Packers host Lambeau construction tour

GREEN BAY - Packers stock certificates offered in the team's current sale remain in demand.

And now we're getting a closer look at how it will be used at Lambeau Field.

The team's stock sale began December 6, 2011. Its original hope was to sell 250,000 shares at $250 a share.

When those were almost gone the Packers increased the number of shares available by 30,000.  

The team hasn't said how many of those shares have been sold, but plans to keep the offer open through February.

If you've been by Lambeau Field lately, you may have noticed the beginnings of the $143 million expansion, half paid for by donations from the stock sale.

It's a project aimed at reducing the number of fans on the season ticket waiting list which currently sits at 96,000.

Thursday, the Packers organization provided the media with a tour of the major transformation going on at Lambeau.

• Click here to see photos from Thursday's tour
• Renderings of the Lambeau Field expansion

Dozens of construction workers are on site in both end zones.

North end zone plans include a new gate and a rooftop viewing platform.

Right now in that area - steel is up and installation has begun on a bank of elevators.

"Six elevators on the north end that will stop at levels three, four, six and to a new rooftop viewing platform," said Packers director of facility operations Ted Eisenreich.

South end zone plans include about 6,700 new seats, and a new gate.

Workers on that side of the stadium are doing foundation work.

"Down below you are seeing the footings of the foundations for the new structural steel to go up, you're seeing the pits for the new elevators and the pads for the new escalators," Eisenreich said.

The project also includes new video score boards that will sit higher, and are much larger than the current ones.

That's part of why Packers officials say the project has presented some challenges. The stadium needs to be reinforced to support the new loads.

"So a lot of the work is in existing spaces, in interior spaces where ceilings and walls need to be opened up to reinforce the steel that's existing there today," Eisenreich explained.

Another potential challenge hasn't been an issue yet. Construction manager, Miron Construction, says the mild winter has helped tremendously in keeping the Lambeau project on track.

"Oh it's been phenomenal, a godsend to us. It certainly helped with our production, and our ability on the south here especially to move forward," said Miron Construction vice president Royce Alsbach.

Also helping the project move forward financially is the team's stock sale which has brought in at least $62 million dollars so far.

"We're somewhere north of 250,000 shares sold. At the end of the sale we'll know ultimately how much that is contributing to the project," said Packers assistant director of public relations Aaron Popkey.

The Packers say the north end zone work and video boards will be ready to go for the 2012 season.

The south end zone construction is set to be complete by the following season.

The Packers say the project is expected to employ about 1,600 workers over the next two years.

Those jobs will pay than $70 million in wages.

Officials say - in the long term - the additional seats could generate about $11 million a year in new spending in Brown County.