Steelers Announce Completion Of South Plaza Expansion
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Heinz Field just got a little bigger over the weekend as the Steelers announced the completion of the South Plaza expansion project.
So, what does it mean for fans who have been begging for more tickets to home games?
Well, the wait is over for some Steelers fans who wanted to buy season tickets.
"The key point is we were able to take 2,700 members off our waiting list to get them in seats in Heinz Field," Burt Lauten said.
Fans waited for 20 years for a shot at season tickets. Now, they will be watching home games from their seats in the South Plaza expansion.
A total of 2,700 fans can sit there now. Even though the original giant scoreboard is behind them, they will still have a clear view of what's going on from the other end.
"The northwest scoreboard was put it before the 2014 season with the anticipation that this project was going to be completed and fans at this end wouldn't have to turn around and look at the scoreboard in South Plaza. They would be able to look at the northwest scoreboard," Lauten said.
Three new restaurants are in the South Plaza, including Papa John's, Burgatory and Mac N'at. There also is a cigar bar in memory of Art Rooney Sr.
The Ford Fan Zone will stay put in the south end zone, complete with its Steelers theme truck.
"It's usually given away in December. This year, it will be given away at the Dec. 20 game, so some lucky winner will have the opportunity to drive home that tough truck, the Ford F150," Joseph Thurby said.
One big question has yet to be answered. How will the new seats impact kickers by blocking some of the wind at what used to be the open end of Heinz Field?
"I will leave that to the kickers. I will leave that to Garrett Hartley and the other opposing kickers coming in to answer that question, but hopefully, the key thing is we did not want to have the sightlines be gone of Downtown because we are proud of that. From the Ford Fan Zone, you will still be able to see Downtown," Lauten said.
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