Stadium Expansion

[hosker]

I honestly believe if we get to a 100,000 seats or whatever we still sell games out.

 

I love memorial, but would love it even more if east stadium looked more like west stadium and if south stadium looked more like north.

 

IMO another big video board on south satdium, brand new sound system and another huge luxury boxes and what not would really push this University over the top.

 

I want the streak to continue, but think it isnt a concern because Nebraskans will buy tickets...

 

just my 2 cents.

 

 

It should be a Hotel, only used on gameday weekends on the east side, imo... That'd be sick.

 

but i agree, south and east should look like north and west.

[Pedro Guerrero]

Why stop at 90,000? We might as well go for 110,000. That would be awesome.

[Hingle McCringleberry]

I honestly believe if we get to a 100,000 seats or whatever we still sell games out.

 

I love memorial, but would love it even more if east stadium looked more like west stadium and if south stadium looked more like north.

 

IMO another big video board on south satdium, brand new sound system and another huge luxury boxes and what not would really push this University over the top.

 

I want the streak to continue, but think it isnt a concern because Nebraskans will buy tickets...

 

just my 2 cents.

 

FWIW, I heard they would put Club seats under the east balcony, a row of boxes on top then 5000 GA seat on top of that, supposedly this model will let them go as far as 100k, but they could do it in stages, I heard this shortly after the arena vote, so things may of drastically changed by now. I wouldn't think anyone should lose there tickets due to expansion, if they put in the GA. Although I am sure some feathers will be ruffled if they need to re-seat people....

[xkbubo]

A new machinized dome!! Nah, jk.

 

I wouldn't mind more seats. 100k in the heartland of america would be awesome.

[CR4IGG3RS]

I posted a long time ago when the rumors first started circulating, but I have some friends/family in the UNL facilities dept and they have stated as follows: The expansion will be a complete re-vamp of the east stadium. Like the west stadium, the original facade (Along with the GREATEST FANS gate) will remain intact, and a newer, more modern stadium will be built more or less around/on it. Club level seats as well as more press/skyboxes will be added, though it will be shorter than the west stadium beheamoth. The new stadium will extend out past where the current national championships statue is (Towards Vine St.) No word yet on whether or not the statue will be moved or built around.

 

No idea if any tech upgrades are planned for this expansion, hopefully that sound system gets rebuilt though, it's a bit brutal to listen to .

 

Take me at my word perilously, but I've heard this from multiple sources who ought to know.

[vwaldoguy]

Link was fixed...sorry about that. It worked this morning when I posted it, but OWH changed the story URL.

[Minnesota_husker]

Lincoln, Neb., Oct. 8, 2010 -- The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Athletic Department submitted two building projects to the University of Nebraska Board of Regents for approval its Oct. 15 meeting. The regents will be asked to approve the proposed program statement and $55.5 million budget for improvements to the East Stadium in Memorial Stadium as well as a proposed capital improvement expenditure of $4.75 million for a new baseball and softball indoor practice facility at Haymarket Park. The proposal calls for funding to come from athletic private donations and bond revenues generated from the new seating. No state appropriated funds will be used for either project.

 

 

 

EAST STADIUM IMPROVEMENTS

 

The Nebraska Athletic Department is proposing an expansion plan for the east side of Memorial Stadium, which will increase Memorial Stadium's attendance to more than 90,000. The Stadium was last expanded in 2006 when 6,500 seats were added to the stadium's north end, along with a large HuskerVision screen, Skyline Suites and athletic office space. The stadium has 3,600 club seats in West Stadium and 61 suites in the West and North Stadiums. Nebraska has the nation's longest sellout streak at 307 and last year ranked among the top 10 in average attendance.

 

Pending approval by the board, NU plans to expand Memorial Stadium by adding approximately 5,000 new seats, which will include between 2,000 and 2,250 new club seats, approximately 400 to 500 seats within approximately 30 new indoor/outdoor suites, and approximately 2,500 to 2,800 new general seats, including additional seating for disabled patrons. Each new seating area would include dedicated restrooms and concessions areas. A new grand lobby, expanded concourse and additional first-aid areas would also be added. No current East Stadium seats will be removed and no season ticket holders will be required to relocate their seats as part of this project.

 

The proposed height of the new addition to be constructed above and around the east balcony will be similar to the West Stadium, completed in 1999. Within the six proposed levels of the new East Stadium building, approximately 40,000 square feet of interior shell space will also be created. Athletics will retain approximately 20,000 square feet of the undeveloped space for future growth, and as part of a unique partnership between athletics and UNL Research, will allocate approximately 20,000 square feet for future office and laboratory space for research at UNL. Athletics has committed $1.5 million to help finish the interior of the academic space while the UNL Office of Research and Economic Development will be responsible for the remaining construction cost of finishing the shell space.

