Built in 1926, Providence Park is old. But now it has a brand new look.

On May 7, the Timbers finally opened the stadium gates to media and guests for a tour of the long-awaited $85 million expansion and remodel. It's difficult to appreciate the scale of the new stands from pictures alone. Viewing it from the North End, where the Timbers Army stands, the new section looms over the field, making the stadium feel both cozier, more intimate, and more intimidating. From above it's no less impressive. The third tier (now dubbed the Duracell Deck) is even higher than the old roof, and standing near the railing makes it feel like you're on top of the field looking straight down. 

But the 4,000-plus new seats are just the beginning: The team has also updated signage, added new wifi capabilities, and installed giant new LED scoreboards. The LED display on the south end of the stadium sports twice the viewing area as the one it replaced. There's also a new LED display on the west side of the stadium, facing the new stands. And, this week, workers began laying down a next generation field turf (they tested the new turf last year on the Beaverton practice field) which features a new cooling technology for hot summer days. Rubber turf is notorious for retaining heat, which is why you'll often see soccer players spraying down their cleats with water during hot August games. There are also improvements to the locker rooms, but the team was reluctant to elaborate on those changes before the players had a chance to see them for themselves.

The expanded stadium will have a total capacity of 25,218. According to the team, Turner Construction poured 3,300 cubic yards of concrete, hauled in 980 tons of rebar, and erected 923,748 lbs of steel for the project. The Allied Works-designed project began construction last October. 

Fans will see the stadium themselves on June 1 for the Timbers home opener against Los Angeles FC. The Thorns will host their home opener on June 2. In the meantime, check out the photos of the new expansion above.