Acrisure Stadium upgrades to start next month

Pittsburgh’s Sports & Exhibition Authority on Thursday approved plans for a new turf field for young athletes and a larger LED video board at Acrisure Stadium.

The authorization for the improvements comes as the city is preparing to host the 2026 NFL Draft next spring.

State Sen. Wayne Fontana, D-Brookline, who chairs the authority’s board, said the Pittsburgh Steelers would pay for the upgrades at their North Shore stadium.

The Steelers are planning to install a 10,000-12,000-square-foot artificial turf field for youth athletes on the south lawn next to the stadium (a standard football field is roughly five times the size).

According to information provided by the authority, the field will be used for programs during Steelers games and other events hosted at the stadium, including the draft.

Work is expected to begin next month on the project, and officials hope it will be finished in August before the start of the NFL season.

The Steelers also are looking upgrade an electronic video board located near Gate A along Art Rooney Avenue on the east side of the stadium.

A new 1,117-square-foot sign will replace the existing screen, which is about 154 square feet, according to the authority.

PSSI Stadium LLC, an affiliate of the Steelers, said the existing LED board “is beyond its useful life.”

The goal is to complete the project ahead of the draft, which is scheduled to run April 23-25.