Lane Stadium's new screen to be a big one in FBS

Feb 22, 2013, 8:26 AM

Article says it will be 8th largest. I would be interested to see the top 10. We've got to up there close.

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/02/lane-stadiums-new-screen-be-big-one-fbs

By Andy Bitter
The Virginian-Pilot
© February 21, 2013

BLACKSBURG

Virginia Tech is replacing the video board and sound systems at both Lane Stadium and Cassell Coliseum, projects the school expects to have completed before the start of the next football and basketball seasons.

When finished, the new Lane Stadium high-definition LED video board - at 48.2 feet tall and 108.2 feet wide - will be nearly five times the size of the current one, installed in 2005.

At 5,215 square feet, the Hokies' new board will be the eighth largest in the country among stadiums for Football Bowl Subdivision teams. It is expected to cost about $3 million.

"It's a lot of keeping up with the Joneses," said Tom Gabbard, associate director of athletics for internal affairs. "And as you know, this business is many times a facility battle on who has got the greatest, latest.

"So when we put the boards up originally, we were very competitive and better than most in our conference. And now in the conference, North Carolina has done a good job. Wake Forest has done a good job. So we need to keep moving forward."

Bids for the Lane Stadium project are due March 1, and Tech hopes to have a vendor chosen by April 1.

Installation is expected to begin sometime after the final graduation ceremonies on May 17 and are scheduled to be complete by Aug. 1.

The structure is not significantly bigger than the existing one, but Gabbard said the new structure "will be more video board and less static stuff."

The sound system upgrade at Lane will cost $700,000, and upgrades to the studios to support the new technologies will cost roughly $800,000 for both venues.

IMG College, which handles Virginia Tech's sports network, is paying for the entire project. Gabbard said there will be a lump sum paid by Tech up front, which the company will pay back over the life of its contract.

Gabbard said the Cassell board will be significantly larger too, although exact specifications haven't been set.

As for the indoor football practice facility, Gabbard said there still have not been any decisions about a site. The project was put on hold last spring after objections about removing part of the Stadium Woods to build the facility.