(11-01-2013 11:08 AM)shack66 Wrote:  I talked to a few members at NIU and reno would not be cost effective. It would actually cost more to renovate than to knock down and rebuild. Akron's stadium cost were 61.6 mil. It cost us 9.5 for the CPC. I would say the stadium upgrades adding the temp box on the north end are to last us at least 5 years to even consider stadium changes.

We can dream, but I don't think it's going to happen anytime soon. Wait until there is a Stadium Campaign Fund Drive before dreaming too much. Nothing will happen prior to having a Campaign a couple of years prior to work.

Another BCS trip or MAC Champion Three-Peat might kick Alums into action to contribute more than they normally would, So now would be the time to start a campaign. IMO

We shouldn't wait until later in case there is a drop off in talent in the following years. I think the program is on the rise, but we've had a string of good players and it's hard to hit home runs all the time.

Strike while the iron is hot!

That's why I am wondering now if building a second deck on the East side with club seats in between the levels is more realistic. It would give us added capasity of around 5-6k while about 1k of those seats being high dollar seats.

That would open the option of reducing the West capasity to have double wide rows for a new premium area with a table accross the entire row. In this sectio offer a wait staff.

One of the biggest problems with sell outs is the quality of opponent. We play our top MAC teams on weekdays for TV exposure which brings ticket sales down. Our non-con home games are not a big enough draw, which Sean is trying to fix. Stadium size is not large enough to bring better non-con games home. A new stadium would help Sean schedule home and home games with better teams, which would also give us TV exposure depending on the opponent, but we'll never change the week day schedule because of TV and Quality MAC opponents. Bottom MAC teams will always get our weekend games, and the top match-ups will always be week day as long as we are in the MAC.

I see this has turned into the "Shame on the student"/"Expand the Stadium" thread.....

I think adding a UD to the east would be a band-aid approach. NIU has gone for top of the line facilities in the past. It has not been their style. Not sure if a knock down new stadium would keep the east side? I think it would to help reduce cost, but if there is a complete rebuild to the west side and possibly include the south end-zone, an upper deck wouldn't be necessary. We don't need 50k. most likely be 35-40 at best. If that's the plan, then it's time to buy ourselves out of the MAC. If we even look at our Non-Conf competition this year, Bulldog Stadium seats almost 43,000 and they sell out. MAC sales will never get us 40,000. I don't care if it's 8-0 Toledo vs 8-0 Huskies on a Saturday. Not going to happen.

(11-01-2013 11:05 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  There IS empty space above the two practice gyms right? Could a consession area and more bathrooms be installed in that area? If you move the consessions out of the hallways that would instantly give the two main halls a more open feel.

i saw a rendering of a west side reno and you just gut the gyms and open the space up. I mean its not a 2 week job

(11-01-2013 11:45 AM)GCD70 Wrote:  

(11-01-2013 11:05 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  There IS empty space above the two practice gyms right? Could a consession area and more bathrooms be installed in that area? If you move the consessions out of the hallways that would instantly give the two main halls a more open feel.

i saw a rendering of a west side reno and you just gut the gyms and open the space up. I mean its not a 2 week job

Correct that is why it hasn't been done yet. Their policy has been that if they build it, they will build it right. The Yordon was originally going to be a much smaller facility but they waited and did it right. Same on the CPC, originally going to be a 70 yard field, but waited. They have seed money for a new press box, but are waiting on doing that until as well.

I know the East side was designed so a second deck could be added at a later date, so they planned accordingly. I'm also wondering if they designed the new scoreboard so they could put a bigger video screen in there at a later date. If you look at where the camera stands are on top, it certainly looks like you could add another 6-10 feet up top on the video board.

It only takes money, but I'm sure Dr. Frazier will address it all. If you recall it was one of the first things he mentioned. Facilities and Scheduling. Looks like he is already taking care of scheduling so I feel facilities will be addressed shortly.

(11-01-2013 11:45 AM)GCD70 Wrote:  

(11-01-2013 11:05 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  There IS empty space above the two practice gyms right? Could a consession area and more bathrooms be installed in that area? If you move the consessions out of the hallways that would instantly give the two main halls a more open feel.

i saw a rendering of a west side reno and you just gut the gyms and open the space up. I mean its not a 2 week job

Increase load baring support to the floor structure that has to be carried down to the foundation that was not planned for that configuration? I think your 2 weeks needs to be thought out. It takes two weeks to reno a kitchen without altering structure.

You couldn't lipstick the pig of a stadium we have using the same structure layout in two weeks. Where are the gym facilities getting relocated too?

You'd have to break out the floors to do anything else, bathroom, kitchens etc. Would you really be happy with fresh paint and a new urinal?

If they have to dig out and widen the footings to take extra load if you talking 2nd floor concourse or bathrooms, you're looking at 6 months to a year. The CPC which is basically a pole barn took almost a year.

Reno is not the way to go.

How is a second deck with a club level a bandaid? Done the right way it gives what we need, capacity and premium $eat$. There is NO reason the East stands should be taken down. They are less than 20 years old!

This could also aide in either a west side gutting OR a total rebuild. Either way that will take more than one season to build.

Lets face it even if Lynch wins the Heisman and we win a BCS Bowl we are not getting a rich alum do donate enough for a new stadium like Baylor did.

