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I just reread the article linked in the first post. The study isn't due until July of '15. Also in the article, Harnage says it will take 3 to 4 years to design and build it. And Wood says maybe in a year we will have a more comprehensive understanding of a potential new stadium. 2018 ain't going to happen. I'm loosing confidence in 2020 the more I read about how little being done to date.

(01-04-2015 04:14 PM)Monarch Blue Wrote:  

(01-04-2015 04:07 PM)Stanger Wrote:  I personally hope you guys are right, I just don't see it happening. Unless a lot of prelim work has already been done or they can use a site adapt or something, it's going to take some time to deal with this dorm issue and probable parking issue. Like it or not the academic and housing needs of the students will come first. We are in 2015 now and to my knowledge nothing has been done except for a study and a lot of talk. I have seen how long it can take for this stuff to develop. If we had open land available for any of this to take place, it's a totally different timeline.

I'd rather see them take the time and get it right than hurry the process and do something half-assed. I personally think they are thinking a tad small. I would be more comfortable with an initial build that would accomodate 35K minimum than what they appear to be targeting at the moment. $100 million to increase capacity by five to ten thousand seems questionable to me.

I agree however we are looking to the future and this will be the next center piece for recruiting and National exposure. I am sure the overall goal will allowed expandability to increase capacity over the years. But it is a must for ODU to continue to move forward and I have no concerns that it will be a state of the art stadium and absolutely amazing

(01-04-2015 04:33 PM)ODU Oldtimer Wrote:  

(01-04-2015 04:14 PM)Monarch Blue Wrote:  

(01-04-2015 04:07 PM)Stanger Wrote:  I personally hope you guys are right, I just don't see it happening. Unless a lot of prelim work has already been done or they can use a site adapt or something, it's going to take some time to deal with this dorm issue and probable parking issue. Like it or not the academic and housing needs of the students will come first. We are in 2015 now and to my knowledge nothing has been done except for a study and a lot of talk. I have seen how long it can take for this stuff to develop. If we had open land available for any of this to take place, it's a totally different timeline.

I'd rather see them take the time and get it right than hurry the process and do something half-assed. I personally think they are thinking a tad small. I would be more comfortable with an initial build that would accomodate 35K minimum than what they appear to be targeting at the moment. $100 million to increase capacity by five to ten thousand seems questionable to me.

I agree however we are looking to the future and this will be the next center piece for recruiting and National exposure. I am sure the overall goal will allowed expandability to increase capacity over the years. But it is a must for ODU to continue to move forward and I have no concerns that it will be a state of the art stadium and absolutely amazing

Agreed and as such, should not be something hastily thrown together.

I just wish we were further along in the process.

What I would love to see (and it would take a huge amount of money so call it a pipe dream) is to enclose the current practice fields to make them an indoor facility, take over Powhatan Field as an outdoor facility, redo the current gameday building for offices, make Foreman Field available for high school games, and build the new stadium where they are thinking of building it. Dorm room can be found elsewhere.

Admittedly I haven't studied maps or logistics with this thought (I won't even call it a "plan"), but off of the top of my head it is what I'd like to see done.

I agree with those calling for a smaller than 40K stadium right now, but would like it to be in the 32-35K range. While nobody wants to see a half empty stadium for game day; likewise we don't want to disenfranchise those who are waiting on the season ticket list. Making it a tough ticket is one thing, making it an impossible ticket is another, and could lead to an "I don't care" attitude amongst those who could not get a seat after several years of waiting.

I can't publish my drawing here yet, because I need to make sure they make sense, so I will be surveying the Powhatan area where the new stadium is suppose to be going to determine exactly how big it could get in the future when Alabama or TCU visits.

I think it terms of size, they need to figure out how many season tickets they can sell (including student tix and visitor allotment) and then add 5k-7.5k above that to set aside for walk ups. This will allow them to still garner donations by not having more season ticket seats available than there is demand for which will allow donations to remain high, while leaving room for growth, and attracting the public at large

(01-05-2015 11:23 AM)Monarchblue Wrote:  I think it terms of size, they need to figure out how many season tickets they can sell (including student tix and visitor allotment) and then add 5k-7.5k above that to set aside for walk ups. This will allow them to still garner donations by not having more season ticket seats available than there is demand for which will allow donations to remain high, while leaving room for growth, and attracting the public at large

Here is an idea. Raise the end zone bleachers at Forman field and place a beer garden underneath. There is a trend to serve beer at ncaa football events. We could use that area for a student "standing" area, say 3000 people, with huge TVs , finger food for sale and of course beer. We could use the area for alumni, pre-game events.
The current student seating could then be sold for general seating.
I don't know if that would violate any state regs, but the C-USA already has a school that offers beer at their games. At the beginning of 2014 season 21 schools offered beer at football games.

http://mobile.philly.com/sports/?wss=/ph...=287395031

Good article in the Philly Inquirer this weekend about Temple pondering an on-campus stadium. I believe we share a lot of the same issues presented in this article.

(01-06-2015 11:15 AM)odusteeler Wrote:  http://mobile.philly.com/sports/?wss=/ph...=287395031

Good article in the Philly Inquirer this weekend about Temple pondering an on-campus stadium. I believe we share a lot of the same issues presented in this article.

I wonder what will happen if we have 2 or 3 seasons of below .500. The attendance at both Men and women BB dropped dramatically when our programs tanked.

