In late 2023, the Maryland Stadium Authority (MSA) announced a package of major upgrades to M&T Bank Stadium, home of the Baltimore Ravens. These upgrades feature an ambitious mix of renovation and new construction at every level of the stadium to enhance the gameday year-round fan experience. From creating a high-end luxury group of suites to a new two-level beer hall, these upgrades will breathe new life into the 26-year-old stadium once the full scope is completed in 2026.
But what would it take to complete this ambitious scope? That was the question for me and my team as we dove into preconstruction. Thankfully, our team came prepared with best practices and lessons learned from similar projects throughout the state of Maryland, including a previous round of stadium renovations in 2019. That’s what we leaned on as we tackled the first round of renovations, which just opened in time for the 2024 Baltimore Ravens season. Navigating a challenging schedule and close collaboration with MSA and the design partner, Gensler, were key to delivering the first phase of the renovations on time.
Tackling Scheduling Complexities
While the list of facility improvements to the stadium is long, all work will be completed in just three years, and Gilbane Building Company does not have the luxury of year-round work on our own schedule. The stadium must remain fully operational for games and events from August through February, and no construction should impede the fan experience during the season. Further complicating matters, the stadium is still operational during the offseason and hosts non-NFL events like the international soccer match played in August 2024. This provides an extremely tight window to mobilize onsite, complete major work, and have the stadium up to standards by the start of the season. Our team developed a sequence of project phases that would allow major work to be completed during the NFL offseason while continuing to work behind the scenes throughout the course of the regular season.
Having recently completed renovation projects in the stadium, our team came prepared with a deep understanding of the stadium’s intricacies. This allowed us to develop a schedule with a sequencing and phasing plan that allowed project delivery with budget certainty. Our schedule was informed by the level and duration of the impact that construction could have on stadium operations, as well as market conditions.
Situated just below the club level along the Ravens’ sideline, The Blackwing features 10 individual suites all connected to a private club featuring high-end food and beverage options
A decentralized approach was key to completing both renovations and new construction during the offseason. Rather than looking at the stadium renovations as a single project, we broke it out into several smaller projects on the same site, each with its own team structure. Previously, we used this strategy to deliver six elementary and middle schools at once for the Prince George’s County Public Schools P3 Program. For example, one team could be dedicated to one specific project, such as the Blackwing, while a separate team works on a group of projects on the other side of the stadium. This divide-and-conquer approach allowed us to dedicate specialized teams to specific projects based on the unique expertise of each team member, which ensured a high level of quality control.
A Collaborative Gameplan
Effective and early collaboration is the cornerstone of any successful construction project, ensuring seamless coordination, timely problem-solving, and enhanced efficiency from start to finish. Our team has developed an excellent partnership with MSA and Gensler over the years, which helped facilitate effective collaboration during preconstruction. Our team members attended MSA’s weekly stadium events meetings to coordinate construction activities (such as deliveries, access, and outages) with planned upcoming events, as well as daily stadium activities, including deliveries and NFL security protocols. We collaborated with MSA and the Ravens to determine early trade scope packages and early equipment releases necessary to meet the construction schedule. Gilbane was also instrumental in design development, incorporating our knowledge of the stadium and understanding of the project throughout this process.
Communication during construction was key to keeping the site clean, organized, and efficient. At its peak, over 400 tradespeople including electrical, mechanical, plumbing, steel, masonry, and more, would be on site each day, putting in thousands of work hours. Our team conducted site logistics planning to seamlessly coordinate the numerous trades that required simultaneous access to the active stadium. We eliminated unnecessary congestion and downtime by strategically staging materials, designating discrete work zones, and implementing just-in-time delivery schedules, keeping the project moving forward rapidly.
Path Forward
It is incredible to see our team’s hard work pay off as fans enjoy the Stadium’s new amenities, but our work is far from over. As we plan for another phase of stadium upgrades, we are continuing work beneath the lower seating bowl on 10 field-level suites, which requires major excavation work a short distance from the Raven’s locker room. The success of the M&T Bank Stadium upgrades is not only a win for Gilbane and MSA, but for the Baltimore Ravens, NFL fans, and the City of Baltimore. Although the stadium is approaching its fourth decade of operation, it has stood the test of time and, through these renovations, will continue to provide a vibrant and modern experience for fans. Once complete, the stadium will have spaces for year-round operations, generating revenue during the offseason. We feel that these upgrades will not only transform the physical structure of the stadium but will deepen its ties to fans and city residents over the coming decades. A complex renovation like this may be daunting, but with proper phasing, team alignment, and collaboration, it can be an effective solution for your aging facilities.
