Upgrades to the upper-level concourse of Gillette Stadium have begun, with an aim of "improving the game-day experience for fans," according to Andrew Mahoney of the BOSTON GLOBE. The upgrades are an "extension of the work started" after the '14 season, when the Patriots "demolished 1,500 seats in one of the end zones to build the Optum Field Lounge." The upgrades will include a "full-service bar with a roof canopy." A covered space will also be "available at the landing for each of the four corners of the stadium." Large garage-style doors will be "open or closed depending on the weather, to either let sunlight in or protect fans from the elements." A 10-inch wide rail for food and drinks will "encircle the concourse" (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/11). ESPN.com's Mike Reiss noted another one of this year's projects includes expanding the Patriots' "lower practice field so there will be an area behind one of the end zones where players can work out without being on the actual field." The project comes "not long after a major Gillette Stadium office renovation that created new offices for the video department, among other things" (ESPN.com, 3/12).
