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The Green Bay Packers on Tuesday proposed the NFL version of big-screen, high-definition TV for Lambeau Field.
The Packers want to replace the scoreboards at the north and south ends of the stadium with state-of-the-art digital screens on par with those in 24 other stadiums, and improve game-related audio in the bowl and club seats.
"We can't take (fan support) for granted, and we need to continue to innovate," Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy told the Green Bay/Brown County Professional Football Stadium District board on Tuesday. "I think it will be a tremendously positive thing for the stadium and our fans."
The Packers need the approval of the stadium district, both because it is their landlord and because it can help pay for the project. The district has about $13 million for capital improvements provided by personal seat license fees — paid by ticket-holders — and earned interest. The capital improvement fund includes no sales tax money, said Patrick Webb, district executive director.
The board did not take action Tuesday. The meeting was planned to be informational only, and the board lacked a quorum. It will take up the proposal when it meets at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 15 at Lambeau Field.
The project, including a new control room for the big screens, could cost $13 million to $14 million, said Jason Wied, Packers vice president of administration and general counsel.
Murphy and Webb have agreed the team will not ask to use all the capital improvement fund. When that fund is depleted, the district will no longer have money for capital improvements, and the team will have to pay the full cost of projects.
According to terms of their lease, the Packers are required to keep Lambeau within the top 25 percent of stadiums in terms of technology. The scoreboards were installed in 2003, when Lambeau Field was renovated.
Seventy-five percent of teams have better systems, and those that don't are hoping to build new stadiums, Murphy said.
"This will put us in really good position relative to the rest of the league," Wied said.
He said improvements would include a bigger picture for on-field action, brighter LED lighting, clarity, better viewing-angle technology and high-definition images.
Plans also call for upgrading audio in both the stadium bowl and the club seats, which Wied said would be good for events, such as concerts, as well as games. The new distributed-audio system would place speakers around the bowl directed toward fans in the seats. Currently, the stadium has a single-point system that does not work well in such a large space.
The improved audio also might put more seats in play for other Lambeau events, including concerts, Wied said. Currently, enclosed club seats cannot be sold for concerts because the windows do not open.
The Packers envision using existing structures for the new screens, which Wied said would reduce the overall cost. The video image will be about four times the size of the current video and put the screens among the top eight in the league.
Murphy said the Packers will retain fixed signs for such information as game time, score, yard line and downs somewhere in the stadium. Some teams show those periodically on their big screens, but Packers fans have made it clear they want that information available throughout the game, he said.
The team wants to have the new screens in place by the Family Night game in 2011. The project will not be done in time for the Kenney Chesney concert scheduled for June 11.
The Packers do not want to wait for planned improvements to south end zone seating to begin the project.
"We hope to go forward with the south end zone as soon as possible, but the reality is it could be two or three years," Murphy said.
The Packers representatives said they would retain the ability to help select subcontractors for the project, directing as much work as possible to local companies.
The new digital screens will provide the Packers with an additional source of advertising income and will help keep the game-day experience attractive to fans.
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The Packers want to replace the scoreboards at the north and south ends of the stadium with state-of-the-art digital screens on par with those in 24 other stadiums, and improve game-related audio in the bowl and club seats.
"We can't take (fan support) for granted, and we need to continue to innovate," Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy told the Green Bay/Brown County Professional Football Stadium District board on Tuesday. "I think it will be a tremendously positive thing for the stadium and our fans."
The Packers need the approval of the stadium district, both because it is their landlord and because it can help pay for the project. The district has about $13 million for capital improvements provided by personal seat license fees — paid by ticket-holders — and earned interest. The capital improvement fund includes no sales tax money, said Patrick Webb, district executive director.
The board did not take action Tuesday. The meeting was planned to be informational only, and the board lacked a quorum. It will take up the proposal when it meets at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 15 at Lambeau Field.
The project, including a new control room for the big screens, could cost $13 million to $14 million, said Jason Wied, Packers vice president of administration and general counsel.
Murphy and Webb have agreed the team will not ask to use all the capital improvement fund. When that fund is depleted, the district will no longer have money for capital improvements, and the team will have to pay the full cost of projects.
According to terms of their lease, the Packers are required to keep Lambeau within the top 25 percent of stadiums in terms of technology. The scoreboards were installed in 2003, when Lambeau Field was renovated.
Seventy-five percent of teams have better systems, and those that don't are hoping to build new stadiums, Murphy said.
"This will put us in really good position relative to the rest of the league," Wied said.
He said improvements would include a bigger picture for on-field action, brighter LED lighting, clarity, better viewing-angle technology and high-definition images.
Plans also call for upgrading audio in both the stadium bowl and the club seats, which Wied said would be good for events, such as concerts, as well as games. The new distributed-audio system would place speakers around the bowl directed toward fans in the seats. Currently, the stadium has a single-point system that does not work well in such a large space.
The improved audio also might put more seats in play for other Lambeau events, including concerts, Wied said. Currently, enclosed club seats cannot be sold for concerts because the windows do not open.
The Packers envision using existing structures for the new screens, which Wied said would reduce the overall cost. The video image will be about four times the size of the current video and put the screens among the top eight in the league.
Murphy said the Packers will retain fixed signs for such information as game time, score, yard line and downs somewhere in the stadium. Some teams show those periodically on their big screens, but Packers fans have made it clear they want that information available throughout the game, he said.
The team wants to have the new screens in place by the Family Night game in 2011. The project will not be done in time for the Kenney Chesney concert scheduled for June 11.
The Packers do not want to wait for planned improvements to south end zone seating to begin the project.
"We hope to go forward with the south end zone as soon as possible, but the reality is it could be two or three years," Murphy said.
The Packers representatives said they would retain the ability to help select subcontractors for the project, directing as much work as possible to local companies.
The new digital screens will provide the Packers with an additional source of advertising income and will help keep the game-day experience attractive to fans.
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