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Today was a big day for the future of Purdue football. Not only did we lock up Mike Bobinski for two more years, the next steps in the renovation of Ross-Ade Stadium were taken. The last time we had an extensive renovation was in 2001-02 when the Pavillion was built and the concourse was expanded. Since then it has mostly been maintenance work, with the addition of lights in 2017 and the new north end ribbon board this year.
Today, however, the first steps were taken for the larger renovation:
What you need to know about the Ross-Ade Stadium project and the addition of a new video board in the south end zone after the Purdue Board of Trustees approved both Friday.
• This allows the next phase of design to move forward in greater detail. The focus of the project will be in the following areas – the upper bowl around the entire stadium, south end zone, concourse and the pavilion.
Concepts that have been generated over the last nine months will be brought to life, giving the athletic department and the board a clear picture of how much the project will cost. Athletic director Mike Bobinski told the Journal & Courier last month the project could run $100 to $120 million.
It looks like the planning for the renovation will be done and revealed in May, with the new south end zone scoreboard being the first major part. This is critical because basically the current scoreboard is on its last legs and there are even questions about if it will survive the 2019 season. Construction will begin in December after the season and the unit will be closer to the field, thus likely ending the tented beer garden and Morgantown. It will also be built with the new South end zone portion in mind.
Purdue also doesn’t know how it is going to pay for this, but it intends to do so via private gifts. construction will take multiple seasons for everything as well. I am sure that media rights and such will help a ton.
Honestly, this is an exciting time. The South End Zone has been talked about for years and it seems like it is finally close to fruition.