The unofficial online home for fans of the UAB Blazers. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(05-31-2013 01:27 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  IF money was available to do it, Legion Field could be cut down to the first plateau level (around row 30) and rebuilt as a doubled deck stadium with skyboxes between levels parallel to both sidelines and a new pressbox on one side. With new, up to date concessions and restrooms, it would answer all the complaints we have listed about the current facility. Add in elevators and escalators to replace the ramps for those with limited walking capabilities, it would be the perfect venue for another century. How would this cost compare to just building the MAPS concept in the first place?

Pardon my cluelessness, "BNBF",but, the city's found the $$$ for Regions Field and the CrossPlex. Why are they acting so when it comes to finding the resources for a NEW football stadium. UAB's not getting an OCS anytime soon, and no way that bowl game survives having to play where it is now, I don't care how much they try to disguise or dress it up. Legion Field should be cut down to nothing & a new football stadium erected in general proximity of the baseball park. But, they're determined (polite euphemism for absolute denial) to validate the existence of the old gray monstrosity on Graymont. But, that's just me! Time for "Lesion" Field to go....

(05-30-2013 10:30 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  It's good for UAB because this is just another step along the way to Legion Field going away.

I/We hope!

(05-31-2013 02:32 PM)Matrix Wrote:  

(05-31-2013 01:27 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  IF money was available to do it, Legion Field could be cut down to the first plateau level (around row 30) and rebuilt as a doubled deck stadium with skyboxes between levels parallel to both sidelines and a new pressbox on one side. With new, up to date concessions and restrooms, it would answer all the complaints we have listed about the current facility. Add in elevators and escalators to replace the ramps for those with limited walking capabilities, it would be the perfect venue for another century. How would this cost compare to just building the MAPS concept in the first place?

Pardon my cluelessness, "BNBF",but, the city's found the $$$ for Regions Field and the CrossPlex. Why are they acting so when it comes to finding the resources for a NEW football stadium. UAB's not getting an OCS anytime soon, and no way that bowl game survives having to play where it is now, I don't care how much they try to disguise or dress it up. Legion Field should be cut down to nothing & a new football stadium erected in general proximity of the baseball park. But, they're determined (polite euphemism for absolute denial) to validate the existence of the old gray monstrosity on Graymont. But, that's just me! Time for "Lesion" Field to go....

good question!

(05-31-2013 12:16 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  "The City of B'ham" knew in the 1990s that Legion Field needed to be replaced and tried to do that with a MPF that could be adapted to a 70,000 seat FB stadium as well as providing convention space not then (or now) available for larger conventions. This real improvement that would have increased tax revenue on a "major league" scale was shot down by metroarea voters and has left the city with an aging facility that would be prohibitively expensive to replace or extensively renovate. The one true FACT about Legion Field is that it remains the ONLY facility of its size in this metroarea. It remains "the only game in town" in terms of bowl game or classic sites. The city did not "drop the ball" in this issue, but like "Peanut's" Charlie Brown, had it yanked away by the area's "Lucy". With the current state of the area's economy, the city is not alone in a position to build a MPF without state or area financial support, and both are still not interested in anything that will help metro B'ham grow.

IF ANYONE doubts the feelings of the state legislature, just review its lack of concern for its most populous county since "stabbing it in the back" in 1999 by abolishing its "occupational tax" and not responsibly replacing it since. It has been a decade and a half since the Jeffco delegation demanded to have access to spending some of the occupational tax revenue for their own "slush fund" expenses and being refused by the County Commission to have that right resulting in the delegation spitefully getting the tax destroyed in retaliation. The county has been in financial turmoil (like the financial mess at Cooper Green Hospital) ever since.

Why so many quotations? Just curious.

(05-31-2013 02:40 PM)Matrix Wrote:  

(05-30-2013 10:30 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  It's good for UAB because this is just another step along the way to Legion Field going away.

I/We hope!

Legion Field will go away just as soon as it is replaced by a facility with the same capabilities - including capacity. i thought my sarcasm in post #19 did not need blue font to be obvious.

The decision to move the game to Houston hasnt gone over too well. The Eastern Schools hate the idea of having to travel 12+ hours for a Championship game. I think the attendance for the Championship game will be way lower than what it was in Birmingham unless you have Texas Southern or Prairie View in it every year and even that is questionable. The SWAC Championship spent 13 years in Birmingham and had an attendance average of 32K, those numbers will not get any better in Houston.

(05-31-2013 05:31 PM)BlazerDave Wrote:  

(05-31-2013 12:16 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  "The City of B'ham" knew in the 1990s that Legion Field needed to be replaced and tried to do that with a MPF that could be adapted to a 70,000 seat FB stadium as well as providing convention space not then (or now) available for larger conventions. This real improvement that would have increased tax revenue on a "major league" scale was shot down by metroarea voters and has left the city with an aging facility that would be prohibitively expensive to replace or extensively renovate. The one true FACT about Legion Field is that it remains the ONLY facility of its size in this metroarea. It remains "the only game in town" in terms of bowl game or classic sites. The city did not "drop the ball" in this issue, but like "Peanut's" Charlie Brown, had it yanked away by the area's "Lucy". With the current state of the area's economy, the city is not alone in a position to build a MPF without state or area financial support, and both are still not interested in anything that will help metro B'ham grow.

IF ANYONE doubts the feelings of the state legislature, just review its lack of concern for its most populous county since "stabbing it in the back" in 1999 by abolishing its "occupational tax" and not responsibly replacing it since. It has been a decade and a half since the Jeffco delegation demanded to have access to spending some of the occupational tax revenue for their own "slush fund" expenses and being refused by the County Commission to have that right resulting in the delegation spitefully getting the tax destroyed in retaliation. The county has been in financial turmoil (like the financial mess at Cooper Green Hospital) ever since.