(01-06-2015 02:48 PM)Oduhs Wrote:  

(01-06-2015 11:15 AM)odusteeler Wrote:  http://mobile.philly.com/sports/?wss=/ph...=287395031

Good article in the Philly Inquirer this weekend about Temple pondering an on-campus stadium. I believe we share a lot of the same issues presented in this article.

I wonder what will happen if we have 2 or 3 seasons of below .500. The attendance at both Men and women BB dropped dramatically when our programs tanked.

not saying it won't happen, but there aren't as many football home games in a season and almost all are on Saturdays. the commitment level from a time standpoint isn't close. I have season tickets to football and I live 3 hours away. season tickets for basketball for me would be a waste. so even if we do have a couple of losing seasons (breaking in a new QB this season could produce our first one) I don't think people will give up on the program...also, I think its safe to say that ODU has developed a fun tailgate culture which is a big part of the experience. something like that doesn't really exist for basketball.

(01-06-2015 04:35 PM)ODU_NYG Wrote:  

(01-06-2015 02:48 PM)Oduhs Wrote:  

(01-06-2015 11:15 AM)odusteeler Wrote:  http://mobile.philly.com/sports/?wss=/ph...=287395031

Good article in the Philly Inquirer this weekend about Temple pondering an on-campus stadium. I believe we share a lot of the same issues presented in this article.

I wonder what will happen if we have 2 or 3 seasons of below .500. The attendance at both Men and women BB dropped dramatically when our programs tanked.

not saying it won't happen, but there aren't as many football home games in a season and almost all are on Saturdays. the commitment level from a time standpoint isn't close. I have season tickets to football and I live 3 hours away. season tickets for basketball for me would be a waste. so even if we do have a couple of losing seasons (breaking in a new QB this season could produce our first one) I don't think people will give up on the program...also, I think its safe to say that ODU has developed a fun tailgate culture which is a big part of the experience. something like that doesn't really exist for basketball.

Agree with this. There is much more to attending a football game than the game itself. Not much more to attending a basketball game. The Big Blue Room is meh. Usually crowded and nowhere to sit. Other than that, just going to a mediocre restaurant before the game. For the average fan, it isn't worth going if the game sucks. Now football, you get hours of pregame food and drinking and it is also a social event and a great reason to spend a lot of time outside during a time of year where the weather is usually very comfortable in Norfolk. I am a basketball guy first, but I admit I enjoy going to football games more even though I enjoy the game itself more in basketball.

I expect next year season tickets to be more expensive, due to having 7 home games. I agree with NYG about the difference in BB and Football attendance.

I love the stadium that Tulane opened this fall.

https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/sear...mp=yhs-001

Blue and white checkerboard in the endzones might look nice.

Hey - Don't feel like starting a new thread for this...

What is the latest on the basketball indoor practice facility?

This is a very brief excerpt from Harry's article back in October on the selection of a consultant for the design of the football stadium.

"The proposal calls for bids to be submitted by Nov. 6. ODU will hire a consultant by Dec. 19 and wants the study completed by July 1, according to documents online."

Has anybody heard anything on why no hire has been announced yet? Normally a solicitation like this has a stated bid opening date, with the bid opening being open to the public and an announcement made of the apparent low bidder. Yet, we've heard nothing. What's up?

(01-07-2015 07:41 AM)ODU AGGIE Wrote:  This is a very brief excerpt from Harry's article back in October on the selection of a consultant for the design of the football stadium.

"The proposal calls for bids to be submitted by Nov. 6. ODU will hire a consultant by Dec. 19 and wants the study completed by July 1, according to documents online."

Has anybody heard anything on why no hire has been announced yet? Normally a solicitation like this has a stated bid opening date, with the bid opening being open to the public and an announcement made of the apparent low bidder. Yet, we've heard nothing. What's up?

This was more my point when I offered a hunch earlier regarding tomorrow's AUA Panel forum at ODU. Unless someone who has connection to Selig's office disagrees with my line of thought or, ODU is choosing to break news at a more grandiose setting, aka News Conference, I can't help but speculate that the AUA forum would be the next best venue for making an announcement as to which consultant firm got selected. Just a hunch....

(01-07-2015 01:16 AM)Fatalisk Wrote:  Hey - Don't feel like starting a new thread for this...

What is the latest on the basketball indoor practice facility?

I think last I heard decisions were being finalized on ODU's end on design elements, not sure where that stands. I know folks are working on it though.

(01-07-2015 07:41 AM)ODU AGGIE Wrote:  This is a very brief excerpt from Harry's article back in October on the selection of a consultant for the design of the football stadium.

"The proposal calls for bids to be submitted by Nov. 6. ODU will hire a consultant by Dec. 19 and wants the study completed by July 1, according to documents online."

Has anybody heard anything on why no hire has been announced yet? Normally a solicitation like this has a stated bid opening date, with the bid opening being open to the public and an announcement made of the apparent low bidder. Yet, we've heard nothing. What's up?

I don't think they have selected the firm(s) for the study yet. I've changed my tune and I am not holding my breath for 2018.

I talked to Harry Smithson in the ODU procurement office, and this is my understanding of where they are. The RFP was for professional services and as such is not a request for bids but a request for statements of qualifications and services to be provided. ODU has gone through the process of ranking the proposals of the fully qualified firms and has begun (or will begin) negotiations with the highest ranked firm, primarily in the area of the fee proposal. Meeting(s) will be held this month, and I think we will know something concrete (no pun intended) in late January/early February.

I found Smithson to be very straightforward and helpful in his responses. He did not offer who they have identified as the most qualified firm, and I did not ask. Maybe Harry Minium can talk to them and find out a little more for us.

That falls right in line with the information I have.