Jordan-Hare Stadium project honored with ENR Southeast Best Projects Award

The Auburn University Jordan-Hare Stadium South End Zone Modifications project received an award of merit in the sports/entertainment category in ENR Southeast’s 16th Annual Best Projects Awards. The new state-of-the-art video board at Jordan-Hare made its debut for the 2015 season and at 10,830 square feet, is the largest in college football.

Yann Cowart, Vice President of GMC Sports and a football walk-on at Auburn in the 1980s, served as the project architect and was responsible for development of the concept shape, design of the outside skin and the aesthetics. With the height of the board rivaling the top of Samford Hall as the tallest point on campus, the scale had to relate not only to the stadium, but to campus as a whole. From inside the stadium, the board makes it feel more like a bowl without having an upper deck.

Every detail was meticulously thought out, from the exterior material down to the color. It was determined the backdrop should be neutral, as opposed to a team color that drew the eye away from the board. Selecting the right material for the exterior of the housing was also critical to ensure the metal used would not expand and contract over time, which causes a glare when the sun hits it just right. The design team chose a stable, insulated metal panel that will not fade or distort over time, is easy to clean and will last for 20 years.

A total of 10,700 square feet of LED make up the Tigers’ video board, which can display up to five different visual presentations, including everything from split screens to broadcast games from across the country, to social media streams and in-game stats.

According to Yellowhammer News, an independent survey of all SEC football fans conducted after the 2015 season showed Auburn coming in at No. 1 in all video and audio quality categories, some of which included quality of picture, overall video board content, overall ribbon board content, highlights of other games, display of other football scores and display of team stats. Just one year prior, Auburn did not place in the top five of any of these categories.

The projects submitted to ENR Southeast’s annual competition were evaluated and discussed by two separate, independent judging panels made up of industry representatives. Entries were reviewed based on the project team’s ability to overcome challenges, as well as the project’s construction and design quality, safety record; and contribution to the industry and community. Projects will be highlighted in the Nov. 7, 2016 Best Projects issue of ENR Southeast and celebrated at the Best Projects Awards Luncheon in November in Orlando, Fla.

Brasfield & Gorrie served as the construction manager and submitted the project for the award. The full list of Best Projects winners can be found on the ENR Southeast blog.