Penn State's Beaver Stadium will "undergo sizable renovations" likely no earlier than '23, "outside the initial five-year window of Penn State’s Facilities Master Plan," according to John McGonigal of the CENTRE DAILY TIMES. The extensive upgrades will take "three to four years to finish, pegging a completed Beaver Stadium" at '26 or '27 at the earliest. Planned renovations include an "increase in chairback seating, new restrooms, new concessions (locations and options), wider concourses and additional premium seating options." Beaver Stadium will also see its capacity "dip to accommodate wider seats." The stadium, which currently holds 106,572, will be "knocked down to about 103,000 by the end of the project." PSU Deputy AD & COO Phil Esten said, "We intend to stay at or above 100,000. That’s an important number for us." McGonigal notes the corners of Beaver Stadium also will "widen to accommodate FIFA guidelines." PSU AD Sandy Barbour said that the university has had "discussions with international soccer officials, as well as NHL representatives, about using the venue to host non-football sporting events." A price for the renovations "has not yet been released, and an estimate won’t be available until the project gets closer." The funding will "rely heavily upon philanthropic gifts and revenue generated by the athletic department." In the Facilities Master Plan’s first five years, starting in the '18-19 academic year, PSU "plans on constructing four new buildings -- a Center for Excellence, new indoor practice facility, new natatorium, and indoor tennis facility -- and renovating Jeffrey Field," the home to PSU men’s and women’s soccer (CENTRE DAILY TIMES, 3/14).
IN GOOD TIME: The AP's Travis Johnson noted Beaver Stadium has "undergone seven expansions since moving from the other side of campus" in '60. However, it remains "relatively antiquated, despite additions of luxury boxes, high-definition scoreboards, new elevators and a refurbished press box" (AP, 3/13). In Pennsylvania, Greg Pickel noted after the school "spent 17 months working with architecture firm Populous to generate ideas, new looks, and more for all of the school's athletic facilities with plans to build some new ones." Barbour said that the reason Beaver Stadium renovations are not higher on the list of priorities is because the school "feels it needs the next five years to 'design, sequence, and fund' a renovation." It is expected to be "similar to how Texas A&M recently renovated its football stadium, Kyle Field, during a four year process" (PENNLIVE.com, 3/13).
REMAINING NOSTALGIC: In Pittsburgh, Adam Bittner writes PSU will be "walking a fine line in this renovation of maintaining" the feel of a college atmosphere while "upgrading the interior infrastructure to better serve fans who spend a lot of money to attend games." Bittner: "What will make this a success is maintaining that sense of homecoming alums get when the stadium peaks into view coming down the hill on Interstate-99. Let’s see if Penn State can do it right" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 3/14).
