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Beaver Stadium
The seventh expansion of Beaver Stadium, which boosts capacity to 107,282 seats, was unveiled against Miami. The stadium's capacity is the nation's second-largest, topped only by Michigan Stadium (107,501).
Work began on the $93 million project in November, 1999 immediately following the last home game. On August 23, the stadium was turned over to the University after passing the Department of Labor and Industry inspection.
The expansion and renovation project has added a second deck in the South end zone as well as an East side pavilion with 60 enclosed suites, 57 of which were sold as of Aug. 24. A club level seating section (4,000 seats) and stadium club, the Mount Nittany Lounge are included in the South stands.
The project dramatically improved the stadium's infrastructure, with approximately $40 million spent on improving the existing structure. Among the features are new restrooms (72) and concession stands; a new upper concourse around the stadium at the 60th row; expanded lower concourses for easier traffic flow into and out of the seating area; upgraded spaces for the team, game officials, media, cheerleaders and other game-day activities; an upgraded game day ticket office; televisions throughout the concourse; two video replay scoreboards and improvements to meet ADA standards and a new facade.
The stadium also features the first escalators in Centre County and a one ton copper plate weathervane likeness of the Nittany Lion. The weathervane is 10 feet in length, three feet in width and nine feet in height and is located 110 feet above the southwest corner of the stadium.
More than 1,600 personnel, including more than 1,200 skilled workers, worked more than 780,000 man hours on the stadium project.
On game days, more than 107,000 spectators will be able to watch the Lions, with the throng comprising the third-largest municipality in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Penn State averaged 95,476 spectators at its six home games last year and has ranked second or third in Division I-A attendance nine of the past 10 years. The capacity of Beaver Stadium was 93,967 from 1991-2000.
A crowd of 109,313 was in attendance for the Miami game on Sept. 1.
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