In an effort to reclaim the title of the country's largest football stadium from Penn State, the University of Michigan has boosted the seating capacity at Michigan Stadium by about 2,000, to 109,901.
The increase is part of a three-year, $226 million renovation slated for completion next month. Improvements include wider seats and aisles to allow for better traffic flow, elevated concourses with additional restrooms and concessions areas on both sidelines, a new press box on the west side, and four towers (one at each corner of the stadium) with elevators and wide stairways for access to the new concourses and premium seating areas.
Michigan officials showed off their updated digs at an all-day stadium open house on Wednesday. But they're not done yet. "We're already looking at future expansion," athletic director Dave Brandon told reporters, adding that the revenue generated by the sale of suites and club seats has already covered the renovation's cost.
Still, recent reports indicate that Michigan has more selling to do before the home opener on Sept. 4 against Connecticut. Twenty of the 81 suites are still available, and about 80 percent of the 2,952 club seats haven't been sold yet.
