Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wis.

The $295 million redevelopment of Lambeau Field has been dubbed the "rebirth of a legend."

The renovation, funded in part of a half-cent sales tax, allowed the Green Bay Packers football team to reverse their previously declining revenue ranking in the National Football League.

The Packers have the smallest market and no wealthy owner. The team needed to focus the renovation so that additional sources of revenue were realized to remain competitive on the ledger and the field.

The solution was to transform Lambeau from a 10-uses-a-year facility into a 365-day-a-year destination.

Atrium is Key

An atrium was built, the community-based heart of the renovation. The 360,000-sq.-ft. facility features the Packers Hall of Fame, a Fan Zone, the packers Pro Shop, restaurants, banquet, retail space and administrative offices.

Figures show the Packers have climbed from 20th place in NFL revenue ranking in 2001 to 10th place in 2002. With the renovation complete for 2003, the Packers are expecting their revenue to have another significant increase with the current season.

Businesses in Green Bay count on the financial returns the 10 football weekends guarantee each year. The team was committed to keeping the Packers playing in Green Bay throughout construction.

The commitment led to a strict scheduling of work to ensure the Packers and fans could get in and out of the stadium for the 2001 and 2002 seasons. The project was split into two football-dependent phases.

For instance, new private boxes were constructed behind the existing boxes after the 2000 football season. After the 2001 season, the old boxes were carefully demolished, leaving a gap between the existing bowl and new construction. Before the 2002 season, the gap was filled with additional seating and a two-level concourse.

Famous Bowl Kept

A design issue was how to provide high-quality features and amenities without losing the field and seating bowl for which the stadium is famous. The tight geometry of the existing bowl could not be created per the current code.

The problem was solved with the decision to build around the bowl, leaving it and its support structure intact. Maintaining the independence of the existing bowl and the new structure allowed the Packers to provide fans good seats.

Another problem was that many of the existing support structures ended up landing in the fan circulation zones, impacting the concourses. The solution was found by using the cross bracing between the columns to mount signage.

Support columns were an obstacle in the boxes and the locker room. Cantilevering from the underlying support structure solved the problem.

At the Packers' request, the locker room was designed to be column free by manufacturing 90-in.-deep plate girders to transfer the columns out of that level. Also, a large building column was eliminated on the main concourse by transferring the load to the floors above via a 10-ft.-deep, 106-ft.-wide truss.

A modern facility with traditional, timeless look was created. Elements from the old stadium were used, including concrete and exposed structural steel surrounded by green metal panels. The renovation included red brick, a material that came from the industrial history of the surrounding community.

The jury said, "This is aesthetically wonderful. They didn't touch the classic elements of the stadium, yet brought new life to the stadium - and they did it without having to move the Packers out."

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