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Wanted to check with the group to see if anyone has heard any rumors around meetings about a stadium? Had a guy that I work with, that asked me today from a conversation he had yesterday with a big business in Bham.
I hope there are meetings going on, but one comment that he made worried me some. He said that the stadium would be 15k in size?

Anyone have any info & is the size true? I would think 30-35k would be a good number but 15k is too low, we averaged more last year.

Business leaders are probably talking. Hatton said other facilities were top priority right now.

15,000 seems about 5-10K small, but Charlotte will be playing in C-USA with a 15,000 seat stadium this year. WKU, FIU, and ODU currently seat around 20,000.

Last week Hatton Smith, CEO emeritus of Royal Cup Coffee & Chairman of the Facilities Fundraising Committee mentioned they were going to look a stadium after the initial goal of raising money for a football complex is completed. He said he prefers the stadium to be on campus.

His statement conflicts with those of the AD.

Our next AD will most likely be more receptive to the idea. The way things are going I think this AD will not even make it to the first kick-off in 2017.


[quote]The fundraising committee will seek $12 million to build a new football complex. Approximately $4 million has been raised to date from the private sector and public donations will be sought in September. After the football complex, the fundraising committee will turn its attention to stadium preferable an on campus stadium.[/quote]


http://www.myfoxal.com/story/29589257/ua...s-contract

I think this is more along the lines of long range planning. I suspect by the time we are ready to scratch dirt 15k will be way undersized.

[quote='blazerjay' pid='12231456' dateline='1438096934']
Last week Hatton Smith, CEO emeritus of Royal Cup Coffee & Chairman of the Facilities Fundraising Committee mentioned they were going to look a stadium after the initial goal of raising money for a football complex is completed. He said he prefers the stadium to be on campus.

His statement conflicts with those of the AD.

Our next AD will most likely be more receptive to the idea. The way things are going I think this AD will not even make it to the first kick-off in 2017.


[quote]The fundraising committee will seek $12 million to build a new football complex. Approximately $4 million has been raised to date from the private sector and public donations will be sought in September. After the football complex, the fundraising committee will turn its attention to stadium preferable an on campus stadium.[/quote]


http://www.myfoxal.com/story/29589257/ua...s-contract
[/quote]

I think this depends on Watts. If Watts is gone soon, Ingram may be more receptive. He's toeing the Watts/BOT line right now.

Only conversation I have heard is this.

IPF - Football Complex - Medical Building for research - OCS in that order.

I shake my head at our AD's comments sometimes. It's as if he doesn't listen to anyone.


The key to all this is Watts leaving so Ingram can be his own guy and we can stop this foolishness of having to pay to exist. We have enough money to build steps 1-3 and a down payment on four (OCS) if we didn't have to pay for all our scholarships for three sports for the next five years.

You mean over pay for scholarships that cost the university practically nothing.

Anything under 30-35k is too small. Heck I'd like 10-15k in an open grassy area with all the games for kids that was a great addition.

(07-28-2015 10:25 AM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  Only conversation I have heard is this.

IPF - Football Complex - Medical Building for research - OCS in that order.

I shake my head at our AD's comments sometimes. It's as if he doesn't listen to anyone.


The key to all this is Watts leaving so Ingram can be his own guy and we can stop this foolishness of having to pay to exist. We have enough money to build steps 1-3 and a down payment on four (OCS) if we didn't have to pay for all our scholarships for three sports for the next five years.

Last paragraph is spot on. If Ingram had the freedom to do right by us he would. The key is to keep the money coming. Money solves everything. It's time for us all to be patient. We have Coach Clark, Justin, and Hatton on our side. I like our future with those 3.

(07-28-2015 10:51 AM)Big Dee Wrote:  Anything under 30-35k is too small. Heck I'd like 10-15k in an open grassy area with all the games for kids that was a great addition.

I agree BD. 40-50.

(07-28-2015 10:51 AM)BlazerGold09 Wrote:  If Ingram had the freedom to do right by us he would.

That's a huge assumption.

Unless he can stop making verbal missteps, that only tick off the boosters, I still think he'll be gone quicker than Herman Frazier after Pumpkinhead exits the scene.

Anything over 30,000 is too large and would do nothing to drive season ticket sales.

