Cajun Field 1971...

[CajunRebel]

Our seating capacity couldn't have less to do with conference realignment. Let's wait until we actually sell out a game before we talk about expanding Cajun Field again.

There are much better ways to use our limited resources than on seating for fans that don't exist.

[ulXrunner]

Can't wait to see "Boomer's Bell" installed in the tower.

I thought bell tower was a demo for LAGCOE.

[cajun4life]

Our seating capacity couldn't have less to do with conference realignment. Let's wait until we actually sell out a game before we talk about expanding Cajun Field again.

There are much better ways to use our limited resources than on seating for fans that don't exist.

So what are we to do the next time the entire brick facade falls off the stadium. Or structural integrity issues arise like currently?

It's not about selling out. It's about one time renovation for structural purposes with the vision of building something that will suit your future fan base.

[ulXrunner]

Here is a picture of the UCF stadium which seats 45,000 and was built at a cost of $60M. UCF opened their stadium with Texas. This gives a better look at what Cajun Field would look like bowled as it is difficult to compare to a 100,000 seat stadium. A bowled Cajun Field would seat about 40,000 with suites. That would hold us for years until we needed to expand again (University of Houston just built a new 40,000 seat stadium). By not adding a new upper deck on the west side and a smaller upper deck on the east side, it would appear to save us millions in costs and greatly reduce the amount of money we would need to raise to start this project and get this completed on a shorter time line. A bowled stadium creates a much better game day atmosphere and gives the look of a big time stadium. Picture stepping into Cajun Field looking like this. Maybe UL needs to go back to the drawing board. Can't wait around another 5-10 years to build. We need to be ready when a conference realignment opportunity hits us. Once baseball is completed within the next 2 years, we will have new facilities in every sport, including renovations to the CajunDome, except football.

I'm close to buying what you selling.

[CajunRebel]

So what are we to do the next time the entire brick facade falls off the stadium. Or structural integrity issues arise like currently?

It's not about selling out. It's about one time renovation for structural purposes with the vision of building something that will suit your future fan base.

Im not against renovating. I'm against spending more money to put in even more seats when we can't even come close to filling the seats we have now.

[HoustonCajun]

Im not against renovating. I'm against spending more money to put in even more seats when we can't even come close to filling the seats we have now.

We aren't adding more seats. The Football Media Guide shows seating capacity as 41,426, presumably because of seating on the grassy area. Bowling the NEZ would simply add seats wearing people are already sitting or standing. We would tear down the upper deck. Then, add a new press box and suites on both sides. Seating would still be roughly 40,000 vs. the 41,426 UL is now claiming. And, we have the addition of the much needed suites whose revenue would help pay for the improvements. We end up with a big time looking bowled stadium instead of a half-finished stadium with a grassy knoll.

[Duggie35]

But that is exactly the whole point: why haven't they gone to us to try to capture that last bit??? You have fans that are practically begging to help out and be a part of this......and yet we hear nothing.

Those that REALLY want to donate can easily do so. Those that can't figure it out don't really want to donate and just want to blame the administration for something else they percieve as another deficiency.

[HoustonCajun]

We aren't adding more seats. The Football Media Guide shows seating capacity as 41,426, presumably because of seating on the grassy area. Bowling the NEZ would simply add seats wearing people are already sitting or standing. We would tear down the upper deck. Then, add a new press box and suites on both sides. Seating would still be roughly 40,000 vs. the 41,426 UL is now claiming. And, we have the addition of the much needed suites whose revenue would help pay for the improvements. We end up with a big time looking bowled stadium instead of a half-finished stadium with a grassy knoll.

Here are some facts and figures about the UCF stadium, built for $55M along with other pictures of the stadium.


Facts & Figures


• Architect: 360 (Kansas City, Mo.)
• Construction Manager: Wharton-Smith, Inc. (Sanford, Fla.)
• Stadium Seating Contractor: Dant Clayton (Louisville, Ky.)
• Seating Capacity: 45,301
• 822 Club Seats.
• 24 Luxury Suites.
• ADA Seating: Capable of providing over 450 wheelchair-accessible seats.
• Cost: ~$55 Million
• Scoreboards: There are two stadium scoreboards. The scoreboard mounted on the south end of the stadium measures 50' x 8'. The north scoreboard measures 100' x 37' and features a 34' x 22' Daktronics ProStar VideoPlus screen capable of displaying live video and instant replays, as well as game information, player and team statistics, advertising, graphics and animation in 16.7 million colors. In addition, the north scoreboard contains a 5'7 x 72' 23mm ProAd digital display.
• Stadium Gates: There are 18 stadium gates, including two service entrances.
• Playing Field: The natural turf is Tifway 419 hybrid Bermuda.
• There are 10 ticket windows; four on the east side, four on the west side, and two will-call windows on the south side.
• Restrooms: 10 women's, 7 men's and 4 family/special needs. Fixtures include 427 toilets, 104 urinals and 296 sinks. All restrooms are handicapped accessible.
• Concession Stands: There are 11 permanent concession stands. Additional product kiosks are located throughout the stadium on the main concourse.
• Locker Rooms: The Knights locker room, located on the south end of the field, is over 10,000 square feet in size and includes separate rooms for coaches, sports medicine, and equipment storage/distribution. A locker room over 8,000 square feet in size is provided on the north end of the field for the visiting team. Individual dressing rooms are also provided in the stadium for the game officials, chain crew, and cheerleaders.
• The Roth Tower contains a Club Lounge (4,200 square feet) with seating for 822.
• Video monitors: There are 63 video monitors mounted throughout the stadium. Most of the displays are Panasonic 42 1080p high definition plasma screens.
• The stadium lighting system is the Sportscluster Green Lighting System by Musco. There are 168 1,500 watt metal halide fixtures mounted on four 140' galvanized steel poles.
• Footprint: 25 acre site.
• Facility Area: 1,089,000 square feet.
• The stadium is a steel structure, containing 2,452 tons of steel. More than 600 truckloads of concrete were used (equivalent to 60,000 yards or 1,620,000 cubic feet) with a weight of approximately 240,000,000 pounds.
• Stadium Dimensions: 725 feet wide x 900 feet long.
• Roth Tower: 200 feet long x 50 feet wide x 120 feet high. There are 190 steps from ground level to the roof.
• Ornamental Fencing and Gates: approximately 1,195 linear feet of ornamental fencing and gates surround the stadium.
• Electrical Wiring: There are approximately 30 miles of underground electrical wiring.
• Conduit: There are approximately 24 miles of underground conduit.

