Photo of the Gate B entrance to Raymond James Stadium. Home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Image Credit: Jennifer Snyder (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Raymond James Stadium doesn't make the headlines quite as often as say AT&T Stadium, Lambeau Field or Soldier Field. However, it's one of the best travel destinations for NFL fans during the winter months with it's warm climate and beautiful scenery. If you ask most NFL fans what they know about Raymond James Stadium, they'll say that it's the stadium with the pirate ship in the end zone. However, the stadium is currently undergoing a series of renovations that will hopefully allow the stadium to lure and host another Super Bowl. Raymond James Stadium previously hosted Super Bowl XXXV between the Baltimore Ravens and New York Giants and Super Bowl XLIII between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals

Photo of the field at Raymond James Stadium. Home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Image Credit: ArticWhirlwind/Flickr (CC BY-ND 2.0)

The new renovations are estimated to cost in excess of $100 million with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers organization contributing more than $60 million towards the costs. The current stadium lease does not require the Buccaneers organization to pay any money for stadium upgrades. The renovations will take place in two phases. The first phase will include the installation of brand new HD video boards in both end zones, each video board will total more than 9,500 square feet. There will also be four brand new video displays in each corner of the lower level seating area - each corner video display will be larger than 2300 square feet. HD ribbon boards will also be place in the center ring of the second level seating area, also called the suite level. In terms of square footage, Raymond James Stadium's video displays will be the third largest in the NFL. The luxury suites will be renovated along with the concessions and stadium's sound system as well. 

The 2nd phase of renovations will take place following the 2016 NFL season and will include improvements to the team merchandise store, club lounges and upper and lower level concourses. The renovations were agreed upon in unison by the Tampa Sports Authority Board of Directors, Hillsborough County and City of Tampa. In an odd twist, the Buccaneers organization also wanted the right to play two home games each season at other destinations such as London, England. That agreement fell through - the Buccaneers will only play one home game away each season until further notice. 

For further updates on the stadium's renovations, please visit Buccaneers.com.

  

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