Sacramento State and Cal Expo are partners in a push to make the horse track the future home of Hornet football. 

The project is in the early stages, but Thursday marked the official start to get things going. The goal is to have the football stadium ready for the 2026 season. Sacramento State wants to sign a 50-year permit or lease with Cal Expo. 

The university's original plan was to build a new stadium on campus and in the footprint of the current stadium. But that changed with a phone call back in January when the Cal Expo CEO asked Sacramento State if they'd consider moving their plans.

By July, the university put in an official request. On Thursday, Sacramento State officials showed up to let the Cal Expo board know they're serious. 

"It was never that it was never going to work on campus," said Sacramento State President Luke Wood. "It was more so that Cal Expo provides an opportunity to get bigger. It's a much larger version for what we want to do with athletics." 

Studies are already underway to figure out what work needs to be done, including adding more stands, refreshing the current stands and adding locker rooms. 

The Grandstand at Cal Expo would be kept intact and can already accommodate up to 22,000 people. 

Wood said it's too early to determine the cost, but that there are significant savings to be had by building at Cal Expo over on campus. 

Cal Expo's board voted earlier this year to end its harness racing lease agreement.