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Update: Penn State's Beaver Stadium Renovation Is in Full Swing

Beaver Stadium looks drastically different, as the West side's press box and upper seating deck have been removed.
Mark Wogenrich|
A view of the ongoing construction at Penn State's Beaver Stadium on Feb. 4, 2025.
A view of the ongoing construction at Penn State's Beaver Stadium on Feb. 4, 2025. | Mark Wogenrich/Penn State on SI

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The first phase of Penn State's Beaver Stadium renovation is in full swing, as the stadium's West side gets dismantled ahead of the 2025 football season. Penn State has begun what it calls "large-scale demolition" of Beaver Stadium's West side, kicking off the project in early January by bringing down the press box. Since then, construction crews have removed the bleacher seating that was below the press box, leaving an open space that gives the 65-year-old venue a horseshoe appearance.

Penn State plans to build a platform for temporary seating and lighting where the deck originally stood. In the future, that space will be transformed into seating, suites and a new press box. Penn State released a time-lapse video of the project this week. The changes are dramatic since Penn State hosted SMU for a College Football Playoff game Dec. 21.

Penn State moved quickly after its first-round College Football Playoff win over SMU to begin preparing for this first phase of the $700 million renovation. Just days after the game, parking lots around Beaver Stadium's West side were fenced and construction equipment moved into place. Penn State spent about $4 million of its initial renovation budget on repair and maintenance to ensure that Beaver Stadium could host that December playoff game. With that success behind it, Penn State got to work on the core of the renovation.

Penn State is renovating Beaver Stadium in part to position it as ayear-round entertainment and event destination in State College. The university wants to host major events, such as concerts and sporting events, as well as smaller events such as corporate meetings, private functions and basically any large or small gathering in central Pennsylvania. That's why Penn State officials scrapped the idea of simply addressing Beaver Stadium's $200 million repairs backlog, which they said would produce a $655 million deficit over the next 30 years. Instead, if conducted according to their budget models, the $700 million renovation would generate a $44 million profit, officials said.

Penn State has received more than $70 million in publicly announced donations for the renovation, most of which is tied to naming rights for new club and public spaces at Beaver Stadium. The Lubert Family Welcome Center, for instance, will serve a university-wide purpose. Former Penn State wrestler and trustee Ira Lubert contributed $10 million to the renovation project and received naming rights to the Welcome Center. The renovation will add about 47,000 square feet of event space to Beaver Stadium. Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi has said that she wants Beaver Stadium to create a "front-door experience" for the university and act as an introductory space for new and prospective students.

According to a timeline Penn State released last summer, Phase 1 of the renovation began with the first elements of the West side demolition. The athletic department has informed season-ticket holders of their temporary options for the 2025 season. During Phase 2 of the renovation, which begins in 2026, Penn State is scheduled to demolish and replace the West side's lower bowl. Fans will be impacted during the 2026 season as well. If the project goes according to schedule, Penn State will reintroduce a revitalized Beaver Stadium for the 2027 season.

Penn State Athletics has yet to release the latest renderings of Beaver Stadium's planned new look but did offer images last spring in a presentation to the Board of Trustees.

A rendering of the proposed $700 million renovation of Penn State's Beaver Stadium, scheduled to be completed in 2027.
A rendering of the proposed $700 million renovation of Penn State's Beaver Stadium, which is scheduled to be completed in 2027. | Courtesy Penn State Athletics

Penn State also released this timeline animation of what Beaver Stadium's West side could look like for the 2025 season. The Nittany Lions host Nevada for their season-opener Aug. 30.

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Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is the editor and publisher of Penn State on SI, the site for Nittany Lions sports on the Sports Illustrated network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs, three Rose Bowls and one College Football Playoff appearance.

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