(11-01-2013 12:02 PM)shack66 Wrote:  

(11-01-2013 11:45 AM)GCD70 Wrote:  

(11-01-2013 11:05 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  There IS empty space above the two practice gyms right? Could a consession area and more bathrooms be installed in that area? If you move the consessions out of the hallways that would instantly give the two main halls a more open feel.

i saw a rendering of a west side reno and you just gut the gyms and open the space up. I mean its not a 2 week job

Increase load baring support to the floor structure that has to be carried down to the foundation that was not planned for that configuration? I think your 2 weeks needs to be thought out. It takes two weeks to reno a kitchen without altering structure.

You couldn't lipstick the pig of a stadium we have using the same structure layout in two weeks. Where are the gym facilities getting relocated too?

You'd have to break out the floors to do anything else, bathroom, kitchens etc. Would you really be happy with fresh paint and a new urinal?

If they have to dig out and widen the footings to take extra load if you talking 2nd floor concourse or bathrooms, you're looking at 6 months to a year. The CPC which is basically a pole barn took almost a year.

Reno is not the way to go.

No one is saying this will take 2 weeks! I would think do do it totally right it would take 2 off seasons...but that is with the skybox too.

Even building something new will take 2 full seasons.

(11-01-2013 12:02 PM)shack66 Wrote:  

(11-01-2013 11:45 AM)GCD70 Wrote:  

(11-01-2013 11:05 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  There IS empty space above the two practice gyms right? Could a consession area and more bathrooms be installed in that area? If you move the consessions out of the hallways that would instantly give the two main halls a more open feel.

i saw a rendering of a west side reno and you just gut the gyms and open the space up. I mean its not a 2 week job

Increase load baring support to the floor structure that has to be carried down to the foundation that was not planned for that configuration? I think your 2 weeks needs to be thought out. It takes two weeks to reno a kitchen without altering structure.

You couldn't lipstick the pig of a stadium we have using the same structure layout in two weeks. Where are the gym facilities getting relocated too?

You'd have to break out the floors to do anything else, bathroom, kitchens etc. Would you really be happy with fresh paint and a new urinal?

If they have to dig out and widen the footings to take extra load if you talking 2nd floor concourse or bathrooms, you're looking at 6 months to a year. The CPC which is basically a pole barn took almost a year.

Reno is not the way to go.

Since we're on the topic of renovation/upgrade, we need to get rid of the apartments and build a horseshoe to make our stadium look bigger! The horseshoe seating would not be as tall as the east and west side, only should be about half the rows so we can add 6-8k of seating.

(11-01-2013 12:21 PM)RedandBlackAttack Wrote:  Since we're on the topic of renovation/upgrade, we need to get rid of the apartments and build a horseshoe to make our stadium look bigger! The horseshoe seating would not be as tall as the east and west side, only should be about half the rows so we can add 6-8k of seating.

Closing the road and moving the scoreboard to add 6-8k seats in the corners and endzone would be more costly than adding a second deck on te East side with a club level.

We should just build a wall just high enough so the camera angle can't see the apartments. Heck sell ad space on the thing!

I love all these ideas, there great...but unless demand is there no way the school would have a reason to initiate expansion...perhaps improved skybox/press box but expansion in unfathomable unless needed, would be wasted $$$

(11-01-2013 12:21 PM)RedandBlackAttack Wrote:  Since we're on the topic of renovation/upgrade, we need to get rid of the apartments and build a horseshoe to make our stadium look bigger! The horseshoe seating would not be as tall as the east and west side, only should be about half the rows so we can add 6-8k of seating.

Because this totally wouldn't cost a billion dollars!

(11-01-2013 12:44 PM)NIU8484 Wrote:  I love all these ideas, there great...but unless demand is there no way the school would have a reason to initiate expansion...perhaps improved skybox/press box but expansion in unfathomable unless needed, would be wasted $$$

Ya I mean selling out vs EIU and Akron doesn't show promise...what if we were to be able to get some non crappy teams in DeKalb before November? How many would attend?

(11-01-2013 12:47 PM)7 Wrote:  

(11-01-2013 12:21 PM)RedandBlackAttack Wrote:  Since we're on the topic of renovation/upgrade, we need to get rid of the apartments and build a horseshoe to make our stadium look bigger! The horseshoe seating would not be as tall as the east and west side, only should be about half the rows so we can add 6-8k of seating.

Because this totally wouldn't cost a billion dollars!

Hey, I figured I'd throw outrageous propositions into the mix!

Put up 2 billboards on either side of the score board. They only have to be half the height of the scoreboard to hide the apartments and just as wide a the field.

(11-01-2013 12:57 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  Put up 2 billboards on either side of the score board. They only have to be half the height of the scoreboard to hide the apartments and just as wide a the field.

Lincolnshire West Apartments donates in excess of $10,000 annually to the HASF. They are wonderful partners and have been for a long time. Let's treat them with some respect.

(11-01-2013 12:21 PM)RedandBlackAttack Wrote:  Since we're on the topic of renovation/upgrade, we need to get rid of the apartments and build a horseshoe to make our stadium look bigger! The horseshoe seating would not be as tall as the east and west side, only should be about half the rows so we can add 6-8k of seating.

Yea, too bad we're talking real life and not build your own team like EA Sports NCAA Football 2003.

(11-01-2013 01:07 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(11-01-2013 12:57 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  Put up 2 billboards on either side of the score board. They only have to be half the height of the scoreboard to hide the apartments and just as wide a the field.

Lincolnshire West Apartments donates in excess of $10,000 annually to the HASF. They are wonderful partners and have been for a long time. Let's treat them with some respect.

How would selling AD space hurt them?

It's not like the apartments are going to lose revenue because of 2 billboards.