Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1499919
J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 2 3 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M B eaver Stadium is set to get a facelift. Beginning with a $70 million request for design, consulting, per- mits and immediate winterization of the stadium, the massive construction proj- ect is now coming into focus after years of speculation. It was first announced as a renovation in February, then the specific shape of the project, with a timeline for its imple- mentation, was publicly presented to the university's board of trustees in early May. The plan is to completely renovate the west side of the stadium while improving amenities throughout the facility, with the cost potentially reaching $700 mil- lion. Those stadium-wide changes will include new restrooms and concessions stands, premium seating options, field lighting, upgrades aimed at improving spectator circulation and more. For an aging facility, now 63 years old in its current location but contain- ing elements of the original structure built across campus in 1909, significant maintenance and upkeep needs are also included in the projected costs. Weighing many factors, from expenses and logistics to the desire to maintain the atmosphere of Beaver Stadium as it cur- rently exists, athletics director Patrick Kraft said the decision to move forward with a renovation plan made more sense than starting from scratch. "I don't think we need a new stadium," Kraft said. "I think preserving Beaver Stadium was a really important part of it, just because it means so much." The proposed improvements are nec- essary and will be well received given the mounting frustration with the stadium's shortcomings in the modern era. But in the months and years ahead, during which school officials will select design and engineering firms and unveil more details about the project's final form, the path that Penn State chose will undoubtedly be heavily debated. For Kraft, his administrative staff and Penn State's Office of the Physical Plant, getting to this point required an exten- sive study of what the realistic options were. The biggest study that Penn State undertook found that it would cost ap- proximately $1.5 billion to build a brand- new stadium and $1.2 billion to do a complete renovation of the 106,572-seat facility. With those estimates in hand, Penn State decided on the more fiscally prudent option of a partial rebuild. Said Kraft, "We were able to use all the studies to bring it together and then get to what we thought was the most effec- tive way to attack it." Describing the Nittany Lions' home as "more than just a football stadium," Kraft said that the facility would continue to have a capacity in excess of 100,000, even when reconstruction of the west side is underway. Under the timeline that was presented to the trustees in May, that phase of the project will likely be in 2026. PSU will be making extensive changes to the press box side of the stadium, but the effort is being organized with an eye toward minimizing disruption. If all goes according to plan, Penn State will start construction in January 2025 and finish by August 2027. Before ground can be broken, however, there's plenty of work that needs to be done on the front end of the project. "We wanted to get it done as quickly as we can," Kraft said, "but you've got to design it. You've got to know what we're going to do. We're really excited about that phase." Whether Penn State fans share that enthusiasm will be a critical test in the coming months. In a stadium that will feature a new luxury box, luxury ameni- ties and luxury seating throughout, some current season-ticket holders will be displaced or priced out altogether. In addition, for those fans occupying the south, east and north sections, their seating on cramped aluminum benches isn't slated to be replaced and will con- trast sharply with the stadium's new of- ferings on the west side. The reasoning behind the chosen di- rection is sound. Penn State is pursuing the most viable solution for increasing its revenues, and the money it is able to generate will help pay for current and future renovations. Getting the same buy-in and en- thusiasm from fans unable to enjoy its spoils, however, will be a trickier path to navigate. ■ Athletics director Patrick Kraft said Penn State studied several options for the renovation of Beaver Stadium before ultimately settling on a plan to largely rebuild the west side while also making improvements to other areas. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER O P I N I O N NATE BAUER NATE.BAUER@ON3.COM HOT READ Penn State Hoping Its West Side Story Elicits Cheers