A Better Fan Experience at FirstEnergy Stadium
Ron Turner 
Image © Gensler
Sports fans are an especially passionate and engaged group of consumers. Their loyalty to the teams they follow is unmatched; their dedication never waivers. Most brands would relish having such enthusiastic followers. Season after season, sports fans show up and do whatever they can to support the teams they love.
Given this level of support sports teams receive, it’s imperative for stadiums, which are the physical manifestations of sports teams and landmark pieces of civic architecture, to maximize the fan experience and reward the fans who pour so much of their hearts into the teams they love. Every stadium requires a thoughtful approach to design, so that each component within the structure becomes a touch point which enhances the experience of attending a game and offers a new level of service and amenities.
This design philosophy governs our work on sports stadiums, and we will certainly keep it in the front of our minds as we embark on our latest project: a two-phased modernization of FirstEnergy Stadium. Home to the Cleveland Browns, FirstEnergy Stadium has served northeast Ohio since 1999. This modernization project will not only improve the fan experience at Browns games but attract additional sporting and entertainment events. Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is committed to building a winning team and creating one of the best fan experiences in professional football, and we believe this project will help move both goals closer to fruition.
We are very excited to embark on this project and will post updates to the work in the coming months. The following video previews the changes and the improved fan experience the revamped stadium will offer.
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Ron Turner, FAIA, LEED® AP, is Gensler’s director of sports and entertainment, and a principal in the Los Angeles office. A recognized leader in international sports facility design, Ron Turner has over thirty years of experience dedicated to creating iconic event center designs that generate increased revenue, build civic brands, and employ innovative technologies. As a founder of sports design practices for Ellerbe Becket, NBBJ, RTKL and now Gensler, Ron has led design teams for numerous professional and collegiate venues and sports-anchored entertainment districts around the world. Contact him at ron_turner@gensler.com. |
Reader Comments (1)
I wanted to congratulate you and your team on the incredible transformation happening at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland. Populos had designed a perfectly respectful stadium and you have transformed it into a unique design. I have a couple of quick questions you may be able to answer. I noticed the outer framework details are different than what was rendered. There appears more steel framework and the angular details are different. Was this intentional or was the design compromised due to engineering? Also the sponsorship dimensional letters above the video screens appear not to seat on top but rather hang. The addition of audio speaker clusters also appear to block the streamlined appearance of the orange architectural shape. Finally was there an inspiration behind the shapes of the large Daktronic video screens? Many in Cleveland suggest they are the shape of Tennessee because of Jimmy Haslam living in that state. I go with the bow of ships representing the shipping port of Cleveland. Any way you came up with this design is alright by me.
Continued success and thank you
David