Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1524108
1 0 A U G U S T 2 0 2 4 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M P enn State athletics director Patrick Kraft never expected that everyone would agree on the need for an ex- tensive renovation of Beaver Stadium. The stadium project had been in the works for years, gaining both supporters and detractors along the way. Kraft un- derstood that he would face skepticism in his effort to win approval, and sure enough, when the matter came before the board of trustees in May, there was some pushback. The first objection was that Penn State could not afford to embark on a renova- tion that is projected to cost as much as $700 million. The second was that PSU was being overly optimistic in its esti- mates of how much additional revenue could be generated by upgrading the sta- dium's premium offerings. Trustee Barry Fenchak offered a de- tailed rationale for opposing the plan, acknowledging that the stadium "needs work," while expressing concerns about the price tag. "If we take actions that are unwise ac- tions that lead to debt load draining the lifeblood of athletics, to service that as opposed to being able to feed the growth of all of our sports, that's not being sup- portive of athletics," Fenchak noted. "That's hindering athletics. Just spend- ing money isn't supportive, especially when it's debt." Fenchak and Anthony Lubrano both voted against the plan, while three other trustees — Ted Brown III, Alvin de Levie and Jay Paterno — abstained. The oth- ers, however, supported the expenditure, approving the funding by a vote of 26-2. With the financing secured, Penn State will spend the next three years up- grading the aging facility, with a targeted completion date just ahead of the 2027 football season. In a recent interview with BWI, Kraft said Penn State's planning process un- derscored the necessity of the project. There was a backlog of deferred main- tenance that needed to be done in or- der to ensure the structure's safety and utility, he said. Had Penn State merely opted to make necessary fixes to the cur- rent structure, the cost would likely have been at least $140 million. "And that doesn't even include the press box," Kraft said. "If we do this, this is what it gets us, which is still no pre- mium [seating]. It doesn't fix our real circulation issues, and it doesn't gener- ate any revenue." The cost of building an entirely new stadium was estimated at $2 billion, which Kraft described as "just not feasi- ble." So, PSU chose the $700 million ren- ovation plan. If it works as envisioned, the premium suites, upgraded ameni- ties and higher-priced seat offerings will help pay for the mandatory fixes. "I know everyone sees that number," Kraft said. "Construction here in Happy Valley is not cheap. I've been blown away as we've done [other] projects, just be- cause of where we are located. So, let's put that out there. "I also think we're trying to fix as much as we can. All the circulation is- sues. We've got to fix the way that game day works — meaning concessions, bathrooms, all of those things that our fans deserve. "And then we also have to pay for it. We don't have the premium opportu- nities that … people really want. With a building this large, if you do it right, you can accommodate all of our fans and Patrick Kraft 'Very Comfortable' With Funding Model For Stadium Project NAT E BAU E R | N AT E . B A U E R @ O N 3 . C O M NEWS & NOTES The plans for Beaver Stadium's overhaul will focus on the west side, which includes the press box and will be rebuilt to add new seats, suites and loge boxes. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL