Penn State football is turning the demolition of the Beaver Stadium press box into a party this weekend.
The 64-year-old press box is set to be demolished on Jan. 4, at about 8 a.m., as part of the ongoing stadium renovation project. Pre-event ceremonies, so to speak, begin at 7:30.
The public can view the demolition, buy food and drinks, listen to music, sign a historic piece of the stadium and participate in a memorabilia drawing.
The football-related demolition comes shortly after the Nittany Lions play their first-ever College Football Playoff quarterfinal game tonight against Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. A victory would send them to the CFP semifinals in the Orange Bowl next week against tomorrow night’s winner of Notre Dame-Georgia.
The Orange Bowl will be played on Jan. 9 (7:30 p.m., ESPN).
Penn State football: Beaver Stadium renovations begin
A public viewing area for Saturday’s demolition will be staged in the stadium’s West parking lot, adjacent to the Bryce Jordan Center marquee. See parking details and road closure information here.
There will be coffee, hot chocolate, breakfast sandwiches and breakfast pastries available for purchase (credit card only). There will also be a number of activities at the event, including a DJ, opportunity to sign a bleacher from the West side and a drawing to win signed construction hats by Penn State head coaches.
A number of items, including stadium signage and bleachers, have been salvaged during construction preparations and will be sold at a later date.
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The press box is the first part of a large-scale demolition of the upper West side of Beaver Stadium. There will be workers on-site, 24 hours a day, for the next six weeks to demo, clear and prep the area for the construction that will take place prior to the 2025 season.
The press box had been disassembled and moved from New Beaver Field to Beaver Stadium following the 1959 season, along with the grandstands. The press box was expanded to its current configuration in 1980 with additions on either side to nearly double its size.
The press box has hosted countless legendary broadcasters over the decades. Those who have called and analyzed games from its second level include Keith Jackson, Vern Lundquist, Al Michaels, Dick Vermeil and Bob Griese, as well as former Nittany Lions Todd Blackledge and Matt Millen.
Joe Paterno worked the radio broadcast of the Blue-White Game every April from the press box and even coached from it, on occasion, over the last decade of his career.
BEAVER STADIUM RENOVATION resumed in earnest, right after the Penn State’s 38-10 CFP win over SMU, as writers were still posting their stories, and continued into Christmas Eve afternoon. The press box will be coming down “soon.” Watch: pic.twitter.com/3cvfehkOCA
— Mike Poorman (@PSUPoorman) December 24, 2024
The press box demolition is part of the $700 million stadium renovations approved by university officials last May. Improvements will include additional premium seating and suites, new elevators restrooms and concessions. The work is scheduled to conclude by the summer of 2027.
Penn State spent about $4 million of its initial renovation budget on repair and maintenance to ensure that Beaver Stadium could host a December playoff game − beginning with its 38-10 victory over SMU on Dec. 21.
The university plans for some temporary seating for the 2025 season but has not yet announced details.
Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Penn State hosts Beaver Stadium press box demolition watch party
