Paul and Linda DeBruce Gift $25M to KU Gateway District, Football Stadium

Paul and Linda DeBruce have donated $25 million to support the development of the Gateway District and the renovated David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Photo credit: KU Athletics.

Posted August 7, 2025

KU Athletics announced that alumni Paul DeBruce and Linda DeBruce gifted $25 million to support the Gateway District and the new David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.

The Gateway District is a newly renovated area located on the north side of the University of Kansas campus. At the heart of the district is the renovated David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. The rebuilt stadium features a video board, closer seating to the field, more than 2,000 new club seats and additional restrooms. The district will be open year-round and will provide jobs and economic growth in Kansas.

Linda and Paul DeBruce provide $25 million gift for KU Gateway District. Photo credit: The DeBruce Foundation.

“Paul and Linda are remarkable leaders, inspiring philanthropists and proud Jayhawks, who leapt at the opportunity to be a part of this transformational project,” KU Director of Athletics Travis Goff said in a Wednesday release. “We are in awe of all that the DeBruces have done for Kansas Athletics and are so grateful that they are rising to the occasion at this critical moment. The Gateway District and the reimagined David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium will be a landmark destination for generations to come thanks in large part to their vision and generosity.”

As recognition for their gift, a premium hospitality space at the stadium has been named the Paul and Linda DeBruce Jayhawk Club. The space will be open for game days and provide student-athletes with dining services on non-game days, according to KU Athletics.

The Gateway District is a phased construction project. Turner Construction, the primary contractor for the $300 million Gateway District project, anticipates the first phase of the project to be in time for KU’s first game on Aug. 23. The final steel beam of the renovated stadium was set in September, marking a major milestone for the project. Future phases of the project will then focus on the south and east portions of the stadium as well as the 55,000-square-foot conference center and other entertainment, dining and retail aspects.