Could the Ragin’ Cajuns be getting a new football stadium?

Something else to consider. Utilities just aren't there to handle many modern stadium features. Example - Electrical systems. Modern stadiums are power hungry monsters and it is my understanding the current stadium simple can't handle much more. Not to mention the structured wiring systems that a modern stadium needs to have in place. San Francisco's park has over 1200 wireless access points, 100's of TV's and concession displays, security cameras, cell phone repeaters, POS systems, etc. True we aren't an NFL stadium but we definitely need major upgrades.

The stadium is nearly 50 years old and it becomes a very questionable endeavor to install all that upgraded utility on top of old and apparently unstable infrastructure.

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Originally Posted by Cajun90

Something else to consider. Utilities just aren't there to handle many modern stadium features. Example - Electrical systems. Modern stadiums are power hungry monsters and it is my understanding the current stadium simple can't handle much more. Not to mention the structured wiring systems that a modern stadium needs to have in place. San Francisco's park has over 1200 wireless access points, 100's of TV's and concession displays, security cameras, cell phone repeaters, POS systems, etc. True we aren't an NFL stadium but we definitely need major upgrades.

The stadium is nearly 50 years old and it becomes a very questionable endeavor to install all that upgraded utility on top of old and apparently unstable infrastructure.

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I know LED lighting was too pricey for Russo Park, but if you're rebuilding a stadium I'd bet the economy of scale for the complete facility would probably generate some cost savings over older less efficient lighting. There are probably some other items that could be cost saving as well.

Check out this video if we can get this for 70 million. This is a virtual tour of the facility !!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iAS0N-m3A10

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Originally Posted by CajunSaint08

There are only two ways to fill the stadium in my opinion on a consistent basis. 1. Play the premier teams at their stadium and beat them. People will come to watch the team that just beat Alabama, Florida, etc..... when we play our next home game against anybody. And 2. Bring in the Alabama's of this world and beat them at home.

It's not how many wins you get in a season that will put butts in the seats, it's the quality of those wins that will. Going 12-0 against Sunbelt teams will not cause a large enough increase in ticket holders to justify renovating or building a new stadium.

Now it's a lot easier said than done, but it can be done. I'm tired of playing "money" games. I want the Cajuns to start winning those money games. I'm hoping Coach Napier is the coach to get us there.

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A lot of truth in your post.

T-Joe is no dummy. He hired Dr. Maggard to do a thorough evaluation and included in that is all the possibilities of what to do to get our football venue up to par. When he explains to the public his plan, obviously UL being a public University, he has to have the numbers to back him up. They may be studying what the costs are for a new stadium, but it's only to show the value of spending a lot of money on the upgrade and still staying below a new one. This is a smart approach. I'm still convinced, we are not building a new stadium. The political fallout of wasting dollars just a couple of years ago is too much. Dr. Maggard will present a well thought out plan to upgrade Cajun field and the justification to spend those kind of dollars.

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Originally Posted by Ragin9221

Check out this video if we can get this for 70 million. This is a virtual tour of the facility !!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iAS0N-m3A10

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You are looking at a foot print of about 660' X 525' for this structure. Space we have at the existing parking. Across Congress for parking with a overhead walk way and chair lift on both sides. If the old stadium is to remain, convert it into a soccer stadium.You could also have a high rise parking garage holding 1000 cars tied in the walkway. The soccer stadium would be a revenue making machine. Large concerts, high school football, semi pro soccer team...all this with naming rights. And stand alone track field with all field events in the stadium. Everyone had ideas so hear is mine.

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Originally Posted by Frenchie35

You are looking at a foot print of about 660' X 525' for this structure. Space we have at the existing parking. Across Congress for parking with a overhead walk way and chair lift on both sides. If the old stadium is to remain, convert it into a soccer stadium.You could also have a high rise parking garage holding 1000 cars tied in the walkway. The soccer stadium would be a revenue making machine. Large concerts, high school football, semi pro soccer team...all this with naming rights. And stand alone track field with all field events in the stadium. Everyone had ideas so hear is mine.

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What's preventing Cajun Field from being a "revenue making machine?" Not sure why a soccer stadium would instantly attract concerts and events.

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Originally Posted by CajunSaint08

There are only two ways to fill the stadium in my opinion on a consistent basis. 1. Play the premier teams at their stadium and beat them. People will come to watch the team that just beat Alabama, Florida, etc..... when we play our next home game against anybody. And 2. Bring in the Alabama's of this world and beat them at home.

It's not how many wins you get in a season that will put butts in the seats, it's the quality of those wins that will. Going 12-0 against Sunbelt teams will not cause a large enough increase in ticket holders to justify renovating or building a new stadium.

Now it's a lot easier said than done, but it can be done. I'm tired of playing "money" games. I want the Cajuns to start winning those money games. I'm hoping Coach Napier is the coach to get us there.

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It is very unrealistic to think that the truly big boy school will ever agree to come to Cajun Field. That is not life today.

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Originally Posted by ULGrad@HOU

T-Joe is no dummy. He hired Dr. Maggard to do a thorough evaluation and included in that is all the possibilities of what to do to get our football venue up to par. When he explains to the public his plan, obviously UL being a public University, he has to have the numbers to back him up. They may be studying what the costs are for a new stadium, but it's only to show the value of spending a lot of money on the upgrade and still staying below a new one. This is a smart approach. I'm still convinced, we are not building a new stadium. The political fallout of wasting dollars just a couple of years ago is too much. Dr. Maggard will present a well thought out plan to upgrade Cajun field and the justification to spend those kind of dollars.

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Dr. Maggard will be on with Steve Peloquin and Cody Junot tomorrow morning at 7:30. This issue is one they plan to address with him.

If the new stadium can host multiple events for example concerts, semi-pro soccer, high school football, lacrosse etc. and we built it across Congress then we could turn Cajun Field into a huge parking garage as discussed earlier, which would leave a lot of free space for tailgating, car shows, and fairs etc.

We would have a perfect stadium to host Soccer. We could get a USL expansion team, which would generate extra revenue.

Which parking is another issue we have that would be solved

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Originally Posted by BananaHammock

What's preventing Cajun Field from being a "revenue making machine?" Not sure why a soccer stadium would instantly attract concerts and events.

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You said that Cajun Field could be a "revenue making machine". I think that's what I said. Large concerts, which I'm sure you have seen big stadiums pull off. And a semi pro soccer team (old Cajun Field) is just a thought. they say soccer is growing so grow with it....

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Originally Posted by Cajunsmike

It is very unrealistic to think that the truly big boy school will ever agree to come to Cajun Field. That is not life today.

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Not true. It can happen and still does in the G5.