Front office members anticipate the corner suites on the west side of the stadium to be ready by the '18 seasonRavens
The Ravens yesterday unveiled renovation plans for the upper level of M&T Bank Stadium, which includes the "construction of 16 total escalators and several more elevators to the 500 level," according to Edward Lee of the BALTIMORE SUN. The escalators and elevators are part of a three-year, $120M renovation that "could be completed" by the start of the '19 season. The second and third phases of the project "will also include new giant video displays and a refurbished sound system, but the addition of escalators and elevators will help address a long-standing complaint among some fans about the trek to get to seats in the upper bowl." Crews have been "working since October to remove concrete ramps around the stadium to prepare" for the upgrades. Several of the escalators "will be ready for use" by the start of the '18 season, and "all of the escalators will be installed" by the start of the '19 season. Another portion of the project "involves building 'corner notch' suites on the upper level of the stadium." Each corner will "contain two large suites and a 4K ultra-high definition video board 33 feet wide by 44 feet high." Ravens Senior VP/Stadium Operations Roy Sommerhof said that he "anticipates the corner suites on the west side of the stadium will be completed by the start of the 2018 season, while the suites on the east side will be available for the start of the 2019 season." The project will also "include upgrades to the concession stands and bar/lounge areas on the stadium’s club level, renovations to the kitchen areas and new equipment, and installation of a new sound system to replace the original system from 1998" (BALTIMORE SUN, 1/31).
