The final reveal

After three years, the ‘reinvention’ of Sun Devil Stadium makes it among the most technologically advanced college athletic facilities in the country.

Gone are drab and gray. Think light, airy, yellow accents, and state-of-the-art technology.

A three-year, $307-million renovation of the aging Sun Devil Stadium at Arizona State University is weeks away from completion. Fans get to revel in the new, three-level experience when the ASU Sun Devils play their opening game against the San Antonio Roadrunners on Sept. 1.

There are 53 suites, three different club style seating areas, three beer gardens, and the rooftop Coca Cola Sun Deck for a bird’s eye view of the stadium and glimpses of Tempe Town Lake. Everything is fully loaded with the latest in high tech for new wireless access, a monster video board, lighting, visuals, and audio.  

These upgrades make it among the most technologically advanced stadiums in college football, said Ryan Abbott, Senior Vice President and Southwest District Manager for Sundt Construction, Inc., that did the project in a joint venture with Hunt Construction Group.   

There are too many amenities to list but here are some highlights:

Jumbo video screen The new display video board is among the top ten biggest in college football. It hovers 113 by 48 feet or more than 5,400 square feet. ANC, a sports marketing and signage company, is installing it.  

Wi-Fi For the first time, there is Wi-Fi. An intense wireless network with 785 access points and 273 cellular antennas should give supreme coverage. That includes media truck connectivity for better viewing at home.

Individualized seating sections Seating has been upgraded including sections with individualized seats with backs.

State-of-the-art student athlete center This 118,669 square-foot facility is fully loaded with food service for athletes, sports medicine center for athlete treatment, 9,813 square-foot weight room to rival other colleges, and a players’ lounge with televisions, ping-pong, pool, and video games, a barber shop, and more.

More fan friendly Seating was cut from 70,000 to 56,000, there are more concession stands, nine additional bathrooms, and concourses that are wider and flow open ended so fans can walk all the way around.

For inspiration, a statue of Pat Tillman is at the entrance of the players’ tunnel.  

With the stadium complete, the university is continuing its “365” vision to turn the new facility into a year-round cultural and community mecca for concerts, film festivals, farmers markets, jogging, coffee spots, meetings, and other uses. Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, ASU vice president for cultural affairs, is leading the effort to “reimagine” and redesign the use of the stadium.  

“We want to use it as many days a year as possible instead of just six football (home) games,” Sun Devil Athletics spokesman Mitchell Terrell said.

Victoria Harker

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