(05-12-2022 02:09 PM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  

(05-12-2022 11:15 AM)Claw Wrote:  

(05-12-2022 11:08 AM)Stammers Wrote:  

(05-12-2022 10:36 AM)shere khan Wrote:  

(05-12-2022 10:26 AM)Claw Wrote:  They just killed us.

Another 200 million going to feed developers and city officials that don't give a **** about the university.

It's over folks.

Exactly what happened.

RIP Memphis Tiger football.

A $200 million investment that will produce a stadium that will be 10X nicer than UCF, and nicer than Nippert. How anyone can think this is bad, is insane.

History.

When it was built, the stadium was nicer than UT, Ole Miss, Miss State, and most of the SEC. They came HERE to play because it was bigger and nicer.

That won't be the case this time. It will be half the size of UT. Ole Miss and MisStake will still play at home bringing in tons of money and visitors to their campus. A business that became more lucrative than playing in the Liberty Bowl more than 35 years ago. People on campus generates money. Apparently an SEC education is better than ours. We haven't learned that in 100 years.

There won't be an NFL team to lure here this time either.

So what do have?

We have something that will not set a single foot on campus. It will not improve the campus in any way at all. It will not be a revenue generator controlled by the university. It will not increase alumni giving. It won't do much at all.

This is a 200 million investment that at best will keep the status quo. We could have done that with nothing invested.

This^^
Whats crazy is the Mayor just stated the lion’s share of the funding will come from the university?? Why would the school invest 200 million in an off campus, municipally owned facility? Here was their opportunity to change the campus experience & image of the school & they’re investing 200 mill in the Fairgrounds. I think the new president was bamboozled & the long term opportunity squandered. The renderings are wonderful but the school desperately needed to reconnect alumni with the campus, and this decision only ensures generations Memphis alumni never step foot back on campus.

I was hoping for a new OCS too. We talk big here, but the donations aren’t there. It took years to come up with funding for an IPF. I think they put pen to paper and decided that just couldn’t come up with funding. There are so many variables and I think the figure just came in too high.

It’s still an incredible investment. The renderings look amazing. It shows major commitment to football. Will it be enough for a Big 12 invite? Who knows? We could have built an OCS and got snubbed.

In the end, it’s an incredible renovation and probably the best we could do. The city is working to revitalize the fairgrounds. While not the OCS I wanted, I have to say it’s still an incredible upgrade. Win enough and we’ll get that invite.