Photos of Expansion at PJCS

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https://www.bizjournals.com/louisvi...-l-football-shows-off-stadium.html#g/435658/1

 

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$63 million expansion to Papa Johns Cardinal Stadium meant to impress Cards fans
Tuesday, May 29th 2018, 4:42 pm EDTTuesday, May 29th 2018, 5:32 pm EDT
By Connie Leonard, Anchor/Reporter

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - It's 6,000 new seats and a state-of-the-art football complex. The $63 million expansion of Papa John's Cardinal Stadium and the Howard Schnellenberger Football Complex promises to be a showpiece for players and fans during the 2018 Louisville football home opene

• • Fans drive by to try and get a sneak peek at the construction site, but Tuesday, University of Louisville Athletic Director Vince Tyra and Head Cards Football Coach Bobby Petrino gave the media a hard hat tour.
    
    There's still a lot of work to do to finish the expansion by the end of July, but Messer Construction says they're on pace to make it happen. When it's ready for fans to see on the first home opener September 8, they will be impressed.
    
    "I know the players and the coaches, our athletic department, really everyone is excited about it," said Tyra.
    
    There's good reason for UofL to be hyped about the stadium expansion and the improved football complex, and it certainly won't hurt recruiting.
    
    "It allows our players to see that when they come here, we will have everything for them to get the best out of their ability," said Petrino.
    
    The team's high flying entrance will go right through the new Adidas Lounge and with a Heisman display above them, fans will surround players as they run into the stadium.
    
    "This is where we will have video cameras on top of the players," said Tyra.
    
    Fans around the stadium will then see entrance on two new north end zone LED video boards that are 40 by 80 feet. A new 24 by 92 foot football video board will also be added to the south end zone.
    
    The team's training room is quite large, featuring plunge pools with a wall water feature and underwater treadmills for recovery and light workouts.
    
    As for the weight room?
    
    "You can see it's more than doubled," Petrino explained. "It went to 20,000 square feet."
    
    The weight room includes a turf area, a players lounge and new state of the art lockers. There are 13 new meeting rooms with a huge team meeting room.
    
    Fans will have great sight lines from every viewing level adding about 6,000 new seats, not 10,000 as first announced.
    
    "You get focused on the number of seats, but I think the fan engagement and what we're doing with the fan experience with the seats," Tyra said. "It avails us, something we don't have anywhere else in the facility. The field level suits are unique and we think the Adidas lounge is unique, the Three Stripe Zone seats with chair back with pads and so forth that we don't have, there's a variety of things that I think the fans are going to enjoy."
    
    Of the 6,000 seats, 800 are club seats. There are 68 new premium loge level boxes and 12 exclusive field level suites.
    
    Tyra says the response on premium seating has been great, with most club level seats sold and 10 of the 12 field level boxes gone.
    
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