Duke University announced today three new projects for modernizing it's football facility, the 85-year-old Wallace Wade Stadium.
The project is part of an $85 million expansion and is just one phase of a multi-year athletics facilities upgrade. Deputy Athletic Director Mike Cragg said the new tower will replace the Finch-Yaeger building, which doubles as classrooms during the week and media facilities on game days.
"We're doubling the capacity of restrooms. We're doubling the number of concession points," said Cragg. The stadium will feature a new video board that's twice the size of the current screen.
The stadium hasn't seen many significant improvements since it's inception. About five years ago some bathrooms and concessions were added. The last 10 years has focused mostly on external enhancements. Now, the project moves indoors: The field will be lowered, the track removed, and thousands of new field-level seats will be added.
"As soon as we finish up this 2014 season, on that last Saturday after Thanksgiving against Wake Forest, we'll have the bulldozers out in Wallace Wade Stadium, ready to lower the field and remove the track," said Cragg.