The unofficial online home for fans of the Old Dominion University Monarchs. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

I'm hoping those are just cut and paste quicky renderings and the art work is still included. It really livens up the look.

I’m excited for the prospect of renovating the NEZ, but $9 million seems low. I wonder how many seats/suites we would get out of that.

Signed,

Someone not in the construction industry

(05-10-2019 05:44 PM)monarx Wrote:  Any word on what they want it to be like? Seems like a rendering would help sell the vision. Also any word on why they seem to have removed much of the Monarch signage and dressing from the stadium? It couldn’t have cost that much and really made the place look cooler and hid the cheap erector set from view. I hope they put it back.

They don't want to do too much or go to far on this at all in the near term. They have other priorities in the AD they are trying to fund and they do not want the NEZ Reno to detract from these other fund raising priorities. They are studying the various options but it will be a combination of new bleacher seating and an entertainment / gathering space for students. I also think they are looking to build more suites as well. Nothing is even close to being firmed up because it is not a high priority currently.

suites in the endzone?
They should do suites on the other side and let those folks pay for the NEZ

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(05-10-2019 09:32 PM)bigblueodu Wrote:  suites in the endzone?
They should do suites on the other side and let those folks pay for the NEZ

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I didn't say suites would be in the end zone, did I ? The AD dept has many other priorities than to renovate the NEZ.

We're not getting suites in the NEZ. However, we are very likely getting another beer garden. I've heard they're looking to partner with a local brewery.

(05-13-2019 02:30 PM)T-Mac Wrote:  We're not getting suites in the NEZ. However, we are very likely getting another beer garden. I've heard they're looking to partner with a local brewery.

Hope it's O'Conners. Makes too much since being an ODU alumn.

Big question - will it be open to general attendees?

More suites in the end zone would be a hard sell anyway. What we needed were suites underneath the press box in phase 1. That didnt happen. Maybe they could put a few on each side of the press box, or maybe raise the box and put a row of them underneath... I hope. In the short term, 2 on each side would probably go for big money. Im guessing we could also put suites above the east side, as long as they could still put the second level above them in the future. Im hoping we can get a new locker room under the NEZ.

Stadium changes beyond what we will have once this phase of the project are at least 3 to 4 years off. There are too many other AD priorities. The NEZ will not have suites but suites will be considered for other areas of the stadium along with changes to the NEZ to be more student entertainment friendly and additional seating IF demand drives the need.

That’s disappointing. I was encouraged by earlier reports that the NEZ might be constructed next summer. It just won’t feel like a completed new stadium until that happens. We joke on JMU for having half a stadium, but they have half of an amazing stadium while we have three quarters of a mediocre one. The NEZ, more suites and a true FBS quality elevated scoreboard will do wonders for our stadium. I just hope it actually happens.

(05-13-2019 09:09 PM)monarx Wrote:  That’s disappointing. I was encouraged by earlier reports that the NEZ might be constructed next summer. It just won’t feel like a completed new stadium until that happens. We joke on JMU for having half a stadium, but they have half of an amazing stadium while we have three quarters of a mediocre one. The NEZ, more suites and a true FBS quality elevated scoreboard will do wonders for our stadium. I just hope it actually happens.

Curious what leads you to believe it will be mediocre?

(05-13-2019 09:21 PM)bit_9 Wrote:  

(05-13-2019 09:09 PM)monarx Wrote:  That’s disappointing. I was encouraged by earlier reports that the NEZ might be constructed next summer. It just won’t feel like a completed new stadium until that happens. We joke on JMU for having half a stadium, but they have half of an amazing stadium while we have three quarters of a mediocre one. The NEZ, more suites and a true FBS quality elevated scoreboard will do wonders for our stadium. I just hope it actually happens.

Curious what leads you to believe it will be mediocre?

JMU's homeside stands are going to be more impressive than ODU's. JMU's has a height of 134.5 feet (with seats going all the way up to that height), while ODU's is only going to be 95 feet (with seats not going up to that point).

Source JMU
Source ODU

(05-14-2019 07:17 AM)Blue_Trombone Wrote:  

(05-13-2019 09:21 PM)bit_9 Wrote:  

(05-13-2019 09:09 PM)monarx Wrote:  That’s disappointing. I was encouraged by earlier reports that the NEZ might be constructed next summer. It just won’t feel like a completed new stadium until that happens. We joke on JMU for having half a stadium, but they have half of an amazing stadium while we have three quarters of a mediocre one. The NEZ, more suites and a true FBS quality elevated scoreboard will do wonders for our stadium. I just hope it actually happens.

Curious what leads you to believe it will be mediocre?

JMU's homeside stands are going to be more impressive than ODU's. JMU's has a height of 134.5 feet (with seats going all the way up to that height), while ODU's is only going to be 95 feet (with seats not going up to that point).

Source JMU
Source ODU

What does that have to do with it being mediocre?

