The LSU Board of Supervisors at its meeting Friday “unanimously approved an $85 million expansion of the south end zone of Tiger Stadium,” according to Jim Kleinpeter of the New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE. LSU AD Joe Alleva and other officials spent “about 15 minutes discussing the project, which will increase capacity by about 6,900 and be self sustaining from a $100 million bond issue by the Tiger Athletic Foundation, the athletic department's fundraising arm.” The addition will include “a 1,500-seat upper deck on top of a club level of about 3,000 seats, two levels of at least 60 suites and as many as 64, with room for 24 seats in each suite.” There also will be “an area for 400 to 500 standing-room ticket holders.” The expansion will increase capacity “from 92,542 to about 99,500, which would make Tiger Stadium the seventh-largest in the nation.” Alleva said, "It's going to make Tiger Stadium much more fan friendly and it's going to look good. It will look aesthetically so much better.” TAF will pay “for the construction and use proceeds from the suite and ticket sales to retire the debt.” TAF Exec Dir Gen. Ron Richard told the board that “a survey by Price Waterhouse six months ago determined there was enough demand for 100 additional suites and 8,000 more total seats” (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 4/28).
