The Pittsburgh Steelers won $4 million in reimbursements Thursday for a scoreboard installed last year and new ribbon boards to be in place in time for this season. But the team did not get all that it wanted.
Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Sports & Exhibition Authority board members unanimously approved the payout during a meeting that was delayed 45 minutes because of the lack of a quorum.
The Steelers received a $1.8 million reimbursement for the new main scoreboard at the south end of the stadium installed before last season. It paid $3 million for the project.
Mark Hart, the Steelers’ vice president of planning and development, said the team will continue to work with the SEA staff to determine if more reimbursement is warranted.
Asked if the Steelers expected to receive more money for that work, he replied, “Not sure at this point. I think some of the reimbursement may relate to some documentation issues from the contractor.”
But Mary Conturo, SEA executive director, didn’t seem to think more money would be forthcoming. “Based on what we know, this is the reimbursable portion of the project,” she said of the $1.8 million.
The Steelers will get $2.2 million to pay for the new larger, high definition ribbon boards to be installed on the north, east and west sides of the stadium this spring and summer.
That essentially amounts to a full reimbursement for that project.
Ms. Conturo said the SEA’s consultants deemed the new boards to be equivalent technology to what was being replaced and thus eligible for full reimbursement.
The payouts will leave about $1.1 million in a capital reserve fund used for the upkeep and maintenance of Heinz Field. The authority is expecting another $1.7 million to be added this summer to the fund, financed through ticket surcharges.
Thursday’s action came a year after a brouhaha erupted between the Steelers and the SEA over intended improvements to the North Shore venue, including the scoreboard. The Steelers then also were pushing for a $25 million expansion of the FedEx Great Hall.
At the time, Steelers president Art Rooney II complained that there was “not a functioning relationship” with the stadium owner and that getting anything done was “like pulling teeth.”
He maintained the dysfunctional relationship could affect the team’s ability to attract big events like the Super Bowl and last year’s outdoor hockey game between the Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers.
But if there’s still discord, neither side was letting on Thursday.
“I think we’re committed to working together. We’re taking things on a case-by-case, project-by-project basis and today we’re happy these projects got approved,” Mr. Hart said.
Ms. Conturo echoed those sentiments.
“I think we’re working with them on a case-by-case basis and I think we have a good working relationship,” she said.
SEA officials and the Steelers, she said, haven’t had any recent discussions about the proposed $25 million Great Hall expansion.
The Steelers are pitching a $3.5 million expansion of Pub 33 in the Great Hall that will include an outdoor patio with food and beverage service. The team said it plans to foot the bill for that project, to be ready in time for next season.
Mark Belko: mbelko@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1262.
First Published: March 8, 2018, 6:02 p.m.
