Football won’t be the only show at Beaver Stadium come July.

 

Beaver Stadium is hosting it’s first concert at the stadium since it was built 56 years ago.

 

The univsersity announced that country singer Blake Shelton will be headlining the Happy Valley Jam.

 

He’ll be joined by Chris Young, Big and Rich, David Ray and Adley Stump.

 

“Country music has played well in Central Pennsyvlania,”  explained Phil Eston the Penn State Deputy of Director of Athletics and Chief Operating Officer. “We have had a lot of success with it in the Bryce Jordan Center which is why it’s appealing.”

 

Eston says they want the Happy Valley Jam to have an exciting atmosphere.

 

“You go back and forth between concert and game day. Concert and game day. We would like to see an atmosphere that we see on game day, people coming in having a lot of fun.”

 

Shelton as the headliner was announced during Saturday night’s football game.

 

We caught up with a pair of Penn State grads leaving the stadium who think a country concert is a good idea.

 

“I think it’s fitting, I think it’s a good thing,” said Ryan Royer. 

 

“I’m glad that there’s going to be a concert here, it’s a big venue. It’s good for the university, said Kenny Seaman. 

 

With all the scheduled events, July was the perfect time.

 

“So we knew Summer was our only opportunity our only other window and that typically when thses shows tour so it made a lot of sense,” explained Eston. 

 

Seventy thousand Tickets will be available in the stands and another eight thousand on the field.

 

The university also obtained a liquor license for beer and wine sales.

 

Officals say they want to use their facilities to benefit those who play there.

 

“We looked at all our venues as assets not just as atheltic venues” Eston. “It’s important because it helps us generate resources that we can put back into our student athletes.”

 

Penn State University announced in October that Beaver Stadium would be a new concert venue on campus. The concert will follow Beaver Stadium’s guidelines with no re-entry, no smoking and clear bag policy.