[Jaws]

Yes, first up is completing the lighting....then the major construction after next season.

But more importantly is that whole 10% thing: yes, all the money is there, minus the 10% over the budget. But that is exactly the whole point: why haven't they gone to us to try to capture that last bit??? You have fans that are practically begging to help out and be a part of this......and yet we hear nothing.

LACajun
Isn't that the story for the last 20 years here?

[Jaws]

CajunRebel--"Our seating capacity couldn't have less to do with conference realignment. Let's wait until we actually sell out a game before we talk about expanding Cajun Field again. There are much better ways to use our limited resources than on seating for fans that don't exist."

Rebel,
You hit the nail on the head there buddy.
It cracks me up to hear people talk about putting a deck on the student section side and putting seats for 50,000 fans.

I've got an idea:
1. CAN WE PLEASE FIX THE NASTY PRESS BOX?
Not a complete overhaul, just REMOVE THE 1970's yellowish blinds and maybe tint the windows a bit.
2. PRESSURE WASH THE CONCRETE
3. Perhaps a bit of landscaping
4. SELL OUT A HOME GAME
5. Remove the black wooden "suites"

If the "powers that be" can address these issues first, then maybe we can spend 10-20 mil the right way.
I'd rather spend the money the right way and fix outstanding issues, then doing too much on a tight budget and end up with something oversized, and poorly executed.

[HoustonCajun]

CajunRebel--"Our seating capacity couldn't have less to do with conference realignment. Let's wait until we actually sell out a game before we talk about expanding Cajun Field again. There are much better ways to use our limited resources than on seating for fans that don't exist."

Rebel,
You hit the nail on the head there buddy.
It cracks me up to hear people talk about putting a deck on the student section side and putting seats for 50,000 fans.

I've got an idea:
1. CAN WE PLEASE FIX THE NASTY PRESS BOX?
Not a complete overhaul, just REMOVE THE 1970's yellowish blinds and maybe tint the windows a bit.
2. PRESSURE WASH THE CONCRETE
3. Perhaps a bit of landscaping
4. SELL OUT A HOME GAME
5. Remove the black wooden "suites"

If the "powers that be" can address these issues first, then maybe we can spend 10-20 mil the right way.
I'd rather spend the money the right way and fix outstanding issues, then doing too much on a tight budget and end up with something oversized, and poorly executed.

Keep in mind that Phase 2 of the Master Plan calls for major stadium upgrades. We just hired an RCAF Director to raise funds to complete Phase 2. What I am saying is, we don't have to spend $75M to expand Cajun Field to 50K seats. Instead, I am suggesting that we tear down the upper deck and build a new press box rather than renovate the current one as you suggest. Also, keep in mind that we need new offices that are to be built on the west side of the stadium (so they can tear down the Cox building). Add suites and bowl the stadium, keeping seating at about 40,000 (which is all we need now), creating revenue from building suites, giving our stadium a finished, big time look by bowling it, and doing all of that for maybe half of what we originally projected. I don't know what the cost is, but if UCF is building an entire stadium for $55M, we might be able to do this for maybe around $30M instead of $75M. If, like baseball, we need 50% of that amount up front before we can start, we are talking about maybe $15M instead of the $35M otherwise needed. The revenue from suites alone might be enough to pay for this.

Raise the funds now to finish the football stadium. Baseball will be finished in 2 years. We have a new softball facility, a new T&F facility, the CajunDome is undergoing major renovations. Our athletic complex will be complete and have us ready for conference realignment when the right opportunity comes. We need to be proactive and not reactive wondering yet again why we were left behind.

[Geaux]

I agree. We don't need a stadium that seats more than 50k. Completing the bowl and adding suites and offices on would be awesome. It would look just like Oregon's 50k seat stadium!