The sounds of jackhammers and drill motors have filled the air surrounding Tiger Stadium for months now.
The two-phase renovation plan to Tiger Stadium includes a newly-renovated North Stadium façade, a brand new West and North Stadium entrance plaza, while a secondary South Stadium expansion project will bring stadium capacity up to roughly 100,000.
According to Senior Associate Athletic Director Eddie Nunez, phase one of the North Stadium renovation and West Stadium plaza is expected to be completed on time and within budget before the start of the 2012 football season, while phase two of the North Stadium plaza expected to break ground following the 2012 season and be completed before the start of the 2013 season.
“We hope to have everything ready for the fall,” Nunez said. “We needed something to enhance the gameday experience and recognize all the athletes.”
Phases one and two will cost approximately $8 million, raised strictly from booster donations.
“Some things around Tiger Stadium needed to be done besides just making things look nice,” Nunez said. “There are a lot of structural renovations that needed to be done. The concrete is cracking around the stadium and the fencing is dilapidated. Basically we’re doing glorified maintenance.”
The stadium expansion is expected to break ground this fall and will be paid for through a $100 million bond the Tiger Athletic Foundation received that will also be used to make major renovations to the tennis stadium and gymnasium.
There are currently 16 stadiums in the world with a larger capacity than Death Valley’s, but by the fall of 2014, that number will be cut to 11, with only six of those residing within the borders of the U.S.
The expansion would add roughly 3,500 club level seating, 60 suites and 1,500 general public seating above the suites and club levels.
“There are more positives than just building seats just to build seats,” Nunez said. “We’re making sure it looks as good as it can possibly look.”
According to Nunez, the cost of the seats and the added suite boxes will eventually pay for the expansion by themselves.
The expansion also allows LSU to spread out visiting fans’ seats, thus opening more room for Tiger fans in the lower bowl area.
The NCAA requires a certain number of visitor seating to be available in the lower bowl area of stadiums, but the added seating would allow the visitor section to be pushed higher.
The expansion will also include two new scoreboards in the corners of the south endzone.
There is no set number yet for the cost of the stadium expansion, but the addition is expected to be completed before the 2014 season.
Contact Mike Gegenheimer at [email protected].