Memorial Stadium Renovation

[Hooked on Huskers]

I thought we just had a thread about a 150m upgrade?

Now $450m more?

Who's in charge of this stuff......that zelensky guy?

Wow, too bad we can't go back to the 1990s and get their construction prices, huh? Five NFL stadiums have been built in the past decade, and all of them were over $1 billion.

Much different ...... Memorial renovate cost vs new NFL stadiums.  Again, WAY TOO HIGH !!

from blueprint to final product ......

Though B-2 lemon bomber cost $1B per one plane .....

• total costs (including production, spare parts, equipment, retrofitting, and software support) averaged $929 million (~$997 million in 2021) per plane
  

 

[BigRedBuster]

Agreed.

Also, we have to think about this logically. Fans in seats = revenue. A good experience in the stadium = fans more likely to go, and that includes a good experience both on the field AND in the stands.

Both things have to be funded, particularly in today's world. Going to football games has become less and less appetizing in recent years and the university needs to incentivize people across the entire spectrum. At it's core, gameday is entertainment. And with all the hassles associated with actually going to a game in Lincoln, I have opted to stay home several times in recent years specifically because of the whole package. Much of the stadium infrastructure itself is also just bad compared to a lot of other stadiums I've been to in the last several years.

I understand some fans have that attitude. But, I still love a Lincoln on game day and don’t find going to a game to be a hassle at all….at least for reasons being discussed. 
 

I don’t have season tickets because I live 3 hours away and seem to so often have things going on that would prevent me going to every home game. But, I still go as often as I can which is usually a couple times per year. 
 

But, these things seem to be so important to others.  I’ll enjoy the seats and more room. 

 

[Micheal]

Lower capacity in sports venues is not an uncommon thing right now. Teams have been going to stadiums with more amenities rather than squishing in as many people as possible.

-Allegiant Stadium 65,000, opened in 2020.

-SoFi Stadium 70,240, opened in 2020.

-Mercedes Benz Stadium 71,000, opened in 2017.

 

[teachercd]

I understand some fans have that attitude. But, I still love a Lincoln on game day and don’t find going to a game to be a hassle at all….at least for reasons being discussed. 
 

I don’t have season tickets because I live 3 hours away and seem to so often have things going on that would prevent me going to every home game. But, I still go as often as I can which is usually a couple times per year. 
 

But, these things seem to be so important to others.  I’ll enjoy the seats and more room. 

I am trying to think of things that have annoyed me while in the stadium and there is really not much on the list.  Sometimes the lines are long for the bathroom, big deal.

When we went to the OU game in Norman it took all of halftime plus about 10 more minutes (real time not game clock) to get a few beers.  That was annoying.

 

[ECisGod]

Trev Alberts proposal link ...

I assume green color as shown will be a Student Life and Academics buildings.    Noticed south stadium .... 2nd deck :thumbs .  Closer to the action .....



Vertical Circulation Upgrades ???  :dunno

Anyway too high .... $450 million renovation  :blink: .  i.e. Tampa Bay Buccaneers stadium from scratch to final product,  construction cost was $168.5 million ($303 million in 2022)

It's almost always more expensive to renovate than to build new when dealing with 100 year old buildings, especially ones that have had multiple renovations/additions.  The problem NU has is that there is nowhere on campus to build a new stadium, so they can't build a $350-400 million stadium.

As far as the Tampa Bay stadium, it was built in 1998.  There are many things that fans expect out of a stadium now that didn't exist 25 years ago, so that 303M in 2002 dollars doesn't really apply. 

I'm not saying that the 1B Taj Mahal's that NFL teams are building is appropriate for a college team, but comparing to a stadium that was built 25 years ago isn't either.

 

[Red Five]

I'd argue a mistake was made in adding the 600 level on East Stadium 10 years ago (suites and club level were fine).  Ever since then we have been trying to reduce capacity.

From 1972 to 2005 announced attendance was around 76k.  Getting back to that range sounds fine to me.

 

[BoSolich]

I'd argue a mistake was made in adding the 600 level on East Stadium 10 years ago (suites and club level were fine).  Ever since then we have been trying to reduce capacity.

From 1972 to 2005 announced attendance was around 76k.  Getting back to that range sounds fine to me.

i don't think attendance would be a problem if we were good. i don't remember ever struggling to sell tickets when were a top 25 team.

i don't think volleyball would sell out every game if they weren't one of the best teams every single year

 

[ECisGod]

i don't think attendance would be a problem if we were good. i don't remember ever struggling to sell tickets when were a top 25 team.

i don't think volleyball would sell out every game if they weren't one of the best teams every single year

Basketball basically sells out every game and they haven't consistently been good for 30 years.  The actual attendance doesn't reflect the arena being sold out, but their 2022/23 average attendance was almost 15300 (10th in the country) with a capacity of 15500.

 

[CheeseHusker]

Every new stadium from the outside looks like somebody's external hard drive.

 

[Lorewarn]

Trev said ..... "The target completion for the entire project is July 2026."

Yeah right   ....



"Summer 2022" ....... Still under construction (but almost done)

I wonder what could have delayed this project?

 

[Hooked on Huskers]

i don't think volleyball would sell out every game if they weren't one of the best teams every single year

Need new Husker ice hockey team :thumbs .  I pictured Memorial will sell out in ice hockey game(s).

Big House event. Packed full ... set a record for attendance with an official attendance of 104,173

and Spartans too ....

added Camp Randall ice hockey.  Cracked ice rink during "Jump Around" Wisky tradition 

 

[BigRedBuster]

Agree. Make it happen Trev. 
 

 

[Hooked on Huskers]

I wonder what could have delayed this project?

My guess OSHA bureaucracy thing.

Without OSHA rules, Empire State Building was only 13 months from blueprint to final product !  Versus Freedom Tower in NYC, 8 YEARS to complete.  Roughly the same height both Empire and Freedom Tower (a.k.a. One World Trade Center)

Though I never traveled in NYC.  Anyway trivia story ...

• At 9:40 am on July 28, 1945, a B-25 Mitchell bomber, piloted in thick fog by Lieutenant Colonel William Franklin Smith Jr. crashed into the north side of the Empire State Building between the 79th and 80th floors. One engine completely penetrated the building, landing on the roof of a nearby building where it started a fire that destroyed a penthouse. The other engine and part of the landing gear plummeted down an elevator shaft, causing a fire that was extinguished in 40 minutes. Fourteen people were killed in the incident. Elevator operator Betty Lou Oliver fell 75 stories and survived, which still holds the Guinness World Record for the longest survived elevator fall recorded. Despite the damage and loss of life, many floors were open two days later.
  

I know, untracked for this OP thread (as usual) ......

 

[Lorewarn]

My guess OSHA bureaucracy thing.

Without OSHA rules, Empire State Building was only 13 months from blueprint to final product !  Versus Freedom Tower in NYC, 8 YEARS to complete.  Roughly the same height both Empire and Freedom Tower

You guessed wrong it was COVID

 

[Hooked on Huskers]

It's almost always more expensive to renovate than to build new when dealing with 100 year old buildings, especially ones that have had multiple renovations/additions.  The problem NU has is that there is nowhere on campus to build a new stadium, so they can't build a $350-400 million stadium.

Probably so.

I remember demolished Walmart store.  Next Walmart project, Sams Club store, exactly the same location and dimension as original Walmart store except 6' taller or so.  New store cost, probably cheaper versus original renovations.  Also fewer columns (new design)

B1G stadiums, I believe all in campus except Ryan Field