LSU officials, buoyed by the rave reviews and popularity of the new Alex Box Stadium, are exploring plans to build a new and improved Tiger Stadium on land adjacent to the Mississippi River levee. Plans are in the early development stage but the $750 million stadium would seat as many as 110,000 fans and be built in Old South Baton Rouge on a site adjacent to the old City Dock. The tentative opening date is in time for the start of the 2015 season.
“With the tough national economy some might argue now is not the time to launch such an ambitious plan,” says athletic director Joe Alleva. “But the recession really hasn’t hit Baton Rouge and this is the type of project that will create excitement and, more importantly, jobs. We also believe a move like this is necessary to keep LSU as a national football power.” Local architect Trey Trahan, of Trahan and Associates, has been hired to design the new facility. City officials say the stadium will serve as a magnet for downtown redevelopment and could lead to new hotels and restaurants in the area.
“This is the link we’ve been trying to build between downtown and LSU,” says Davis Rhorer, Downtown Development District executive director. To offset construction costs, LSU is considering selling naming rights to the stadium and it will auction off parts of the current Tiger Stadium. Alleva also hopes to turn the land where the on-campus stadium is located over to TAF where several parking garages will be built. The proceeds will be used to help cover the new stadium’s construction bonds. LSU is also considering building a new Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Mid City, at the site of the Westmoreland Village Shopping Center, but Alleva says if the school goes ahead with the basketball arena, it won’t open until at least 2018.
Editors note: This is an April fool story
