(01-13-2020 11:31 AM)Once a Knight... Wrote: Yes, I know how it's in a historic district and right along Historic Route 66, however being a historic/old stadium you CAN make improvements without completely changing the historic look/feel.
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but the sound system was atrocious! Aside from that, leg room was non-existent (especially in the chairback seating area), and the concourse was narrow, though with almost nobody at the game this proved no problems. And then with the bathroom troughs?? I felt like I was back at the old Citrus Bowl (pre-renovation).
I like Tulsa's stadium well enough. It could use improvements, but it's pushing 100 years old and most of the bones are still there (basically everything but the press box and end zone structure). I would not want to replace it with an erector set. I would not want to expand unless we really needed the capacity (if you build it, they still won't come).
We invested tens of millions into renovations within the last ~15 years. New endzone complex. New press box/luxury suites. New lodge seating. Removed the erector set sections (downsized). Redid stonework in sections, added in others. New field turf (a couple of times). New concessions and bathrooms on the home side. New video board. New sound system. New stat boards. New video panels on the field. New plaza behind the home side. New chairs for most of the stadium, new bleachers every else. Upgraded locker rooms. The things that were renovated are generally still nice, so far as I can tell.
What you saw, and didn't like, was the east side. It has the old, crappy bathrooms. It only has the old concession stands. It has no plaza outside the old concourse. I sit on the east side, and go to the west side to get concessions because my side is so bad (I will not complain about the piss troughs though. It's all about getting in and out ASAP. But the east side bathrooms do need work).
I don't think the sound system is the problem. Sometimes it sounds great, sometimes not so much. So maybe it's how it is run? The video board was fine when put it, but it is a bit small now - but that's not a priority in my world.
Also worth noting that certain rows are cramped, others are only kind of cramped (normal stadium cramped) . I didn't notice this until I moved up a row one game , it was 2 or 3" more narrow than my normal row. Old stadiums have weird things going on, and tearing out the concrete isn't a realistic option for a renovation.
I haven't been to enough AAC stadiums to intelligently cast a vote (not even half). I've been to plenty of stadiums around the country and have no delusions that Tulsa's stadium is a palace, but it's home. I hope we can make a list and work on some improvements, but most Tulsa fans would be radically opposed to demolition.
Better than any stadium renovation, I'd rather just win some football games.
Nice job!
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