Gillette Stadium is getting multimillion-dollar facelift two decades after becoming the home of the New England Patriots and New England Revolution.
"Our fans are awesome. We have to give them a place that's worthy of their support," said Kraft Group CEO Robert Kraft.
Kraft and others broke ground for the project Wednesday, coinciding with the opening of stadium on May 11, 2002.
The Revolution played the first game there that night and won, with a young Taylor Twellman scoring two goals.
Get Boston local news, weather forecasts, lifestyle and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Boston’s newsletters.
"I kicked it off. But there was some unbelievable events that happened in this building in 20 years," Twellman said.
The latest improvements focus on the north end of the stadium at a cost of $275 million. They include 50,000 square feet of new function space, the largest outdoor high-definition video screen in the county and a new 21-story lighthouse and observation deck.
"The observation deck is so high that you'll be able to see the skyline of downtown Boston and the skyline of downtown Providence," said Kraft Group President Jonathan Kraft.
Local
In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston Area.
Robert Kraft tried for a number of years to move the Patriots to Boston, and then there was even talk of relocating to Hartford. Instead, they have remained on Route 1, where the Krafts say they've invested nearly $1 billion in Gillette Stadium and Patriot Place.
"We're honored to be here and in this position, and I say thank you to the fans who supported us this whole trip," Kraft said.
The project is not expected to be completed until the start of the 2023 NFL season.
