Penn State formalizes proposal for Beaver Stadium renovations
Penn State athletics is set to propose its first phase plans for a Beaver Stadium renovation. Friday morning, that took shape as the first formalized steps toward beginning those renovations with an action item for the next university Board of Trustees meeting on May 4-5.
As detailed by BWI last week, the proposal for the 63-year-old stadium is primarily focused on the west side of Beaver Stadium. Now, as detailed within the trustees’ agenda for next Friday, the initial priorities and long-term scale of the project are both in focus. It is among an avalanche of athletics-focused projects set for proposal.
On the front end, the Penn State athletic department is “requesting authorization from the Board to expend funds for design costs, professional consultant expenses, acquisition of permits, stadium winterization costs, and related expenses.” That request to the board will be for $70 million.
But, those first steps are part of an overall renovation expected to run as high as, but not exceed, $700 million for the entire scope of the project.
Within the agenda item, that larger scale is detailed further. Outlining an aging facility with ongoing maintenance needs, the proposal for Beaver Stadium is meant to address a variety of improvements wanted, both seen and unseen. As a result, the proposal for a Beaver Stadium renovation will ultimately “align Penn State Football facilities and operations with the highest competitive level” in both the Power Five conferences and the Big Ten.
“The current proposed Beaver Stadium renovation will extend the life of the existing facility, generate new revenue, and greatly improve the quality of the fan experience,” the statement reads. “The plan is to focus on the west side of the stadium to provide improved access for broadcasting, greatly improved circulation, new restrooms, upgraded concession offerings, and much-needed premium seating.
“Improvements to the rest of the stadium will include improved vertical circulation, upgraded concourses, circulation renovations to enhance accessibility, restroom additions, and upgraded concession quality and capacity. Field lighting improvements to meet NCAA standards are also planned.”
Seating is also addressed in the initial release of the proposal. As described, the renovation is determined to maintain a capacity of “more than 100,000 spectators.”
Additional elements to be addressed include “mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and telecom work to optimize integration with campus systems will be included in the project scope,” largely contained within the renovations proposed for the west side of the stadium.
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