2002-2005 Athletic Initiatives

[Turbine]

. Fantasy continued

In addition to the indoor facility being where the track is now and the track along side picturesque Cajun Dome Blvd.

I would like to see Authement make a big push to buy the turf from the Superdome. They are changing it out, and it is only a year old. I talked to an Erath student and he said the turf was great. Authement you can save big bucks here, don't make the same mistake you made with Bill Cosby.

I would like to see Lourdes Park placed between the Athletic offices and Tigue Moore Field, specifically on the baseball parking side of the area.

This would leave parking open for baseball, and RV's, where Lourdes Park is currently being planned for. It would also provide lots of parking for the indoor complex, which would be where the track is now.

Lourdes Park would be centrally located between Softball, Baseball, Football, and Tennis and would be equal distance from basketball, track, and Bourgeois Hall.

If parking seemed tight, a small lot could be built where the indoor facility is currently being planned for, or right next to the tennis courts with a short walkway to LAdy Cajun Park.

Under my fantasy plan, parking works for every venue.

[EVCajun12]

Originally posted by Crawfish
I am hearing is that it will be directly in front of the Athletic Building, between the football practice field and the tennis courts. it would be more or less behind the softball park.

You are correct Crawfish. That is what is on the table right now.

[CajunRebel]

Here's my fantasy.

1. Take out the parking lot behind the 1st base bleachers where the RV's camp out for football games and add trees, CONSESSIONS (2,000 people need more than 1 consession stand), and green space for the baseball field.

2. Build a new multi story athletic complex which nestles closer to Cajun field. Include in it a walk of fame which resembles the walk of honor. One side would be onnected to the building, the other would have glass covering the openings in the arches where that show a nice view of Cajun field. (Accessable from both inside and outside Cajun Field) Also, the complex would have suites/offices overlooking Cajun Field.

I can dream, can't I?

[CajunCharlie]

Turbine, your fantasy is not far fetched and some of it is doable.

The idea of having the indoor facility where the track is presently located is not doable. They are too far along in the plans for a new track surface and the soccer field in the track infield. The idea of having the Lourdes Park on the third base side could be doable. I just do not know how far along they are with the plans. I like that idea!! It would eliminate the hoorah that the RVers and tailgaters are presently going through. Everyone could stay where they are, which would make a lot of folks happy. Nelson might not be too happy. He has his heart set on having organized tailgating in the north end zone parking lot. There are some pluses to his idea, more negatives, in my opinion.

[CajunAmos]

Rumor has it that a basketball facility will be attached to the indoor facility. I hope this is the case, as Jessie mentioned at todays luncheon that they have to practice at various venues around campus (Blackham, EK Long, etc), and they don't even have showers for the players after practice. If we want to show recruits that we're doing things the right way, we need to guarantee them quality facilities.

[DaddyCajun]

I agree, totally!! I also think the indoor facility should have a track in it so we could entertain more high school kids to get more of them excited about UL Athletics!!

DaddyCajun!!

[Oldman]

someone needs to ask gerald, what he means when he said to the students, Quote: "if you are expecting ground breaking for the indoor facility in september, don't." there is soooooooooo much confusion, when will it all end!

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA Là — Every Ragin’ Cajun athlete at UL is eager to see ground broken on the school’s new indoor practice facility, because they know it can only improve their performance.

That project, a cornerstone in the school’s drive to upgrade its athletic facilities, is entering the planning stages.

“The university sent a check to the state for $300,000 for bids on selecting an architect for the indoor facility,” athletic director Nelson Schexnayder said.

“It’s a state project, and that selection process should take two to six months. When we get someone to design it, then we’ll see just what we can put in it for the amount of money we have.

“It will be a multi-purpose facility, and we’re going to be looking at what we need and what we want in it.”

Schexnayder has consulted with Cajun coaches in various sports to determine their needs, and found baseball could use a batting facility, football needs a place to get in out of the rain and basketball needs a consistent place to practice.

“There’s also the question of track and field, and what would be involved for either working out or for holding meets,” Schexnayder said. “Is that feasible? When you look at it, it’s a building that will be served by football, baseball, softball, soccer, basketball and track.

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[bigearl]

USF's looks like it is their athletic complex. I was under the impression that our indoor facility is also going to be an indoor practice facility similar to the one the Saints have in NO (of course not to that scale, but same concept)

[bigearl]

Where is the facility going to be built?

[Cajun Express]

Originally posted by bigearl
Where is the facility going to be built?

Directly across the street from the current atletic building, next to the tennis courts.

[Cajun Express]

Originally posted by bboomer
I am under the assumption that it will be a totally dedicated facility to practice and maybe run indoor track meets. The present facilities will take care of dressing ROOMS, showers, traing room type needs. The present complex will also house the UL club(my name choice) which I think should be somewhere else and give all the room to the present athletes.

The S stands for Sports in the S club. I used to think it stood for Southwestern.

There will be a couple of major enlargements to the current building to support the coaches, administration, and hall of fame. It will not come at the expense of the athletes who have allready been upgraded in the amount of room dedicated to them. I have been through it and it will be very nice.

[bigearl]

Any idea on when the Athletic Complex will be complete and how can we get a tour of the facility?

[Cajun Express]

I will let you know when the next volunteer call is. It is only a 50 minute drive from Baton Rouge. I doubt they will be giving tours, so your best chance to see the project is while it is in progress. Then of as we accumulate the dollars we will be adding on to the building. The work will be complete for this phase prior to the football season.

[NewsCopy]

Other upcoming projects are a $2.4 million Bourgeois Hall addition that should be ready for bids in about one year and a $3 million indoor athletic facility that should be ready to bid out in March 2005

The source of the data.