BOISE, Idaho — On Saturday, school officials and athletic administrators for Boise State University gathered in Albertson's Stadium to break ground on a 65 million-dollar project that aims to completely reimagine the North End Zone.
Aptly titled the North End Zone Project, the stadium renovation will add bars, a beer garden, concessions, community spaces, and luxury seating options— including club and suite-style seats to the historic sporting venue. Jeramiah Dickey says it's all part of the plan to bring elevated experiences to Boise State fans. "We wanted to create something that would be epic," he says.
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Via a financial partnership with Simplot, Boise State hopes the newly designed North End Zone will help ease the ongoing high demand for club and suite-level seating. For the last three years, the waitlist for such seating has exceeded 250+ people.
"[The project] will allow us to create assets that we can monetize and then pour [those funds] back into the program," says Dickey.
With the loss of the bleacher seating behind the North End Zone, the Boise State Blue Thunder Marching Band will relocate to the South End Zone.
Fans who appreciated the low cost of the North End Zone bleachers have expressed concern over the project. When asked where fans could go for cheaper seats, Dickey replied, "We have other areas within this stadium to provide those cost-effective opportunities. So, I am not as concerned about that. But if I’m being transparent— it wears on me a little bit, you know, the people that were in the North End Zone.”
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In addition to serving a function on game day, the North End Zone space will also serve 18+ sports programs throughout the school year.
Head Coach, Spencer Danielson praised that shared vision saying, “[This project] not only affects our football players, but directly affects ALL our student-athletes. From the dining hall to the nutrition [bar], it's a place for them to connect.”
Danielson also took time on Saturday morning's event to emphasize that the premium facilities will make returning to the Fiesta Bowl an easier task.
Already thinking ahead to 'what's next,' Jeramiah Dickey said students and fans should be on the lookout for other improvements to begin on the east side of Albertson's Stadium as well as Extra Mile Arena.
Photo Renderings: North End Zone Project
