Penn State Receives $25 Million Donation for Beaver Stadium Renovation

The donation is the second-largest in Penn State Athletics history and will help fund the $700 million renovation.

A rendering of the proposed renovation of Penn State's Beaver Stadium, which is scheduled for completion in 2027. / Courtesy Penn State Athletics

Penn State has received a $25 million donation, the second-largest in the athletic department's history, for the upcoming Beaver Stadium renovation that will transform the nation's second-largest stadium. Anthony Misitano, founder and CEO of the Pennsylvania-based PAM Health, made the donation on behalf of his family and company to help fund the planned $700 million project that is underway.

Penn State said that the West Tower, the signature component of the renovation plan, will be part of a naming-rights opportunity with Misitano and his family when completed in 2027. Misitano is the first announced Beaver Stadium Founders donor, a level that recognizes those who make eight-figure donations for the renovation.

“We are so very grateful to the Misitano family and PAM Health for their generous gift to the Beaver Stadium Revitalization project,” Penn State Athletics Director Patrick Kraft said in a statement. "The Misitano family has a long history with Penn State Athletics and has been unbelievably supportive of a number of sports programs, and this tremendous Founders Gift is another example of their devotion to Penn State. Words cannot express the appreciation we have for the Misitano family and PAM Health for their commitment to be leaders in this important project to make Beaver Stadium even more iconic than it already is.” 

RELATED: The Beaver Stadium renovation FAQ

Misitano holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Penn State, and his family has been football season-ticket holders since 1978. Penn State said that Misitano has made donations to the Football Excellence Fund and has endowed scholarships for field hockey, women's basketball and women's soccer.

We are extremely grateful for the support of the Misitano Family! Their passion, initiative & pride is something we truly appreciate. Thank you for being difference makers. #WeAre pic.twitter.com/2GLdysgdFe

— James Franklin (@coachjfranklin) August 14, 2024

Misitano was part of Penn State's original NIL collective, Success With Honor, to which he made a $1 million matching donation in 2022. He also is involved with the current collective, Happy Valley United. Misitano also is a co-owner of the Pittsburgh Passion women's football team.

"It is a true honor for our family to contribute to the Beaver Stadium Revitalization project," Misitano said in a statement. "As lifelong Penn Staters, we’ve had the privilege of building relationships with many coaches, student-athletes and University leaders. As this project began to take shape, we recognized how important the revitalization of Penn State’s iconic landmark is to those people, the University, this Happy Valley community and the state of Pennsylvania. This initiative is essential in maintaining Penn State’s status as one of the nation’s elite institutions, and we are proud to support it."

A view of the ongoing construction at Penn State's Beaver Stadium ahead of the 2024 football season. / Mark Wogenrich/Penn State on SI

Penn State has begun work on the $700 million renovation of Beaver Stadium, which is scheduled for completion in 2027. In May, Penn State's Board of Trustees approved funding for the project, which has been touted as "the most significant venue renovation in the history of modern college sports.”

Beaver Stadium's West side will undergo the most substantial change during the renovation. Basically, it's being demolished and replaced. First, the press box and upper deck of the West stands will come down in 2025. Penn State then is scheduled to replace the lower bowl in 2026. The new West Tower will house loge boxes, private luxury suites and what Penn State called "two distinct club seat experiences with lounge access." It also will feature expanded concourses with open views of the field.

In addition, the West Tower will house a new "Welcome Center," which Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi said would create a "front-door experience" for the university. Penn State said that the new West Tower will include 59,000 square feet of event space.

“The Misitano family and PAM Health have placed us in an extraordinary position with this generous lead gift for the Beaver Stadium Revitalization,” Bendapudi said in a statement. “The Misitano family’s understanding of Beaver Stadium’s significance to our campus and community, as well as the broader importance of football and intercollegiate athletics as the front door to our institution for so many, is truly inspiring. I am deeply grateful to the Misitano family for their remarkable generosity and leadership in supporting the Beaver Stadium Revitalization, which will uphold Penn State’s unwavering commitment to excellence on and off the field and positively impact the local economy for many years to come.”

Penn State opens the 2024 season Aug. 31 at West Virginia. Kickoff is scheduled for noon ET on FOX.

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Penn State on SI is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on X (or Twitter) @MarkWogenrich.