Darrell K Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium Darrell K Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium ( formerly War Memorial Stadium , Memorial Stadium , and Texas Memorial Stadium ) , located in Austin , Texas , has been home to the University of Texas at Austin Longhorns football team since 1924 . The stadium has delivered a great home field advantage with the team ' s home record through the 2012 season being 352 - 100 - 10 ( 77 . 2 % ) . The current official stadium seating capacity of 100 , 119 makes the stadium the largest football - only venue by seating capacity in the state of Texas , the largest in the Big 12 Conference , the sixth largest stadium in the NCAA and the United States , and the ninth largest non - racing stadium in the world . While DKR - Texas Memorial Stadium has the largest " seating " capacity in the U . S . state of Texas , the NFL ' s Dallas Cowboys ' new stadium , Cowboys Stadium , has an overall capacity of approximately 111 , 000 when combining a seating capacity of 80 , 000 plus outdoor party plazas capable of accommodating up to 31 , 000 standing fans . The DKR - Texas Memorial Stadium attendance record of 101 , 851 spectators was set on October 6 , 2012 , when Texas played new conference mate West Virginia . The stadium has been expanded several times since its original opening . The University ' s most recent completed project was a $ 27 million expansion and renovation project to the south end zone facilities in August 2009 . For the 2009 season , 4 , 525 permanent bleacher seats were constructed , which allowed the stadium to become the first football stadium in Texas capable of seating in excess of 100 , 000 persons and brought the stadium to its current seating capacity . In May 2013 , Regents for the University of Texas system approved a $ 62 million stadium improvement project . This project will improve and add athletic and academic facilities within the existing stadium structure , but it will not expand the current seating capacity . The timeline for this project ' s completion has not yet been revealed . History . Memorial Dedication . In 1923 , former UT athletics director L . Theo Bellmont ( the west side of the stadium is named in his honor ) , along with thirty student leaders , presented the idea of building a concrete stadium to replace the wooden bleachers of Clark Field to the Board of Regents . Heralded as " the largest sports facility of its kind in the Southwest " upon its completion in 1924 , the first unit of the stadium consisted of the east and west stands with a seating capacity of 27 , 000 . It was designed as a dual - purpose facility with a track surrounding the football field . The stadium was financed through donations from both students and alumni . The estimated cost of the structure was $ 275 , 000 . The student body dedicated the stadium in honor of the 198 , 520 Texans — 5 , 280 of whom lost their lives — who fought in World War I . A statue , representing the figure of democracy , was later placed atop the north end zone seats of the stadium . In World War II , the University lost many former players , including former coach Jack Chevigny . The Athletics Council rededicated the newly enlarged stadium on September 18 , 1948 prior to the Texas - LSU game , honoring the men and women who had died in the war . On November 12 , 1977 , a small granite monument was unveiled and placed at the base of the statue , during the TCU - Texas game . The ceremony rededicated Texas Memorial Stadium to the memory of all alumni in all American wars . The University of Texas honored legendary football coach Darrell K Royal , who enlisted in the US Army Air Corps in 1943 , and who lead Texas to three national championships and eleven Southwest Conference titles , by officially naming the stadium after him in 1996 . Additionally , the University established the Royal - Texas Memorial Stadium Veterans Committee , composed of alumni who served in World War II , Korea , Vietnam or the Gulf Wars . The committee is charged to forever dedicate the stadium in the memory of , and in honor of , UT students and alumni who gave their lives for their country . Each year , one home football game is designated as Veterans Recognition Day , commemorating the memorial aspect of the stadium and to honor the memory of war soldiers . Renovations / Expansions . 2007 – 2008 Expansion Projects . In 2006 , regents approved a $ 149 . 9 million expansion plan ( later increased to $ 179 million ; including the $ 15 million 2006 renovations ) to include a new memorial plaza and new north end zone structure that was scheduled for completion in August 2008 . The new outdoor plaza at the northwest corner is a memorial to veterans , with ( the original 1924 ) bronze tablet honoring Texas World War I deaths , a monument , landscaping , and new stadium entry gates between two towers , like those in the east grandstand . The expansion also consisted of replacing the north end zone structure with a multi - level complex that includes additional seats with an upper deck , club space , suites , athletic offices , academic - advising areas and a basement with gym space . Demolition of the old north end zone began on December 8 , 2006 . This was necessary to move the north end seating closer to the field . Extremely unpredictable weather patterns , which included historic amounts of rainfall for much of the year and sleet and snow in January and April , delayed construction several times . However , construction crews worked 24 hours a day , seven days a week , and much of the new lower deck was ready in time for the first game of the 2007 season . The south end bleacher seating was expanded for the 2007 season to seat approximately 6 , 400 fans . An upper deck was added to the north end zone in time for the 2008 season and the temporary south end seating was reduced back to 4 , 000 since the north end zone expansion was complete . The south end zone also became the new seating location of the Longhorn Band beginning in 2008 . Overall , the stadium ' s official seating capacity increased from 85 , 123 to 94 , 113 . With a current capacity of 100 , 119 , this is the only 100k + capacity stadium in the U . S . that is not a fully enclosed bowl , with room for continued expansion in the south end zone area . Future South End Zone Expansion . The final planned phase of the stadium ' s expansion includes the construction of permanent seating and an upper deck in the south end zone , completely enclosing the playing field . This plan has been part of the University ' s master plan since at least 2005 as renderings and models of a fully enclosed stadium have existed since then . If the expanded south end zone seating is like the current north end zone seating , which seats approximately 28 , 500 fans , the expansion could add approximately 25 , 000 seats to the existing 4 , 525 south end zone seats . The stadium ' s seating capacity is expected to be between 115 , 000 and 125 , 000 fans once the south end zone is fully enclosed , supplanting The University of Michigan ' s Michigan Stadium as the largest football stadium in North America . However , the date of the final construction phase to fully enclose the south end zone has not been set nor have any funds been raised . A possible hint at the timeline for construction was released by the University in their plans for the Dell Medical School . Phase 3 of the medical school project includes a campus map showing all of the new buildings in the project highlighted in burnt orange . Among the highlighted areas is a new structure enclosing the south end zone of the stadium .