Everything Pat Kraft said about the state of Beaver Stadium before Penn State-Nevada: 'The structure is safe'

STATE COLLEGE — Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft said ‘the structure is safe’ when discussing Beaver Stadium, which is amid a multi-year renovation project that will finish before the 2027 season. It will be used much sooner than that, of course, as the Lions sit just 11 days away from their opener with Nevada on Aug. 30. Temporary bleachers are installed on the west side of the concourse. New temp seating will be found in the north and south-east corners, as well. It will all equal a stadium capacity of 106,304 people for the 2025 season.

“Prior to the installation that you all saw being built, Thornton Thomas Eddie, a structural engineering company, came by to conduct a thorough review of the existing floor plate of the main concourse level, which is where the temporary seating is,” Kraft said Tuesday. “They wanted to make sure that they could hold the load of the temp seating, first and foremost. So structural engineers looked at it. Then the structure went into a two-phase check. So, InProduction, they put the bleachers up, they look at it, and we bring in an independent third party to come in and look at it. So the structure is safe. It is safe, been looked at. It’s been inspected.”

We’ve compiled everything else Kraft had to say about the venue below.

Opening statement

“The west side temporary seating structure was installed by InProduction,” Kraft said. “You guys have heard that. They are the largest provider of temporary seating and staging structure in the United States. Their client list: PGA Tour, they work with F1, they work with the WTA, NASCAR, the Kentucky Derby. They work with everybody at an elite level of athletics. We work with, like everything at Penn State, the best of the best.

“We’ve got the keys to the castle. We are in that building. We are off and running. So the structure has met code. It’s good to go. We’ve had several people walking up and down in it. I’m going to be honest with you, awesome seats. The view is spectacular from there, but I get that there has been a lot of fanfare around that, which is great. But before and after, I will say every game, it continues to get inspected to make sure we’re good. Believe it or not, you just don’t throw things up and then leave it there.

Fast Beaver Stadium facts from Penn State AD Pat Kraft

“We took down the West Side press box,” Kraft said. “Most of you were there. Took it down [in early January]. I was a little nervous, and that really struck home. That thing fell, and you’re like, ‘Well, it’s a project now.’ And I’m really, really happy with where we are as we sit here today. Just some stats you may have seen on social media: Installed 924 micropiles going 50 to 80 feet to reach bedrock to lay this new foundation. [Penn State had] 3,200 tons of steel erected to 66 feet. So what you’re seeing right now, that concourse level where the temp seating is, it’s about 66 feet [tall]. We’re going to be at about 190 plus when this thing is done. So we are just getting started.”

On other temp stadium Penn State added at Beaver Stadium

“We were able to find other areas to put seating,” Kraft said. “There are two areas. One on the Marzano club level, and then on the main concourse level. We’ll have, in essence, a drink rail and seating there. We were able to find extra seating there because of the size and the magnitude of the footprint. So those are sold out. They’re already sold out for the season. But when you start to get the temp seating after those, other areas that we found opportunities, northeast southeast corners, will have the temp seating went through the same structural process, the amenities, everything now, it will be temp. The Marzano club, in particular, will offer food and beverage opportunities, portable restrooms.

“We will have all of that ready to go.

On the stadium’s capacity in 2025

“Our official capacity this season, is going to be 106,304,” Kraft said. “We’re a little below what our normal number. But we’re ready to go. The building and the most hostile and exciting environment in all of sports will be ready. Our fans are going to be ready to rock and roll when we kick off for Nevada. That was very important to me and our team, that we did not want anything to get in the way of the greatest environment in all sports.”

How far along is the Beaver Stadium project?

“I think we’re in the second quarter,” the Penn State AD said. “First quarter, kind of getting the demo, getting everything down, and [then] up and running. So yes, knock on wood, but we’re really in a good spot. We’re moving. We’re on time.

“What you will see, over there, there will be walls up. We’re still working through the year. Now, we’ll stop construction on Thursday night and get ready for game day. But they’re going to keep working, for example, on the club level and the main Concourse, bathrooms, concessions, all the things that are on those levels, they’ll continue to work. You’ll start to see after the year, I call it the super structure, [will go up]. So the height, you’ll see us go back up higher to get the upper level done in the off-season. But a from a game day perspective, like what you see is what it is.

“But they’ll continue to do all the things they can behind the scenes. You will not get to see the depth of the concourses, because we’re blocking it off so that we can continue to do construction.”

What do Penn State fans need to know about what’s under the west side bleachers and could items fall through them?

“It’s hard to explain,” Kraft said. “But the footprint, it’s not like a high school gym. I’m not going to say you’re not going to lose your keys or something. What I will tell you is, there’s no hole in the floor. The floor is a solid frame. I’ve heard that as well. We literally had a conversation today. What can we do to look at that? But we will have staff there. Keys fall. They’re going to be down there underneath it. Now, the thoroughfare that you go [down], it is covered. It’s hard because you haven’t seen it, but when you walk down the backside of the bleachers, that is covered, so it’s not like someone’s going to get hit. That is protected, that is covered. We will have people there if something were to happen, but there is a firm footing.”