The Baltimore Ravens and the Maryland Stadium Authority are working through the details on potential renovations to M&T Bank Stadium.
Earlier this year, the Ravens acknowledged that upgrades to the stadium—which opened in 1998—were in the works. While M&T Bank Stadium has received various improvements over the years, the Ravens are planning major renovations as NFL stadiums built in roughly the same period—including Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium—are either slated for or have received significant overhauls.
In Baltimore, the Ravens will work with the Stadium Authority to address several key aspects of the fan experience. M&T Bank Stadium is set to receive technology upgrades, as the east and west videoboards will be replaced while the upper level will be equipped with a ribbon board.
Down the road, other upgrades are expected to focus on seating and accessibility. The Ravens would specifically like to add new elevators and escalators, while also installing suites in the four corners of the upper level.
If they all become a reality, the cost of the improvements is expected to be $110. The Stadium Authority would kick in an additional sum to cover basic repairs. More from the Baltimore Sun:
Video boards would be installed above the corner suites. The gaps in the corners, which the team nicknamed “victory notches,” were a distinctive trait of the original stadium design, creating views of the city for fans.
The team would pay for the improvements. The $110 million price tag for the projects would be about half what the brick-sided, 71,000-seat stadium cost when completed in 1998 with $205 million from the state and $24 million from the team.
“The Ravens are offering to expend a significant amount of capital into the stadium, so that’s a positive thing,” said Michael Frenz, executive director of the stadium authority, which serves as the team’s landlord on behalf of the state. “I think it’s pretty clear that what they’re trying to do is improve the fan experience.”
The stadium authority also may kick in some more money. If it reaches agreement with the team on the $110 million package, the document says the authority “will use its best efforts” to pay up to $24 million for various projects that could include work on mechanical systems or flooring.
“It’s really nuts-and-bolts type things,” Frenz said.
Under the current timeline, the videoboard and LED ribbon board projects, along with work to the stadium’s concessions, will take place after this season. The additional upgrades have not been finalized and, if approved, would take place at a later date.
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