Jun 30, 2025
UNIVERSITY — It might not look like much now, but former Penn State football letterman Michael Mauti can see the vision.
Heck, the Nittany Lion linebacker, who played in Happy Valley from 2008 to 2012 and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the seventh round of the 2013 National Football League Draft, might even try to sneak out on the Beaver Stadium turf for a few downs once the construction work is completed.
Mauti took a hard-hat tour of the Beaver Stadium construction site recently, showcasing the scope of the $700 million project underway and talking about the progress made for the Beaver Stadium Revitalization Project.
Penn State is busy this summer pouring concrete for the foundation of the West Tower that will eventually be the renovation’s centerpiece.
“We’ve got a five-story temporary staircase just to pour concrete before these permanent staircases go in,” Mauti said from a parking lot turned into a renovation site for construction supplies.
As Mauti detailed, early phase work will be completed in time for Penn State to install temporary seating for the 2025 Penn State football season. Penn State plans to lodge at least 7,000 temporary seats in Beaver Stadium, which are expected to be in place for the Aug. 30 season-opener against Nevada.
Right now, there’s a big chunk missing from Beaver Stadium where the pressbox used to be. Crews are working feverishly to ensure they have seats for the opener.
Penn State is juggling multiple tasks, strategies and seasons across the three-year stadium construction project. Penn State began the demolition of Beaver Stadium’s west side in January, when it demolished the press box. Penn State also removed the seating deck that sat below the press box and began pouring concrete and building the foundation of the tower that will rise for the 2027 season.
“We’re right on top of where the pressbox used to be to finish phase one of the concrete pour.” Mauti said from a concrete pad. “That’s over 250 cubic yards of concrete like 50,000 gallons of Berkey Creamery ice cream.”
That’s a lot of ice cream, but you would have no problem sampling all of Berkey Creamery’s 120 flavors with that many gallons. Anyone for some Peachy Paterno, Lion S’mores or maybe a little Mint Nittany.
Anyway, back to the Beaver Stadium Revitalization.
Beaver Stadium’s new West Tower will house two premium seating clubs that will include about 4,500 seats and about 70,000 square feet of lounge space.
“The crew behind us is laying the rebar to pour three of 36 of the concrete, to get here the foundation’s got to be installed, steel erected, pans placed, piping supports and penetration in place and the rebar locked in,” Mauti said.
“Every detail sets the tone for what’s next,” Mauti added.
And that’s creating a fan experience that is second to none in the world of college football. And a temple to house one of the most storied programs in the land.
Mauti would know; he was part of it. Today, he’s sporting a construction hard hat and guiding the tour.
“This thing’s got to be stronger than a goal line stand in the fourth quarter,” he explained. “Each one of these columns is over 30,000 pounds and we’re bringing in the crew that’s brought you the loudest crew in golf to put the temporary bleacher structure right on top of this.”
And while the next few years will feel like a construction zone at times. The environment is expected to remain raucous.
“Even with the temporary bleachers, this is still going to be the loudest environment in college football,” Mauti charged.
The supplies needed for the first phase are in the house and it’s time to put it all together, much like Penn State head coach James Franklin and his staff are assembling the 2025 squad.
“All of the steel for phase one now’s been delivered, so these lead bears can continue going to work assembling 3,200 tons of steel,” Mauti said.
And it might not look like much now, but it should come together for at least one shining moment — for the opener against Nevada. It’s just the start, too, as the new Beaver Stadium starts to take shape.
“Right now its steel, rebar and concrete but soon it will be the launchpad for a new era in Beaver Stadium history.” Mauti added.
Beaver Stadium’s west side was closed to fans for the Blue-White Game but will reopen at or near full capacity for the 2025 season, Penn State Athletic Director Patrick Kraft said. Kraft said in February that the initial plan was to construct about 7,400 temporary seats, though Penn State could add more. Beaver Stadium’s seating capacity of 106,572 makes it the nation’s second-largest stadium.
“We should be at full capacity with the [temporary seating],” Kraft said. “We’ll be really, really close, and you’ll see a little bit of the construction footprint. … Parking, (we) won’t have any issues. But they’re going to keep working throughout the year, so it’s going to be an active site. But honestly, I think the (temporary) seating may have a better seat than they had in the old west side.
“We’re really happy about where it’s going. I really believe it’s going to be something fans are going to be proud of,” Kraft added. “We’re trying to make it so that it’s as loud as humanly possible and continue to keep this as the greatest home field advantage in all of sports.”
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