The projected improvements will be designed to enhance fan’s enjoyment and comfort on game day at the stadium and expand its potential as an entertainment center for the foreseeable future, Harlan said, explaining, “What we’re trying to do is make ‘Lambeau’ modern enough that we can stay in this stadium for 20 to 25 years.”
Ellerbe Becket has been chosen, he added, because of the success it has had in renovating the Notre Dame and University of Missouri stadiums, as well as the innovative approach it demonstrated in designing Bank One Ballpark for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Major League Baseball’s newest members.
“Ellerbe Becket totally remodeled Notre Dame Stadium and also did a major remodeling job on the University of Missouri Stadium,” Harlan said. “They also designed the Olympic Stadium in Atlanta, the Joyce Athletic Convocation Center on the Notre Dame campus and the new, state-of-the-art Bank One Ballpark for the Diamondbacks. Those are obviously impressive credentials.
“What we found equally impressive, they showed us in our discussions what we could do to create additional entertainment features in the stadium,” Harlan continued. “We then took the combination of the various ideas presented to us and sat down with Ellerbe Becket to develop an overall plan.”
Ellerbe Becket will design a new concourse, press box, stadium club and additional seating for the stadium, Harlan said, adding, “It may take us as long as four or five years to complete what we want to accomplish, but the primary objective is to make the concourse a much larger and safer area for our fans. We expect that portion of the project to be completed for the season of 2000.”
The concourse is important because all 61,000 fans use this area when they come to Lambeau Field. Improvements of the concourse will include more women’s restrooms, doubling the number of concession stands and establishing at least two retail stores.
“We’re very proud to be part of this project,” said Principal David Murphy of Ellerbe Becket. “Lambeau Field is rich with heritage and history. This heritage provides a great foundation to build for the future.”
HNTB, another Kansas City firm, was also interviewed in the process of developing plans for the improvements to Lambeau Field, Harlan said.
Initial construction on the first phase of the project is expected to begin in January of 2000.
In the interim, Harlan announced that work is anticipated to start in January of 1999 on improvements to the team’s football facilities. These improvements will include expansion of the training room, conversion of the current weight room to a players’ lounge and construction of a new weights room at the west end of the administration building, adjacent to the gymnasium.
An innovator since its founding in 1909, Ellerbe Becket provides integrated architecture, engineering and construction services from 11 locations worldwide.
