In Durham, Steve Wiseman reports workers during the past month have "installed 6,346 blue, chair back seats" at Duke's Wallace Wade Stadium, the "initial steps in the massive overhaul of the facility that will take place over the next two years." The seats are in seven sections "on the stadium's east side" and replace bleachers that have "surrounded the playing field for decades." There is "extensive work" scheduled for the west side of the stadium after the '14 season. Due to the construction schedule, Duke Deputy AD/Operations Mike Cragg said that it "wasn't prudent to install the blue seats on that side at this time" (Durham HERALD-SUN, 7/9).
UPGRADED SERVICE: ESPN BOSTON's Jack McCluskey reported Boston College is installing new video boards this summer at Alumni Stadium, replacing the old ones that were "clearly outdated." Work currently is underway on "steel supports and electrical wiring for the new boards." When the project is finished in early August, BC will have "new end-zone boards and new ribbon boards along the stadium fascia in the end zones and along the sidelines." Each end-zone board "boasts 1,036 square feet of video space" (ESPNBOSTON.com, 7/8).
LIGHT SHOW: In Colorado, Madeline Novey reported planners for Colorado State Univ's proposed on-campus football stadium have designed it in such a way that "neighborhoods are shielded -- as best as possible -- from associated noise and light." Experts from Texas-based design firm WJHW "used software and a 3D architectural model to predict the impact of sound coming from the 36,000-seat stadium CSU has proposed to build on the southwest side of its main campus" (Ft. Collins COLORADOAN, 7/8).
