Broken glass lines the windows of the University’s 84-year-old concrete landmark that serves as the gathering place for about 92,000 roaring fans during the fall every year. Tiger Stadium, which initially seated about 12,000 in 1924, has been renovated several times since its opening. Though millions of dollars have been spent in renovations, first-year Athletic Director Joe Alleva believes the stadium’s aesthetic value has been  overlooked.Alleva inherited semi-constructed baseball and softball stadiums, a nationally ranked football team and a football stadium with a long-neglected exterior — a problem he plans to fix. He said the Athletic Department is looking at options to beautify the exterior of the stadium and both sides of North Stadium Drive.Alleva said he is hopeful preliminary plans will be complete within the next couple of months, and he anticipates the renovation process will be done in phases.”[The] first time I came on campus, I came down the hill, and I saw the stadium,” he said. “The closer I got to it, I just realized it needs a lot of work to fix it up. It needs to be beautiful — a jewel.”Alleva said he wants to rename North Stadium Drive “Victory Drive” or “Championship Lane.” He said the road has become “one of the main entrances to campus,” and he hopes to put “gorgeous” landscaping on either side.Alleva pointed to the “gorgeous” landscaping surrounding the Journalism Building and the walkway in front of Mike the Tiger’s habitat as examples of the aesthetic quality he would like to attain for the area.”This should be a gorgeous area, and frankly it’s pretty ugly,” he said.The chain-link fence lining North Stadium Drive, broken concrete along the walkway surrounding Tiger Stadium, rusty gates serving as the entrance to Death Valley and broken windows located on the upper levels of the stadium are all aspects Alleva said are limiting the stadium’s full potential.Any plans for renovations will have to be approved by University architects and the chancellor. He said funds will be raised after approval.Herb Vincent, senior associate athletic director, said the Athletic Department will likely rely on private funding to pay for the renovations.”Tiger Stadium is in the heart of every LSU fan, and this area is such a popular area that I think donors will really see the value in making this a showplace,” Alleva said.Alleva said re-working the façade of Tiger Stadium would be the first phase, and renovations on the “plaza” between Tiger Stadium, the PMAC and the area surrounding the entire stadium will follow.Vincent said the façade has never been fully renovated.”I think it was chemical cleaned within the last several years,” he said.Eddie Nunez, senior associate athletic director,  said the Athletic Department is busy ensuring the stadium is entirely waterproof since the most recent addition to the north side of the stadium. He said the waterproofing is paid for in the department’s budget.Regarding the largely unused dormitory space in the stadium, Vincent said there are no plans to do “anything to the inside right now.”Alleva said he would love to utilize the space, but the former dorms are home to asbestos, defunct plumbing and electrical parts. “You’re talking about a huge amount of money to do those things,” he said. “Right now, I’m more concerned with how it looks aesthetically.” —-Contact Lindsey Meaux at [email protected]