On site: An inside look at the $430M renovation of Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium

As the Baltimore Ravens took a 7-3 lead over the Atlanta Falcons at halftime in its preseason home opener on Aug. 17, fans began flocking toward the latest addition to M&T Bank Stadium — The Gatehouse.

A rooftop deck within a newly unveiled two-level social space, The Gatehouse is part of an overall $430 million renovation of the Ravens’ home stadium in Baltimore, where the team has played since 1998. Spanning over 5,000 square feet on each level, The Gatehouse offers a sports bar vibe with restrooms on both floors, a capacity of about 400 people per floor and views of Charm City.

But before bartenders poured drinks and fans soaked up the sights from the new deck, Corey Sarver, senior project executive at Gilbane Building Co., and his team worked tirelessly to have The Gatehouse ready in time for the preseason game. Even then, the space wasn’t completely finished.

Days after the preseason game, Sarver returned to The Gatehouse, now adorned with custom artwork, TV screens and raven figurines still hanging from the ceiling. This time, instead of cheering fans pouring into the bar, construction workers moved in to nail down those final touches.

For instance, to ensure that the bar was ready in time for the preseason game, Gilbane had quickly installed a temporary plastic laminate bar surface. Now, project teams replaced that temporary finish with permanent concrete tops, said Sarver, with a few weeks to spare before the Ravens’ regular season home opener against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 15.

All renovation activity in The Gatehouse will be finished in time for that game, Sarver said.

Dealing with change orders

Preparing the bar for patrons and installing TV screens were the final touches in The Gatehouse renovation. Before reaching that point, however, Gilbane had to find solutions to several challenges, including a critical change order to reinforce the concrete ground floor of The Gatehouse with fiberglass. The adjustment was necessary to ensure the structure could accommodate the expected crowd and activities, said Sarver.

Gilbane chose fiberglass for reinforcing the ground floor due to its strength, durability and lightweight properties. This makes it an ideal choice for structures that need to support heavy loads without adding excessive weight.

“In order to apply this form of reinforcement and achieve the proper cure, the surface and air temperature had to be maintained at 70 degrees and above,” said Sarver. “Since this material had to be installed in February and March, we had to tent and temporarily heat the exterior loading dock where this product was being applied in order to maintain this requirement.”

Gilbane quickly mobilized resources and collaborated closely with its trade partners to implement the change without delaying the project timeline, said Sarver.

Fan experience

The upgrades at M&T Bank Stadium center around one key goal: to enhance the fan experience, said Sarver. In addition to putting finishing touches on The Gatehouse, Gilbane is also wrapping up work on The Blackwing, the stadium’s most luxurious accommodation.

The Blackwing, located in the former press box area below the club level along the Ravens’ sideline, features 10 suites that connect to a private club. The club offers concierge services, high-end food, beverage options and a fully enclosed balcony with retractable glass.

To support the structural load of this new lounge space, Gilbane reinforced the existing foundations and columns located on the concourse level. That required removing the concourse slab, excavating down to the foundations and enlarging the existing pile caps to provide additional support, said Sarver.

Gilbane then relocated the former press area to the suite level. To ensure precision, project teams used BIM technology during the project. The combination of existing structures with new additions made BIM an ideal choice for coordinating design and construction, allowing the team to integrate the two elements, said Sarver.

“Scanning the existing structure allowed the team to see variances in the existing floor elevations,” he said. “The team was then able to adjust the new structure to meet these varying elevations prior to the erection of the steel, saving time and money.”

The Blackwing space, as well as the new press box, will be ready ahead of the Ravens’ regular season home opener, said Sarver.

This trend of prioritizing fan experience is evident in other major stadium renovations across the country.

For example, in Charlotte, a joint venture between New York City-based Turner Construction and local contractor D.A. Everett Construction Group is set to upgrade the Spectrum Center, home of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets. The planned work includes a fourth vomitory on the arena’s lower level, the relocation of two clubs, the addition of a new courtside club and the renovation of the entire suite level.

Meanwhile, in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Sweden-based Skanska plans to install a new modular steel composite seating system at MetLife Stadium ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Field-level clubs 

Looking ahead, the Maryland Stadium Authority aims to revitalize the M&T Bank Stadium’s field-level clubs too, with significant upgrades planned for the South Club, North Club and West End Zone Club and Suites.

All these projects remain on track to complete by 2026, said Sarver, adding that Gilbane will continue renovations during the football season, but will pause work on game days to avoid disruptions to fans.

That means as Ravens fans seated behind the endzone celebrate touchdowns this season, they likely will have no idea there’s a construction site right beneath their feet.

In the South Club, Gilbane will create an ultra-premium field-level lounge with direct views of the Ravens’ player tunnel at the 50-yard line and post-game press conference room. The renovation will include seating for 400 fans, a boutique area and shared restrooms.

The North Club will provide a field-level experience with a social sports bar atmosphere. Conveniently accessible from the main concourse, the club will offer limited field seats and climate-controlled spaces for up to 350 spectators.

The West End Zone Club and Suites will accommodate up to 500 guests and feature two high-end bars. The space will offer an all-inclusive game day experience with access to premium food and beverages before, during and after the game.

“We’ve turned over some amazing spaces, but we’re not done yet,” said Sarver. “As the Ravens kick off their season, I’m excited to begin the next phase of renovations that will further elevate the year-round fan experience for visitors at M&T Bank Stadium.”