As Ravens players line up to take the field this season at M&T Bank Stadium, some fans will be able to get closer than ever before, with only a glass wall separating them from quarterback and two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson and his teammates.

The same will hold true after games, with some fans also able to view postgame news conferences taking place inside the team’s interview room through a two-way mirror as coach John Harbaugh, Jackson and other players field questions from reporters in the fishbowl setting.

Those are just two of the elements in the second of three phases of renovations that will debut this fall and which were on display during a tour for reporters Thursday afternoon. Along with other accoutrements, they will help bring the 27-year-old structure up to par with many other stadiums around the league that already offer such experiences and more.

They also come at a premium.

Only fans who pay top dollar for a membership to “The Trust” — one of three new exclusive clubs being offered this year, along with the “The Raven” and the “Champions Club” — will be able to access the space, which will include decorative touches such as the words to Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “The Raven” upon entering. Its addition follows last season’s unveiling of the bespoke “Blackwing” suites, which are outfitted with marble counters, huge televisions, plush seating and high-end dining options. It also follows a trend in today’s stadium world, where keeping up with the Joneses with posh and pricey upgrades that cater to just a small but well-paying crowd has become part and parcel with an eye on attracting a broader spectrum of events and fans to the 71,008-seat venue.“Just one correction, we are at the premier stadium in the Mid-Atlantic already,” Ravens president Sashi Brown said Thursday when he was asked about the organization’s desire to be the top stadium in the region. “We wanted to make sure we invested to ensure that moving forward.”

Indeed.

The state had already earmarked $434 million in public money for the renovations, which are expected to be completed in 2026. But because the project ran over budget, the Ravens will kick in another $55 million, with the Maryland Stadium Authority reimbursing them up to $35 million, as announced earlier this year.

That would bring the total price tag to about $489 million, with most of the money made available through a 2022 state law that allowed the stadium authority to borrow up to $1.2 billion in bonds to improve M&T Bank Stadium and Oriole Park at Camden Yards ($600 million for each).

By agreeing in January 2023 to a lease until at least 2037, the Ravens unlocked their share of those state funds.

Other luxurious upgrades scheduled to be completed by the start of the 2025 season include the “Legends Suites” in the west end zone.

There, high-paying customers will have access to a private suite area as well as members-only bar and food service, along with two rows of seats — 160 in total — on the field level.

But the sumptuous enhancements aren’t just for Ravens games, of which there will be nine at home this season.

“The nice thing about these renovations is the ability to activate the stadium in more dynamic ways,” Brown said. “We think this makes the stadium more attractive for third-party events — soccer matches, concerts.”

While Baltimore lost out on its bid to be a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Brown added that he has been in contact with the organization, as well as the Premier League and other soccer organizations, to ensure that the stadium would meet their myriad needs.

Those talks have extended to the NFL as well, with a desire to be a host city for the NFL draft. Currently, Pittsburgh and Washington are scheduled to hold the draft in 2026 and 2027, respectively, after Green Bay, Wisconsin, was the site of this year’s three-day festivities.

It’s a multi-layered process that will likely take at least a few more years, however.

“We think this renovation positions us really well to have the stadium be a complementary piece of that,” Brown said. “NFL drafts take over the better part of a city, not just a stadium.”

Not all of the latest round of renovations will cater to an exclusive crowd.

The north plaza’s east structure will include a 6,600-square foot retail space with a second-floor hospitality area. The store will be open year-round and include the ability for fans to have a customized jersey created on the spot.

The plaza’s west structure, which is expected to be completed in 2026, will include a three-level, open-air tailgate and concert venue as well as an indoor sports bar.

Other venues open to all in 2025 include a new and larger roughly 5,000-square foot retail space on the west side of the stadium, where the team’s ticket office previously stood. A retail store at Gate A, meanwhile, is being converted into a walk-through “Ravenous Chicken” venue.

“It’s been a team effort,” Brown said, citing the work senior vice president of stadium operations and guest experience Rich Tamayo and senior vice president of marketing Brad Downs have done in the lead-up. “We are real excited where M&T Bank Stadium sits today, and with these additional elements that are provided by the renovation in a joint venture between us and the state, we think it positions us to be one of the best stadiums if not the best stadium in the NFL for a long time.”

He also, however, acknowledged the push for more elevated experiences in today’s landscape.

“From concessions to just the everyday fan experience, certainly what’s happened over the last 20 years in sports venues, professional sports venues, college sports venues, has been to bring more offerings and what’s called premium or club spaces,” Brown said. “But a lot of our investment here is going to really touch every fan who comes in the building.”

Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker @baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1.