State Board approves stadium expansion

After Boise State’s 13-0 season and the win against the Oklahoma Sooners in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, many have asked what the next step is for the Broncos.

“We start a $36 million building project on the stadium, first and foremost,” BSU Athletic Director Gene Bleymaier said. “That’s a tremendous opportunity for us to expand the stadium and get going on a project we’ve been working on for over five years. The timing is spectacular in that regard, now we just try and capitalize on what this team has done.”

The next step is closer than expected. The State Board of Education unanimously approved the first stage in proposed additions to Bronco Stadium last week in a 6-0 vote, with one abstention. The $35.9 million dollar project is expected to begin with construction of a new press box, along with additions to luxury suites, club sections and loge boxes.

According to Curt Apsey, Boise State Senior Associate Athletic Director, construction for this first step is expected to begin within the next 30 to 45 days. The university has contracted with Layton Construction of Salt Lake City to build the current addition, and stands as the most expensive project in the athletic department’s history. The addition should be completed in time for the 2008 football season.

Bronco Stadium’s current press box needs improvement according to Bronco coach Chris Petersen. He says the current press box is one of the worst press boxes he’s been in as a Division I coach, but is excited about the new project.

“The press box is gonna be awesome,” Petersen said. “It’s gonna be first class and it’s gonna be as good as any press box around. I think that’s the thing that fires up the players, the coaching staff and even the administration. I can’t wait to break ground on that and then I can’t wait to expand this stadium.”
In total, the current project will add 38 luxury suites with 16 seats each, 43 loge boxes with four seats each and 787 individually-sold club seats, increasing total capacity to 32,000, from 30,000. Eventually, the planned stadium expansion will hold 40,000 seats.

Additional seating will be possibly added to the north corners of the stadium, or the horseshoe at the south end zone.

Bleymaier fully supports the project and hopes it will communicate the Bronco’s standing.

“This will be a very visible sign, not only for our community, but for all the teams that come here, that ‘Hey, this is the real deal’,” Bleymaier said. “We’ve got a facility as good as anyone in the country and as we expand Bronco stadium from 30,000 on up, that will be able to compete at the highest level.

Cost
The total cost of the stadium expansion project is $35.9 million.
The athletic department budget will cover $7.9 million, and will appear in front of the State Board again in late February to obtain permission to issue $28 million in 30-year bonds to cover the rest of the project.

The department has raised $5 million, and expects $3-to-3.5 million from the appearance in the Fiesta Bowl.

Additional funds must be raised, including $1.27 million to fund furnishings and items such as TVs, and $1.2 million to contribute toward parking, since approximately 120 spaces will be lost in the stadium lot. 

Additions
Luxury suites: 38 suites, 16 seats each, five to be used by the university for the administration, athletic department and visiting teams’ dignitaries.

The 33 remaining suites will be offered at a cost of $42,000 or $48,000 per year, depending on location. So far, 30 have been sold.

Loge boxes: 43 loge boxes, four seats each will cost $12,000 per year and include covered open-air boxes with tables and flat screen TVs located below the club seats. All 43 loge boxes have been sold.

Club seats: 737 club seats will be added, costing $2,200 per year.

Club rooms for premium seat holders: the faculty club room on weekdays but will double as a loge box during game days.

A state of the art press box will house media, security and coaching staffs.

As home of Bronco football, and the annual MPC Bowl, Bronco Stadium will undergo its third expansion since the original construction of the stadium in 1970 with a capacity of 14,500.
The east side upper deck was added in 1974, increasing the seating capacity to 20,000, and portable end zone seating made the 22,600 capacity possible. The current 30,000 capacity took place just prior to the 1997 football season. Bronco Stadium, along with the two additional expansions, is estimated at over $13.54 million.

Known as the “Smurf Turf” and “The Blue,” Bronco Stadium is one of a kind, housing the only blue artificial turf in the world.

Jessica Christensen

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