Dive brief:
- A joint venture between Harrisburg, Pennsylvania-based Barton Malow, AECOM Hunt and Alexander Building Construction Co. will manage the multiphase construction of Penn State University’s $700 million Beaver Stadium renovation project, the university announced Monday. Populous Architects of Kansas City, Missouri will provide the design.
- Work on the project in State College, Pa., will begin in January 2025. The team will continue to play home games in the stadium while the JV rebuilds the west side of the stadium, retaining its traditional seating. bowl style and adding club and club. lodge seats and suites.
- Other work includes improving circulation, restrooms, concessions, Wi-Fi, accessibility and other ongoing code updates. The project team anticipates completion before the 2027 football season.
Diving knowledge:
In addition to other work, winterization measures, including pipe insulation, will allow Penn State’s football team to host more games when temperatures drop below freezing.
Populous also provided designs for the new Buffalo Bills stadium. Scott Radecic, senior director and founder of Populous, graduated from Penn State, where he captained the football team.
Beaver Stadium has been the home of the Nittany Lions since 1960 and has undergone six expansions to bring it to its current capacity of 106,572. It is classified as the the second largest stadium in the country — behind the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor — and the fourth largest in the world, according to StateCollege.com.
The project, which Penn State Board of Trustees voted in May, will not receive tuition money or funds from the education budget. Instead, the construction will use only intercollegiate athletics funds.
Stadium improvements across the country
Penn State joins other colleges and universities such as Kansas, Florida, West Point and Fresno State who are working on improving their sports spaces. Other schools have also recently announced plans to upgrade their facilities.
The University of Nebraska Cornhuskers’ Memorial Stadium in Lincoln will undergo a $450 million makeover to improve the game day experience, the Omaha World-Herald reported. It is the most expensive construction project in the history of the school.
The 100-year-old stadium will see its south side demolished and replaced by multi-level stands with a new student section and concourse, along with a premium seating area. As a result, when the 2024 season ends, seats will not be available in this section for the 2025 season, and possibly the following year as well.
To the south, the University of Central Florida hopes it will Take advantage of some tourist taxes to improve its sports facilities. The school submitted an application to the Tourist Development Levy Citizen Advisory Task Force, with the goal of securing $176.6 million in funds spread over 10 years. That would cover part of the $267.8 million total cost he has in mind for the projects.
The request includes improvements to FBC Mortgage Stadium, home of UCF’s football team, and renovations to Additional Financial Arena and the arena, which hosts basketball, volleyball, concerts and other events.
