Paul Brown Stadium updates and scoreboard upgrades: everything you need to know

When the Cincinnati Bengals host the New York Giants Friday night, fans in attendance will be treated to the first game in which the new upgrades inside of Paul Brown Stadium are put on display.

More than $20 million dollars in upgrades to PBS have been done in the past year in order to enhance the gameday experience of Bengals football. Among the new upgrades are a brand-new high-def scoreboard, upgraded concessions,  a stadium-wide WiFi system, and new club lounge furniture.

"We are excited to show off our many new elements," said Bengals executive vice-president Katie Blackburn. "The Club strives not only to have an exciting team on the field but to make sure the in-stadium, game day fan experience is top-notch as well. We believe that fans attending tomorrow, and at our other home games, will come away impressed."

New HD and LED boards

The new HD video boards are more than twice the size of the previous boards, measuring 130-by-36 feet. They will also be brighter and sharper than the previous board. They will feature new video production, supplied by Lightborne Communications, a local Cincinnati video production company.

As for the new side LED boards, they now stretch the entire length of the sidelines and will allow for additional information, including fantasy stats and out of town scores.

The Bengals originally made plans for a new scoreboard in 2013, and it will finally be on display Friday night for fans to gaze at. In case you missed it this offseason, Hamilton County will pay $7.5 million for this new $10 million scoreboard after county commissioners voted 3-0 to approve contracts with Daktronics Inc, Alpha Video and Audio Inc.

Originally, the county was legally forced to foot the bill for a new scoreboard, but the Bengals reached an agreement to pay "about $4 million toward improvements that the team's lease otherwise would have required the county to cover, including part of the scoreboard renovation."

New Weight Room and Dining Facility Upgrades

Another part of that deal involved the $3 million in weight-room improvements funded by the Bengals While it won't be something fans can see, they'll hopefully see its benefits in the players actually on the field. Work has been completed on an enlarged locker room, a new weight room twice as large as the prior facility, a new player's lounge, a new cafeteria, and a new television studio.

Upgraded Concessions

The Bengals worked with Aramark Concessions to fund $2.5 million of upgrades to all concession stands, including enhanced food preparation and presentation. Every stand in the general seating area has been upgraded with a new façade and HiDef TV. And a new concept – "Burgers and Brews" – will bring cook-to-order service to every level in the stadium.

The Bengals have also teamed up with Buffalo Wings and Rings to open a new stand on the north plaza level (next to the Pro Shop), which will serve Buffalo Wings and Rings’ unique style of chicken wings and beverages.

Also, the former Pigskin Pub, located on the west sideline level, has been remade into the "Queen City Tap Room," serving both local and national craft beers. The Queen City Tap Room will also provide a new HiDef projector, showing the game while fans enjoying food and beverages.

New Club and Lounge Furniture

Club Seat fans and Suite holders will notice a new concept in community and lounge seating. Funded entirely by the Bengals, this $1 million improvement replaces the original lounge furniture with modern lounge-style seating. Six-person community tables, segmented couches, all new tables and chairs and new lighting with more HiDef TV’s will make the club lounges a great setting for enjoying the pre-game period and halftime with friends.

Here is a time-lapse video of the new Bengals training area

And here is a time-lapse video of the new Bengals scoreboard