The Pittsburgh Steelers don’t plan on building a new stadium anytime soon. But that isn’t stopping them from making upgrades to Acrisure Stadium for the second offseason in a row.
During a one-on-one interview with WPXI’s Jenna Harner Wednesday night, team owner and president Art Rooney II said the Steelers will be announcing additional upgrades to Acrisure Stadium in the near future. Additionally, the Steelers are working with a team of consultants regarding the future of the stadium on the North Shore.
“There are some things that we’re working on now that we’ll be announcing here in the near future in terms of improvements to the stadium this year,” Rooney told Harner. “And then we’re working with a team of consultants on, let’s say, the stadium of the future and what Acrisure Stadium can be, 5, 10, 20 years from now.”
Las season, the Steelers spent $1.4 million to upgrade restroom facilities inside the stadium, which opened at the start of the 2001 season as Heinz Field.
According to reporting from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Mark Belko in early 2023, the Steelers spent $1.4 million to upgrade 12 restroom facilities at the stadium. Primarily, upper-deck restrooms that still have troughs in the men’s bathroom were replaced by urinals and dividers.
Big upgrades, I know.
Still, it was a clear effort by the Steelers to pour money into the facility, upgrading it to try and improve the fan experience.
More upgrades are on the way, according to Rooney, though it is unclear what those upgrades will entail. The Steelers are expected to announce those upgrades in the near future, as Rooney stated.
When it comes to the future of the stadium though, don’t expect the Steelers to build a new home anytime soon.
Rooney’s comments to Harner aren’t a surprise considering he stated during his media press conference in late January that the Steelers don’t plan on building a new stadium.
“We are going through a stadium assessment at this point, and really looking at what it’s gonna take to be in this stadium for the next 10, 20 years, whatever it’s gonna be. It’s a process and so we’ve hired some consultants to help us look at it. We like the stadium, it’s a great facility, and with the right kinds of improvements it can continue to be our home for a long time,” Rooney said via audio from 93.7 The Fan.
The Steelers’ lease of the North Shore stadium ends in 2030, so the clock is ticking on the location and the future of the stadium. Interestingly enough, the naming rights contract with Acrisure runs through 2036. What happens if the Steelers decide to build a new stadium when the lease ends?
It sure doesn’t seem like that’s going to be the case for the franchise and the property on the North Shore, but things can change in the years ahead. Right now though, the Steelers are focused on making upgrades to the stadium and remaining on the North Shore for the foreseeable future.
