Big Changes Coming To Gillette Stadium For 2023, Including Enhanced Lighthouse
FOXBORO (CBS) -- Changes are coming to Gillette Stadium in 2023. Big changes.
The home of the New England Patriots and New England Revolution is getting a big facelift, with construction set to begin in 2022. The Kraft family is calling these changes "the most dramatic Gillette Stadium improvements since its opening in 2002."
It will all start in the north end of the stadium, which will soon feature a completely reimagined plaza leading into the stadium.
"It's massive in scope and it just amplifies everything in the north end zone of our stadium," Kraft Sports & Entertainment Chief Operating Officer Jim Nolan said.
It also includes a new and enhanced lighthouse, which has been the stadium's signature feature since its opening. The lighthouse is being enlarged to a 218-foot structure, and will include a 360-degree observation deck at the top.
"And what's really cool about it is that it's going to have a new observation deck at the top open 365 days a year," Nolan said.
There will also be a 75,000-square foot glass-enclosure -- which will bridge the gap between the East and West Putnam Clubs, the Dell Technologies Suite Levels and the upper concourse -- that will be open year-round as a function space.
And one massive HD video board isn't enough, so another will be added inside the stadium, joining the massive video board that was just installed last offseason. This newer video board will be the largest outdoor stadium high-definition video board in the country, measuring 370-feet by 60-feet. The 22,000 square foot video board is nearly double the size of the new south end zone video board.
"The front side will be the largest outdoor stadium board in the country so its massive," Nolan said. "The greatest video board in the NFL and MLS. It really impacts anyone coming to Gillette for Patriots games, a Revolution game or a concert."
The $225 million project will dramatically change how fans view the game and even how they enter the plaza.
"This project will allow us to take the security lines out to the perimeter so that once you are screened you are in a wide-open plaza," Nolan said. "This whole plaza becomes a space for people to enjoy that becomes part of the game day experience and atmosphere."
The Patriots shared a video of what the new improvements will look like on the team's Instagram page:
Construction on the new improvements is scheduled to be finished ahead of the 2023 NFL season.