 

UNL has experienced stellar growth in research funding during the past decade, largely due to an increase in interdisciplinary research involving faculty from multiple departments and colleges. Prem S. Paul, vice chancellor for research and economic development, said a new research center is envisioned that will use cutting-edge imaging technologies to better understand foundations of behavior that contribute to health, injury and disease. Participating UNL academic units could include the colleges of Arts and Sciences and Education and Human Sciences; the departments of Psychology, sociology, political science, special education and communication disorders, anthropology, mathematics, biological systems engineering, agricultural economics, economics, management, and child, youth and family studies, and the School of Biological Sciences.

 

"This innovative partnership combines and leverages the university's strengths in research and athletics. Locating the proposed research center in East Stadium will build new opportunities for collaboration and position our university to take a leading role in developing long-term solutions to improved health and performance," Paul said. Details regarding the proposed research facility will be presented to the Board of Regents in the coming year.

 

Chancellor Harvey Perlman said, "This is another example of where we are leveraging our athletic program and our research efforts to mutual advantage."

 

The total projected cost of the East Stadium Improvement Project is $55.5 million. The proposal calls for $40.5 million to come from private donations and the remaining $15 million from bond revenues. Approximately $7 million in new revenue is expected to be generated annually from the new seating. These additional revenues will be used to pay off the bonds.

 

Athletic Director Tom Osborne said the additional revenue generated by the new suites, club seats and general public seating is needed to keep Nebraska competitive. "We believe now is the right time to build on the success of the Nebraska football program as it transitions to the Big Ten Conference. We need to find ways to generate additional revenue for athletics as well as for the university at large and we see great opportunity to do that with the East Stadium expansion and with our partnership with UNL research. We believe that adding 5,000 seats will meet our fans' demands as brought forth in the survey conducted earlier this summer and still preserve the sellout streak."

 

With the Board of Regents' approval, a construction manager and architect would be selected and brought to the board for approval in December and construction could begin in November of 2011 and be complete by the fall of 2013.

 

 

 

HAYMARKET PARK INDOOR PRACTICE FACILITY

 

NU Athletics is also submitting a proposal to the Board of Regents for approval of a capital improvement expenditure for an indoor practice facility at Haymarket Park to be used by the Husker baseball and softball teams. NEBCO, Nebraska's public/private partner at Haymarket Park, will be responsible for the construction in accordance with the Haymarket Park agreements, while the athletic department will be responsible for the financing of this $4.75 million project.

 

The new indoor practice facility will include batting cages, pitching mounds, a turf system suitable for infield practice and a netting system for live hitting. The proposed 22,000 square-foot practice facility would be located at Haymarket Park, east of the Bowlin Softball Stadium and north of the Hawks Baseball Field. Haymarket Park does not have indoor batting cages and the Nebraska baseball and softball teams must utilize the indoor practice facility provided within the Hawks Championship Center at Memorial Stadium. The addition of on-site batting facilities will enhance Nebraska's opportunities to host regional baseball and softball tournaments in accordance with NCAA guidelines.

 

Understanding that the Board of Regents will not meet to vote on these two proposals until October 15, Osborne met with the media Friday to discuss the financing of both building projects. "No state appropriated funds will be used for either facility," he said.

[CR4IGG3RS]

Not gonna toot my own horn - but seriously kids, ...told ya'

[knapplc]

Not gonna toot my own horn - but seriously kids, ...told ya'

Here you go.

 

[knapplc]

Here's a graphic of the new stadium from the LJS:

 

[Minnesota_husker]

Here's a graphic of the new stadium from the LJS:

 

[billdozer15]

Baaaddddd Aaaassssss

[HuskerTrucker]

I am glad to see expansion, but what bothers me is that almost half of the "new" seats are in luxury boxes again. Maybe the could have not expanded the luxury boxes, and put in 10,000 seats for the little people instead of the total 5,000 they have planned. Even though I am like #950 on the season ticket list, I know that I will still be buying tickets off the street before the game, because I won't given them their annual donation. Once again, it IS all about money.

[dustinl15]

I am glad to see expansion, but what bothers me is that almost half of the "new" seats are in luxury boxes again. Maybe the could have not expanded the luxury boxes, and put in 10,000 seats for the little people instead of the total 5,000 they have planned. Even though I am like #950 on the season ticket list, I know that I will still be buying tickets off the street before the game, because I won't given them their annual donation. Once again, it IS all about money.

 

I totally agree. The last thing I wanted to see what another press box go up on the east side with only 2500 seats for general tickets. Why not expand the east balcony and mybe add a third level? It would be high but at least you would be adding seats between the goal lines instead of between the goal posts.

[Ringer02]

I think they're putting up more boxes instead of seats cause they're not sure if the sellout streak can handle 10,000 more a game