Jim Livengood says it's too early to predict cost.

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The Arizona Wildcats took their largest step yet toward remodeling Arizona Stadium last week, when the Arizona Board of Regents approved a plan detailing construction during fiscal years 2011 and 2012.

The athletic department listed changes it would like to make to its facilities in the two-year capital plan forecast, including installing football offices in the north end zone to connect the east and west sides of the stadium.

The UA also suggested improving accessibility, fan amenities and restrooms at McKale Center.

Approval by the board by no means ensures the projects will be completed. The athletic department must raise private money to pay for the projects.

UA athletic director Jim Livengood said it's "too early" to predict how much the projects would cost.

"The idea is trying to get a feel, and it takes a while, and you start to look at what the costs are," Livengood said. "This is an expensive time to build, and not exactly a primo time in our economy.

"Then it's trying to get a plan implemented fairly quickly to take advantage of what might be going on."

Livengood admitted the success of the football team, after 10 years without a bowl appearance, could change "the dynamics" of project donations.

The athletic department's master construction plan is still being designed by Sasaki Associates, Inc., an architecture firm with offices in Boston and San Francisco. A first draft of the master plan is due back in late November or early December.

Livengood said the department needs "to have some futuristic thinking" in planning construction for the next 5 to 20 years. He said he has examined a construction plan for the department about every five years since arriving in 1994.

"The idea is you need to have it pretty well thought out, so you don't come back and say, 'Holy cow,' " he said.

Two other projects don't fall under the athletic department's control, but are sports-related.

Bear Down Gym would be expanded to the south for research labs, classroom space and offices. Another project proposes adding fields in the Student Recreation Center parking lot, along with renovating tennis courts.

Any further progress toward stadium and arena renovations will still need board approval.

"We're in the process," Livengood said. "It's just so early. We're trying to make sure we don't leave any stone unturned.

"The hardest thing is trying to project, just trying to say with our best thinking process, 'What kinds of things will be important to us?' "