(07-28-2015 11:01 AM)BeliefBlazer Wrote:  Anything over 30,000 is too large and would do nothing to drive season ticket sales.

The trend for new stadiums is around 30K as teams are trying to deal with lesser attendance and, strangely enough, lesser viewing even though popularity is still strong as ever.

(07-28-2015 10:52 AM)BlazerGold09 Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 10:51 AM)Big Dee Wrote:  Anything under 30-35k is too small. Heck I'd like 10-15k in an open grassy area with all the games for kids that was a great addition.

I agree BD. 40-50.

50K is too big initially. A facility can always be designed with future expansion planned.

The initial stadium we proposed in 2006 to the previous administration was 40k, but that was only because that was the minimum number of seats the bowl game required to commit to play in the new stadium. We were more comfortable with 28-30K with an open end that could accommodate temporary setting if warranted for occasional events. The plan was to build small to create ticket demand and expand the permanent seating as the market indicated.

(07-28-2015 10:25 AM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  Only conversation I have heard is this.

IPF - Football Complex - Medical Building for research - OCS in that order.

I shake my head at our AD's comments sometimes. It's as if he doesn't listen to anyone.


The key to all this is Watts leaving so Ingram can be his own guy and we can stop this foolishness of having to pay to exist. We have enough money to build steps 1-3 and a down payment on four (OCS) if we didn't have to pay for all our scholarships for three sports for the next five years.

Ingram's comments make it seem like he and Clark haven't even discussed facilities. Clark has clearly and publicly stated an IPF is a priority for him.

By medical research building, do you mean with an athletics tie in or just another research building over by the hospital?

We may get to a point with Ingram that we can't believe anything he says & then he will be toast.

His reputation during the Watts reign would then stay with him.

(07-28-2015 11:07 AM)blazerjay Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 10:52 AM)BlazerGold09 Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 10:51 AM)Big Dee Wrote:  Anything under 30-35k is too small. Heck I'd like 10-15k in an open grassy area with all the games for kids that was a great addition.

I agree BD. 40-50.

50K is too big initially. A facility can always be designed with future expansion planned.

The initial stadium we proposed in 2006 to the previous administration was 40k, but that was only because that was the minimum number of seats the bowl game required to commit to play in the new stadium. We were more comfortable with 28-30K with an open end that could accommodate temporary setting if warranted for occasional events. The plan was to build small to create ticket demand and expand the permanent seating as the market indicated.

Didn't think about an expansion. Good point.

My thought on Ingram was assuming he is a decent human and wants to better UAB athletics. I'm definitely assuming.

(07-28-2015 11:01 AM)blazerjay Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 10:51 AM)BlazerGold09 Wrote:  If Ingram had the freedom to do right by us he would.

That's a huge assumption.

Unless he can stop making verbal missteps, that only tick off the boosters, I still think he'll be gone quicker than Herman Frazier after Pumpkinhead exits the scene.

Exactly

(07-28-2015 11:07 AM)blazerjay Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 10:52 AM)BlazerGold09 Wrote:  

(07-28-2015 10:51 AM)Big Dee Wrote:  Anything under 30-35k is too small. Heck I'd like 10-15k in an open grassy area with all the games for kids that was a great addition.

I agree BD. 40-50.

50K is too big initially. A facility can always be designed with future expansion planned.

The initial stadium we proposed in 2006 to the previous administration was 40k, but that was only because that was the minimum number of seats the bowl game required to commit to play in the new stadium. We were more comfortable with 28-30K with an open end that could accommodate temporary setting if warranted for occasional events. The plan was to build small to create ticket demand and expand the permanent seating as the market indicated.

It's funny how some just think of UAB with the ocs. It's a partnership to an extent. This should somewhat replace LF totally outside of international soccer events. The Birmingham bowl stays and we won't have to expand anytime soon on first cost bases. We could hopefully with 7 divisions get a piece of the Super 7 high school championship (I would ask ahsaa for the 5a semis and championship games per year get other schools in it too? ). Hold graduations, host 7on7 events , hold inner city big games, and maybe semipro games. Huntsville has LCD, Montgomery has ASU field, and Bham and Mobile should double those in capacity.

I'd take a 10,000 seat stadium if it meant there was a permanent football structure on campus.