The Kraft family, which owns Gillette Stadium, plans to "replace more than 1,500 seats" in the south end zone after the '14 NFL season with a lounge for season-ticket holders, according to Bob Hohler of the BOSTON GLOBE. The final dimensions "have yet to be determined, but ticket representatives have begun breaking the news to longtime patrons in the first 15 to 20 rows of end-zone sections 117 to 124." The Patriots are "offering displaced customers seats elsewhere in the stadium," but the "options are limited, and many uprooted patrons are landing in less-desirable seats, some at higher prices." Others are "considering ending their Gillette experience." A Patriots official said that the Krafts are "building the members-only club in response to polls and focus groups with season ticket-holders." The research indicated that many customers "favor more amenities, such as a lounge experience that would be less costly than the stadium’s elite clubs." Season ticket-holders may "pay an additional fee to join the new club, which will feature indoor and outdoor drinking and dining experiences." The fee has "yet to be determined, as has the cost of building the facility." The Patriots are "offering displaced ticket-holders free parking this season if they change seats soon." But customers who "choose to keep their seats this season will not be guaranteed priority choices" for '15 (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/2).
