The Packers, who won the NFL Super Bowl earlier this year, have unveiled plans to add 6,600 seats to the south end of the venue, bringing the capacity of the stadium to just under 80,000. The expansion of the south end, which is scheduled for completion ahead of the start of the 2013 season, will conclude a three-year redevelopment phase of the stadium that began with the installation of a new sound system this year.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the whole development is slated for September 1 and the Packers have insisted that by taking out loans as well as launching a possible stock sale and introducing user fees for new season-ticket holders, no public money will be required to cover the US$130 million cost of the project. Miron Construction of Neenah, Wis., has been selected as the general contractor.
“We’re really investing in Lambeau Field and building on the successful renovation of 2003,” Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy said. “This will help keep the stadium up to date in terms of amenities that we see in the newer stadiums. For us to remain competitive, we need to continue to grow local revenue, and this will help us.”
Murphy cited the League’s new 10-year collective bargaining agreement with the players’ union as a crucial development for allowing the team to press ahead with the plans. “This is something we’ve been working on for over two years,” Murphy said. “For the future of the organisation, this is a crucial step.”
Jason Wied, the Packers’ vice-president of administration, added: “The project is self-funded but we feel very confident we have a high level of demand and our waiting list is very strong. We did not want to add suites or a high percentage of premium seats. We really wanted to focus a lot of attention on our regular waiting list.”
