The Steelers will add about 700 club seats to Heinz Field in time for next season, a move that will give fans a shot at coveted season tickets and help the team pay for the NFL's new collective bargaining agreement.

The new seats will be the first added since the Steelers opened Heinz Field in 2001. They will be installed at a corner of the end zone at the north end of the stadium, on the third level.

In addition to the seats, a new club section will include 20,000 square feet of enclosed space for ticket holders to use to escape the elements. The project, estimated at $4 million, will increase Heinz Field capacity to 65,050.

The Steelers will offer the new seats to fans on the season ticket waiting list and to existing season ticket holders who have asked to be relocated to club seating.

Steelers President Art Rooney II isn't expecting any trouble selling the seats, saying that the team found strong demand for them in an informal survey it did with potential customers.

"I think they'll go fast," he said.

Club seats are more expensive than many of the other seats at the stadium and offer fans more amenities, including the indoor section and upgraded food and beverage choices.

Prices for the club seats next season will range from $153 to $206, increases of 2.68 percent to 3 percent, respectively from last season.

There will be no increase in any other seat prices.

In explaining the increase, Mr. Rooney said the Steelers' club seating prices had fallen into the lower half of those in the NFL, and that the team needed the adjustment to "keep our prices somewhat competitive with others in the league."

The new seats will be in the middle of the $153 to $206 range. Buyers also will have to pay a one-time seat licensing fee.

While the NFL's new collective bargaining agreement with players puts additional pressure on mid- to lower-revenue teams like the Steelers to raise money, it was the demand for the seats that was the main factor in the decision to install more, Mr. Rooney said.

He said plans for the new club section had been on the drawing board for about a year.

The Steelers hope to begin construction next month, with completion scheduled before the first preseason game. The team has submitted plans to the city-Allegheny County Sports & Exhibition Authority for the project.

One-third of the cost will be paid by the Steelers. The rest will come from a capital reserve fund set up as part of the stadium construction and controlled by the sports authority.

Mr. Rooney said there are no plans to add seating elsewhere in the stadium.

"It's conceivable we could add something at the south end but we really don't have anything on the drawing boards," he said.

Artist's renderings of North Club Lounge.
Click illustrations for larger images.

Graphic: New seating at Heinz Field

First Published: March 17, 2006, 5:00 a.m.