49ers announce $200M upgrades to Levi's Stadium
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The San Francisco 49ers announced Tuesday morning that the team will be investing $200 million to improve the fan experience at Levi’s Stadium.
The stadium just turned 10 years old and the team says it is already looking forward to hosting World Cup soccer matches and also the Super Bowl, for the second time, in the years ahead.
It was April 19, 2012, when the 49ers officially broke ground on Levi’s Stadium and it opened in the summer of 2014.
In the first decade, the stadium has already hosted Super Bowl 50 along with international soccer matches and major concerts.
Now, as the stadium enters its second decade, the team is making a big investment.
"We are really excited about what we are doing here at Levi’s Stadium," said Francine Melendez Hughes, the executive vice president and general manager of stadium operations.
Melendez Hughes said the goal is to keep the fan experience moving forward.
"We are always looking to reinvest into the stadium to ensure that it is up to the most technologically advanced stadium venue out there," Melendez Hughes said.
The video boards at both end zones will be upgraded, giving the stadium the largest 4K display of any NFL stadium in the nation.
New LED field lights will be installed which will save energy and will also brighten the playing field for primetime night games.
In a news release, the stadium operators call it a "best in class visual entertainment experience."
Also, new Wi-Fi-6 systems are being installed stadium-wide with more than 1,300 access points.
"So for us investing into the fan experience, whether it is frictionless technology at the concession stands so they are minimizing their time, or Wi-Fi or 5G so they are able to get their text messages out there and send pictures and just really enjoy their time here – it is important for us to make sure we are making these upgrades," Melendez Hughes said.
The stadium’s 120 luxury suites are also being upgraded with new furnishings and technology.
"As a stadium operator you always want to put money into the stadium. It is all about the first class fan experience," said Melendez Hughes.
Levi’s is looking forward to the 2024-25 NFL season and, in 2026, will host six FIFA World Cup matches and also Super Bowl 60.