP SECURE FINAL APPROVAL IN PART BY PLEDGING 150 MILLION DOLLARS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNDS FOR THE CITY. AN UP TO SWING SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS DECISIONS WHO TOOK A VERY CHALLENGING VOTE BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD WHAT THIS MEANT FOR THE FUTURE OF EVANSTON. NEW WILDCATS COACH DAVID BROWN BELIEVES THE TEAM WORK ON GETTING THE STADIUM APPROVED AND BUILT IS WORTH ITS. THERE'S JUST SOMETHING TO BE SAID ABOUT COMMUNITY BUILDING. YOUR MEANS IS YOU HAVE A VENUE THAT PEOPLE ARE EXCITED TO BE A PART OF. AND AS YOU START TO CREATE. >> VENUE WHAT THAT PEOPLE WANT TO BE A PART OF NOT NOW. NOW THERE'S AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE MEMORIES ARE CREATED WHEN MEMORIES ARE CREATED, YOU CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT PEOPLE WANT TO CONTINUE TO RETURN TO WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM CHICAGO. PRO TEAMS LIKE THE BEARS AND CUBS AS WELL AS THE NAMESAKE FOR THE NEW STADIUM. PAT RYAN AND HIS FAMILY AT THE CEREMONY. >> NORTHWESTERN DIGS IN NOW FOR 2 YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION. YOU CAN'T DO THINGS LIKE THIS. >> JARRETT PAYTON: WITHOUT THE CITY. SO THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THIS. AMAZING, TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECT AND FOR HAVING OUR BACKS AS WE BUILD. NOT ONE BUT 2 FOOTBALL STADIUMS AT THE SAME TIME. AND YOU HEARD THE REFERENCE THERE TO NORTHWESTERN BUILDING TO STADIUMS AT THE SAME TIME. AND THAT IS BECAUSE WHILE CONSTRUCTION IS HAPPENING HERE, NORTHWESTERN IS ALSO BUILDING A TEMPORARY STADIUM ABOUT A MILE AND A HALF EAST OF HERE. >> RIGHT ON CAMPUS ALONG THE LAKE FRONT. THAT WILL BE THE TEMPORARY HOME FOR THE WILDCATS UNTIL THE FALL OF 2026. WHEN THE NEW RYAN STADIUM IS EXPECTED