Facility Improvements

[Ben the student]

I drove through the campus today and happend to see a new sign put up on the corner of St. Mary and Rex. It stands around 20 feet tall give or take a few. The sign has Louisiana written in white with a red background. Its an electronic scrolling sign. I believe it is to make the student body aware of upcoming events. I think I read in the Vermilion (school newspaper) that the SGA was trying to make the student body more aware. Plus it just plain looks good if you happen to be passing through the campus. I believe that the student body is keeping the University of Louisiana infront of the student population. The sign was placed in the highest viewable area for us to see.

[Turbine]

[Cajun Express]

Since I see no University what is Lafayette doing on this sign?

[RaginRash]

They are doing good on the name recognition and student awareness fronts.

Leadership like that is going to be THE key.

Keep up the good work, y'all!

[Turbine]

It has been four years since final approval. Now the Hotel near CajunBasin is soon to be built. There is also buzz of a 3 story athletic complex getting some attention. The parking garage between the Swamp and the CajunDome (The Stump) is supposed to be high on the list as well.

A lot of money is soon to be spent around CajunBasin, here is what I would like to see.

A single building located between the Dome and the Football field, in the area that straddles Reinhart Drive and the pedestrian tunnel. That’s correct smack dab over a functioning Reinhart Drive.

The building would end up being taller than the CajunDome and would house a world class hotel, with several floors reserved for offices and the athletic department. Integrated seamlessly would be an internal parking garage. All topped off with a rotating restaurant at the top.

By straddling Reinhart Drive there would be easy pedestrian exit to either side whether for the CajunDome, Cajun Field or anywhere in CajunBasin. It would take up a minimum of valuable land, and be an incredible landmark for recruiting purposes.

For the parking lot portion, I envision round the clock valet parking for the hotels guests, and restaurant patrons. While I would expect self-parking for students who arrive to get on one of the busses that regularly rotate through Reinhart Drive. Self-parking would also be the order of the day for benefactors (attendees) of athletic events.

Potential uses

The restaurant could be used for a reopening of the culinary school.

This could be a great location for the Student Union bookstore, but also a University of Louisiana gift shop and other stores that would be sure to be frequented at all times but especially on game day.


With a landmark of this sort in the past we most certainly would have landed the Saints preseason camp and undoubtedly would win many a convention contract in the future.

I could go on and on and yes there surely are a lot of nuances I have not considered. One of those would be the architectural rumination that I have not considered such as how to keep the hotel dignified? On that subject I do know that architectural firms in large cities have conquered this problem. Finally I think the one building could be built much cheaper and payoff in the many ways each portion requires than if the three buildings were to be built separately.

[ChanceEncounter]

and I thought I was a big thinker.

[1stTake]

Ambitious? Add athletic dorms while you are at it.

[Turbine]

Originally posted by ChanceEncounter
and I thought I was a big thinker.

Gotta think big.

[RedBug58]

Does "The Big Ragoo" look like that picture that always comes up in his posts? Is that a picture of him??

[Turbine]

Originally posted by RedBug58
Does "The Big Ragoo" look like that picture that always comes up in his posts? Is that a picture of him??

No that is A.C.Morris 1921. The picture is taken from John Zants SLII mural on the upper concourse at The Swamp.

[the Big Ragoo]

Originally posted by RedBug58


Does "The Big Ragoo" look like that picture that always comes up in his posts? Is that a picture of him??

the big ragoo actually looks much better than that, but like the picture, the big ragoo also totally white eyeballs (albino).

[Turbine]

I just noticed that the sketches at the beginning of this thread were from a year ago but have all been completed.

I can remember the days when a sketch meant 5 or 6 years from now.