2023-12-12 16:05:50
Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Baltimore Ravens are doing what they can to keep their fans coming back to the Bank.
On Tuesday, the Ravens formally announced major renovation plans to M&T Bank Stadium, occurring over the next three years. The series of renovations, which is expected to cost more than $430 million, comes following the team recently signed a new 15-year lease with the Maryland Stadium Authority. Earlier this year, M&T Bank also extended its long-time stadium naming rights deal with the team through 2037 as well.
M&T Bank Stadium, which has been the Ravens’ home since 1998, will undergo a major facelift that includes adding fan-friendly plazas, along with building more premium and hospitality spaces, designed to enhance the gameday fan experience while boosting revenues. Among those new spaces are The Gatehouse, the North Club, the South Club and the Blackwing.
The Gatehouse will be two levels of social space for fans to congregate before, during and following home games. This togetherness initiative extends to the team’s plan to expand the upper-level concourses, which will provide more room for pre-game festivities.
The North Club and South Club areas are new ultra-premium field-level experiences that provide all-inclusive food and beverage options, which are expected to open in 2025. The Blackwing suites, a new set of 10 individual suites near the Ravens’ sideline, are set to open next year. All the suites will connect to an exclusive members-only club featuring a speakeasy bar and lounge area.
The Ravens, like other teams, are also looking to create more year-round experiences at the stadium—hence why they’re redoing the grand entrance of north plaza with a new performance stage, among other things, in a way that provides better opportunities for third parties to come and host events outside the 71,000-seat facility.
These new renovations will follow a previously completed stadium renovation in 2019. The major upgrades come at a time when the Ravens will receive all proceeds for home games and events under their new lease while the authority receives 80% of the 10% amusement tax. The franchise is no longer subject to pay rent anymore, either, but is responsible for maintenance, operational and other costs.
Maryland Stadium Authority recently was approved to finance more than $1 billion on upgrades to M&T Bank Stadium, along with Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
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