Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1524108
8 A U G U S T 2 0 2 4 OPENING SHOT HOME IMPROVEMENT For a facility that has been put together piecemeal over the decades, Beaver Stadium has served the Penn State football program well. It's been the Nittany Lions' home since 1960 and has been a key part of the team's rise from regional power to winner of Big Ten and national champi- onships. The stadium has undergone a series of growth spurts that have mirrored the program's rising stature, boosting capac- ity from 46,284 at its opening to 106,572 today. The sheer scale of the Penn State game day experience has made Bea- ver Stadium one of the nation's most famous sports venues. In April, it was named the best stadium in college football by The Athletic, handily outpolling LSU's Tiger Stadium in voting by fans. But while Beaver Stadium's size can't help but impress, its appearance and amenities have always lagged behind, hin- dering efforts to use it for more than just a handful of foot- ball games each year. That's why the university's board of trustees in May approved a massive renovation project that will overhaul large portions of the stadium, inside and out. Expected to cost as much as $700 million, the project differs from previous renovations in that it won't add more seating. Instead, the athletics department and architec- ture firm Populous are aiming to create new club seat- ing and loge boxes, improve traffic flow, add concessions and restrooms, and build a new press box, along with a 21,000-square-foot welcome center that can be used for events other than football. The ability to host concerts and other events was a key part of the rationale for approving the project's funding. Work has already begun and will continue in phases over the next three years. The project is expected to be complete in time for the start of the 2027 season. While it may not exactly match the rendering shown here, the stadium's west side will look radically different from the lattice of exposed beams and girders familiar to all Penn State fans. The project did not receive unanimous support from the trustees. Anthony Lubrano and Barry Fenchak voted against it, and three trustees — Jay Paterno, Ted Brown III and Alvin de Levie — abstained. Lubrano and Fenchak said they were worried about the debt that PSU would be taking on by investing so heavily in its stadium. "Just spending money isn't supportive [of athletics]," Fenchak said, "especially when it's debt." Sara Thorndike, senior vice president for finance and business, responded by noting that Penn State's financial projections were conservative and that the university is "de- termined that this will be an athletic self-sustaining project." Penn State president Neeli Bendapudi was likewise confi- dent that the project will be a boon to the football program and the university community. "Many recognize Beaver Stadium as the best stadium in college football," she said, "and we want to preserve the atmosphere that our fans, alumni and community have come to expect while building on this history of excellence for generations to come." — Matt Herb RENDERING COURTESY POPULOUS