Why so many quotations? Just curious.

Take out the ones that bother you. The content is just as true if some are taken out.

(05-31-2013 12:25 PM)backyardblazer Wrote:  

(05-31-2013 12:16 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  "The City of B'ham" knew in the 1990s that Legion Field needed to be replaced and tried to do that with a MPF that could be adapted to a 70,000 seat FB stadium as well as providing convention space not then (or now) available for larger conventions. This real improvement that would have increased tax revenue on a "major league" scale was shot down by metroarea voters and has left the city with an aging facility that would be prohibitively expensive to replace or extensively renovate. The one true FACT about Legion Field is that it remains the ONLY facility of its size in this metroarea. It remains "the only game in town" in terms of bowl game or classic sites. The city did not "drop the ball" in this issue, but like "Peanut's" Charlie Brown, had it yanked away by the area's "Lucy". With the current state of the area's economy, the city is not alone in a position to build a MPF without state or area financial support, and both are still not interested in anything that will help metro B'ham grow.

Would someone please shoot me?

Surprised that Bull Conner wasn't blamed for part of it.

(06-01-2013 07:30 AM)dfarr Wrote:  

(05-31-2013 12:25 PM)backyardblazer Wrote:  

(05-31-2013 12:16 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  "The City of B'ham" knew in the 1990s that Legion Field needed to be replaced and tried to do that with a MPF that could be adapted to a 70,000 seat FB stadium as well as providing convention space not then (or now) available for larger conventions. This real improvement that would have increased tax revenue on a "major league" scale was shot down by metroarea voters and has left the city with an aging facility that would be prohibitively expensive to replace or extensively renovate. The one true FACT about Legion Field is that it remains the ONLY facility of its size in this metroarea. It remains "the only game in town" in terms of bowl game or classic sites. The city did not "drop the ball" in this issue, but like "Peanut's" Charlie Brown, had it yanked away by the area's "Lucy". With the current state of the area's economy, the city is not alone in a position to build a MPF without state or area financial support, and both are still not interested in anything that will help metro B'ham grow.

Would someone please shoot me?

Surprised that Bull Conner wasn't blamed for part of it.

Legion Field's problems predate even Eugene "Bull" Conner. They were just not as obvious when such stadiums were "state of the art" in construction and concessions. As newer stadiums were built over the decades, Legion Field fell farther and farther behind the modern norm. The Kingdome in Seattle, 3 Rivers Stadium in Pittsburg, the AstroDome in Houston and now the GA Dome in Atlanta are in the past in stadium chic. ALL of these were newer than Legion Field and some others as well are gone to the stadium graveyard. In our state, only the on-campus stadiums of JSU, AU and UA have kept pace with the new era.

Troy's got a nice little venue.

Seattle imploded the Kingdome while still paying for it.

Any money spent on LF is down a rathole.

(06-01-2013 03:32 PM)Smaug Wrote:  Troy's got a nice little venue.

Seattle imploded the Kingdome while still paying for it.

Yep. AAMU's stadium is only about 15-years old and ours is brand new. There are some pretty nice venues over there in Alabama.

AAMU is looking to expand their stadium as well as UNA. The Lions are trying to decide if they want to sink some money in the City's stadium or build their own. Bulldogs are looking to go as high as 30k.

(06-02-2013 08:44 AM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  AAMU is looking to expand their stadium as well as UNA. The Lions are trying to decide if they want to sink some money in the City's stadium or build their own. Bulldogs are looking to go as high as 30k.

That would be a total waste of money for AAMU. They have one of the nicest most empty stadiums you'll ever see. They're fans only show up for a few game a year (homecoming, and Tuskegee) and their other big games such as Grambling, Southern, and Jackson State where they get their near capacity crowds, they get out numbered by those fans. Every sell out at Lewis Crews has been either a game against Southern, Jackson State, or Tennessee State. Right now their stadium holds about 24, 000 and AAMU is always at the bottom of the SWAC as far as attendance at around 7 or 8k. The crazy part about AAMU is that their fan base travels pretty well though. I know they're probably expanding to keep pace with us and Jax State but why waste money if its just gonna sit empty?

They said the same about JSU. The big deal is not as much seats is it is adding luxury boxes.

Troy is also about to expand and they have never filled their stadium. They are also adding boxes along with a field house in their open end zone.

Also the end game in all this is to eventually get the classic out if Birmingham and on campus. This is not speculation but what your ad told me when we toured him through JSUs new facility. Yes I am aware of the capacity if the stadiums but they are made to be expanded.

I'm sure the AD's would love not to split their biggest payday with the Birmingham Parks and Rec board.

Would AAMU and ASU like to put a down-payment on UAB stadium in exchange for unrestricted use with all profits 4 Saturdays a year (their rivalry game, one other game for each school, the SWAC championship). That might be profitable for all parties involved, and brings in powerful lobbies that the BoT would be cautious not to upset.

Nope. They are putting their money into their own facilities and won't need to share with anyone else. I'm sure both member's fan bases and boards would stroke out at the thought.

(06-02-2013 11:13 AM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  Nope. They are putting their money into their own facilities and won't need to share with anyone else. I'm sure both member's fan bases and boards would stroke out at the thought.

Perhaps not if the price is cheap enough. $1 million split between the two schools for lifetime access 4 Saturdays/year would be made up in 2 seasons just by getting the profits from hosting the SWAC Championship back in Birmingham. It would be selling it cheap by UAB (1/75th the cost of the stadium?), but it would give us valuable political clout. The city would chip in too if it would get games back in Birmingham even if it isn't in their theoretical dome.