Penn State announces another $10 million gift toward Beaver Stadium renovation plan

Penn State’s athletic department has announced another eight-figure gift Tuesday, Aug. 27, toward its Beaver Stadium renovation project. For the second time in as many weeks, the athletic program received an anonymous donation of $10 million toward the $700 million plan to re-do the 107,000-seat venue’s west side while also accomplishing various other tasks around the 64-year-old venue over the coming years.

“We are thrilled to announce our third Founders Gift in as many weeks for the Beaver Stadium Revitalization project,” said Dr. Patrick Kraft, vice president for intercollegiate athletics. “We extend our heartfelt thanks to this family for their unwavering support of Penn State Athletics and Penn State. This remarkable gift underscores the commitment our community has to enhance Beaver Stadium and the game day environment, while maintaining the deep history of our iconic stadium.”

Added university president Neeli Bendapudi in a news release:

“We greatly appreciate the amazing generosity of this family, whose Founders Gift will have a lasting impact on our athletics department, our University and our community,” said Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi. “We are honored by the commitment and passion of Penn State’s supporters who are investing in our University’s future. The support we’ve received for the Beaver Stadium revitalization reflects the importance of this project for our institution and our impact on our community.”

Penn State fundraising for Beaver Stadium renovation continues

Over the past three weeks, Penn State’s athletic program has announced three separate donations of at least $10 million or more. So far, the Misitano Family and PAM Health have contributed the largest donation towards the project at $25 million .

“Upon the completion of the Beaver Stadium Revitalization project, the newly constructed West Tower naming opportunity will recognize their generous gift,” Penn State wrote in a news release about that gift. “The West Tower will be home to a University Welcome Center, expanded concourses with open views of the field and modern amenities, private luxury suites, loge boxes and two distinct club seat experiences with lounge access. It will also feature more than 59,000 square feet of public-facing event space.”

The Welcome Center is one of many new features coming to Beaver Stadium once renovation work is complete. It starts following the 2024 season and is to be done by the beginning of the 2027 slate of games. However, some work is either already underway — like new concession offerings, entry gates, ribbon and video boards, and escalators, among other things — or already completed, such as winterization efforts necessary to potentially host a home College Football Playoff game in December.

We’re expanding concourses,” Kraft said in July. “More concessions, more bathrooms, but there are pinch points to get around. It’s just tight. It’s also expensive to build in Happy Valley. All of that told, it wasn’t like we threw a dart. That’s what it costs to do what we need to do to get the building up, healthy, and alive again, and then to fix a lot of the other issues. Then, when you do that, you have to pay for it, and the west side premium is going to help a lot with that.”

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