Eagles plan stadium improvements
With an eye toward attracting a future Super Bowl, the Philadelphia Eagles announced Sunday at $125 million project to upgrade Lincoln Financial Field.
The stadium revitalization plan is expected to take two years to complete. The improvements will include seating expansion, enhancements to the suite- and club-level areas and more HD capabilities.
"We have had discussions with season ticket-holders over the past couple of seasons to find out what was important to them. We listened and developed a plan of action," Eagles president Don Smolenski said. "The revitalization of Lincoln Financial Field that will take place over the next two years is a direct result of those conversations. Our main goal when we began this project was to dramatically enhance the game day experience for our fans.
"They deserve an exciting and fun experience when they visit Lincoln Financial Field and we are committed to that."
HD video boards will be installed in each end zone, LED ribbon boards will extend around the stadium, WiFi will be boosted throughout the stadium and the sound system will be enhanced. Seating will increase by 1,600 for the 2014 season and the team will add escalators and bridges to allow fans easier access inside the stadium.
"This is an exciting and new era for the Philadelphia Eagles," Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said. "Just watching the new HD boards will be fun as the game will be captured in a powerful way for fans. And celebrating players and pivotal moments in games is a wonderful way to showcase the Eagles' proud history as a team. Fans will see these all around the stadium."
With the Super Bowl coming to a cold-weather, outdoor venue when it's played in Giants Stadium, the Eagles have hopes of bringing the game to Philadelphia down the road.
"We're going to watch that very carefully," Lurie said . "I'm sure we've all been at phenomenal football games outside in December and January. So, absolutely, root for a decent-weather day in New York and New Jersey and we think we've got a great city here to host it, a great stadium, and I'm sure others feel the same way."