(05-13-2019 09:09 PM)monarx Wrote:  That’s disappointing. I was encouraged by earlier reports that the NEZ might be constructed next summer. It just won’t feel like a completed new stadium until that happens. We joke on JMU for having half a stadium, but they have half of an amazing stadium while we have three quarters of a mediocre one. The NEZ, more suites and a true FBS quality elevated scoreboard will do wonders for our stadium. I just hope it actually happens.

Not to pile on, but I'm not sure how anyone could reasonably come to the conclusion that the stadium is mediocre, and I'm usually one of the harshest critics of the football program. It's going to be one of the nicest stadiums in G5 with amenities, seating type, seat space, isle space, accessibility, sight lines, etc. Did you visit the gameday building to check out construction? The seats feel like they are right on top of the field. The noise will be incredible.

This isn't directed to you but a lot of people get hung up on judging the stadium by its capacity alone, which I think is a mistake.

(05-14-2019 07:17 AM)Blue_Trombone Wrote:  

(05-13-2019 09:21 PM)bit_9 Wrote:  

(05-13-2019 09:09 PM)monarx Wrote:  That’s disappointing. I was encouraged by earlier reports that the NEZ might be constructed next summer. It just won’t feel like a completed new stadium until that happens. We joke on JMU for having half a stadium, but they have half of an amazing stadium while we have three quarters of a mediocre one. The NEZ, more suites and a true FBS quality elevated scoreboard will do wonders for our stadium. I just hope it actually happens.

Curious what leads you to believe it will be mediocre?

JMU's homeside stands are going to be more impressive than ODU's. JMU's has a height of 134.5 feet (with seats going all the way up to that height), while ODU's is only going to be 95 feet (with seats not going up to that point).

Source JMU
Source ODU

I wouldn't be too impressed by the additional 39' of cold, empty bleacher seats facing an FCS game featuring Robert Morris. Our stadium will be a much nicer experience even without the new NEZ.

(05-14-2019 07:32 AM)odu09 Wrote:  

(05-13-2019 09:09 PM)monarx Wrote:  That’s disappointing. I was encouraged by earlier reports that the NEZ might be constructed next summer. It just won’t feel like a completed new stadium until that happens. We joke on JMU for having half a stadium, but they have half of an amazing stadium while we have three quarters of a mediocre one. The NEZ, more suites and a true FBS quality elevated scoreboard will do wonders for our stadium. I just hope it actually happens.

Not to pile on, but I'm not sure how anyone could reasonably come to the conclusion that the stadium is mediocre, and I'm usually one of the harshest critics of the football program. It's going to be one of the nicest stadiums in G5 with amenities, seating type, seat space, isle space, accessibility, sight lines, etc. Did you visit the gameday building to check out construction? The seats feel like they are right on top of the field. The noise will be incredible.

This isn't directed to you but a lot of people get hung up on judging the stadium by its capacity alone, which I think is a mistake.

Mediocre is not the word. Its incomplete. To me I'm looking at like a brand new 17,000 seat stadium with 5,000 seats of crap. The stadium gets judged as a whole. You cant just turn a blind eye to those bleachers in the north endzone.

Gotcha, ya less mediocre and simply incomplete. Which I think we all 100% agree with. One thing we can say that JMU can't is that we have a plan to complete the NEZ and it will happen, just when - not if. Can't say the same for the other 50% of the JMU stadium, as nice as half of it may be.

(05-13-2019 02:39 PM)bit_9 Wrote:  

(05-13-2019 02:30 PM)T-Mac Wrote:  We're not getting suites in the NEZ. However, we are very likely getting another beer garden. I've heard they're looking to partner with a local brewery.

Hope it's O'Conners. Makes too much since being an ODU alumn.

Big question - will it be open to general attendees?

I had been told the same thing about a beer garden situation in the north endzone as well with a two to three season time frame. It seems that the admin would rather do that than open up the entire stadium to beer sales (something that I think is a massive mistake). No word if it would be tied to ODAF donations or a gen pop space. Fingers crossed it ends up being O'Conners when the time comes.

(05-14-2019 07:59 AM)bit_9 Wrote:  Gotcha, ya less mediocre and simply incomplete. Which I think we all 100% agree with. One thing we can say that JMU can't is that we have a plan to complete the NEZ and it will happen, just when - not if. Can't say the same for the other 50% of the JMU stadium, as nice as half of it may be.

This is the correct take.

I can’t help but be impressed by how very impatient many of our hardcore fans tend to be. I believe the impatience is positive because it does not provide a good atmosphere for complacency, yet it can also be frustrating from the perspective of a follower of this message board.

We are all well aware of both the late start we got into having a football program compared to even the established FCS schools, and also the unique legislative position we are in compared to other newcomers. ODU Football has achieved a lot, and will achieve much more, it will however not happen as quickly as some would like. I am going to continue enjoying the ride because it is a long game, and I know we are headed in the right direction.