Boise State seeks approval for first major upgrade to Albertsons Stadium since 2013

BOISE — Thanks to the largest one-time facility gift in the history of Boise State athletics, the university is in the early stages of installing the largest video board in the Mountain West in the south end zone of Albertsons Stadium.

It would be the first major upgrade to Albertsons Stadium since the completion of the Bleymaier Football Center and installation of the video board in the north end zone in 2013.

The project must be approved by the Idaho State Board of Education, which is scheduled to meet April 20. The video board and its installation are being funded through a $4.5 million gift from Melaleuca, a health product manufacturer based in Idaho Falls, Boise State announced Thursday.

“Melaleuca’s investment in the fan experience is the most impactful enhancement at Albertsons Stadium in more than a decade,” athletic director Jeramiah Dickey said in a statement. “This donation — the largest in the history of our department — goes far beyond the game day impact. It signifies the impact our program has on our state, and we couldn’t be more appreciative that an Idaho company is investing back into Idaho’s flagship collegiate football program.”

The video board will be 120 feet wide and 50 feet tall. At 6,000 square feet, it’s roughly 1,800 square feet larger than the largest video board in the conference — and nearly three times the size of Boise State’s largest board.

The primary video board in Colorado State’s Canvas Stadium is 84 feet wide and 50 feet tall (4,200 sq. ft.). The main board in Wyoming’s War Memorial Stadium is 84 feet wide and 38 feet tall (3,192 sq. ft.).

San Diego State’s new Snapdragon Stadium, which is expected to be open for the Aztecs’ season opener in September, will feature two video boards. The larger board measures 73 feet wide and 42 feet tall (3,066 sq. ft.).

The video board in the north end zone of Albertsons Stadium measures 58.8 feet wide and 37.2 feet tall (2,187.4 sq. ft.).