After nearly five years, Death Valley could be looking at more surgery. The LSU Athletic Foundation is currently gauging interest on another expansion project to the stadium, which will be 87 years old this November.
When Tiger Stadium first opened in 1924, it held 12,000 fans.
This number eventually grew to 46,000 in 1936, when the north end zone was closed. Huey P. Long, then-governor, bypassed legislation by building dormitories into the expansion. These rooms are today used as offices and storage areas.
The south end zone was closed off in 1953, which increased capacity.
During the ’70s and ’80s, the upper west deck was completed, and the stadium was renovated, modernizing certain areas with waterproofing and chairs with backs in others.
Expansion resumed in 2000 when the upper east deck was completed, upping the capacity to 92,000.
The most recent expansion came in 2006, when the upper west deck was renovated to mirror the newer east deck. This brought the capacity to its current 92,400.
In its current form, Death Valley ranks in the top ten stadiums for capacity. It is currently fourth in the SEC, the highest being Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium boasting 102,459 capacity.
When Tiger Stadium is full, it holds enough people to be considered the sixth largest city in Louisiana. Death Valley is also famous for its crowd noise. Though he had a winning record at Tiger Stadium, storied coach Bear Bryant of Alabama hated playing at LSU.
“Baton Rouge happens to be the worst place in the world for a visiting team. It’s like being inside a drum,” he said.
Recent renovation and expansion plans began with talks of removing the scoreboard above the south end zone, replacing it with one similar to the north scoreboard.
The north scoreboard was replaced in 2009 with an 80-foot wide HD screen.
Other possible projects near the north end zone include new lighting and landscaping, according to the Athletic Foundation.
A spokesperson for the Athletic Foundation said there are no solid plans for expansion yet. Officials are currently analyzing public approval of the proposal. The department sent an online survey to season ticket holders to gather opinions.
The survey included proposed suite prices, which could be leased anywhere from five to 10 years, and could cost anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000.
Options also include a lower level club lounge. The survey proposed membership prices at around $700 to $2,000.
 
 
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Contact Cameron Warren at [email protected]