Cajun Field Expansion ??

[Turbine]

Since the -much needed- expanded press box and suites will steal seating . . . you bowl an endzone or 2 to get back to NCAA FBS standards and end up with 15,000 more seats than you started with.

[Hammer58]

_ Hammer, all that you said sounds reasonable and I hope everything plays out in a way that's best for the Cajuns.

I certainly didn't intend to imply that I knew what was best for you guys or what you should or shouldn't do. If it came across that way, that was my bad. _

No offense taken. I was just pointing out that the initial driver for these plans was the pressbox expansion which has been needed for some time. If I remeber correctly according to Jay Walker when the New Orleans bowl was played here some temporary additions needed to be made to accomodate the TV media. The pressbox needs are easliy lost in the discussion about adding seating capacity since that is what most fans can readily see and focus on.

[anhil8tor]

Do these plans include upper deck seating on both sides?

[BeauCajun]

_ Do these plans include upper deck seating on both sides? _

I would hope not. That proposition would be much more costly than the bowling effect.

Personally I would prefer an addition such as what USM did a couple years back. An expanded Complex overlooking the south end zone along with suites and additional seating.

[4LSU]

_ No offense taken. I was just pointing out that the initial driver for these plans was the pressbox expansion which has been needed for some time. If I remeber correctly according to Jay Walker when the New Orleans bowl was played here some temporary additions needed to be made to accomodate the TV media. The pressbox needs are easliy lost in the discussion about adding seating capacity since that is what most fans can readily see and focus on. _

Good, as none was intended and I can certainly see the need to update/expand the press box considering how quickly things become outdated in these fast paced days.

Keeping the TV guys and Jay happy is always a good thing.

[TravlnCajun]

_ I would hope not. That proposition would be much more costly than the bowling effect.

Personally I would prefer an addition such as what USM did a couple years back. An expanded Complex overlooking the south end zone along with suites and additional seating. _

I tend to agree. I was impressed with that layout as well. Doing a similar expansion in one of the end-zones would be attractive and less costly than adding an upper deck on the student side

[Boomer]

I had heard that the plan was to tear down the second deck and build a giant press box with suites---the end zones would be bowled---I think that the student side holds almost if not more than the upper deck side so---the bowl effect would increase the capacity even though we lose an upper deck!!!!!

[jimbo]

_ I had heard that the plan was to tear down the second deck and build a giant press box with suites---the end zones would be bowled---I think that the student side holds almost if not more than the upper deck side so---the bowl effect would increase the capacity even though we lose an upper deck!!!!! _

You are partially correct...the upper deck would still have some seating below the press box, but only about 1/4 of what capacity of the upper deck is now. As far as the student side upper deck, the original plans from the late 1960's did have an upper deck for that side too, but i think the end zones will be filled in before we will ever see an upper deck on the student side. I would also like to see more patios in the end zones much like the one Percy Guidry has. Wouldn't it be a good idea to raffle those off for each home game? Just another fundraising idea...

[zephyr]

_ If the drawings exist then why not share it with the general public? The RCAF should have that drawing on the cover of there brochure, or at least a story in the DA or LaLouisiane.

Why keep good news away from the public? _

It's quite simple. Nothing has been finalized yet. Why? Because like someone else stated, there are other things that we are having to put the available money to before this occurs. It would be nearly impossible to nail down a true cost for the project to consequently finalize plans at this point. If the job was bidded out today but it didn't take place for a couple of years, the cost to do the job would certainly go up in that timeframe. So, until they are able to get an accurate timeframe for the renovation to begin, it is hard to know exactly what will be done thus making it stupid to release the preliminary drawings out to us at this point.

[KACajun]

_ It's quite simple. Nothing has been finalized yet. Why? Because like someone else stated, there are other things that we are having to put the available money to before this occurs. It would be nearly impossible to nail down a true cost for the project to consequently finalize plans at this point. If the job was bidded out today but it didn't take place for a couple of years, the cost to do the job would certainly go up in that timeframe. So, until they are able to get an accurate timeframe for the renovation to begin, it is hard to know exactly what will be done thus making it stupid to release the preliminary drawings out to us at this point. _

You call it "stupid" I call it sharing a vision for the future. Sadly, your approach is the status quo.
This university needs some new blood because even the reek on this board is stale.

[Frenchie35]

Right, you don't need an exact drawing, just a vision of what might be. And I would like to see a horseshoe plan. Double deck the student side and close the north end zone. (Congress side)

[zephyr]

_ You call it "stupid" I call it sharing a vision for the future. Sadly, your approach is the status quo.
This university needs some new blood because even the reek on this board is stale. _

And sadly your approach is to play the blame game before you know the facts. That also seems to be the status quo around here... The way I look at it is if I was in a position like they are, I'd want all of my facts in line and I'd want to know what type of budget I have to work with before I released any info. These projects will almost completely rely on private donations and since there is no guarantee of receipt of these donations, it is hard to devise a hard plan. There are numerous projects ahead of this one and you have to see how your budget will be affected by these projects and whether you run into time or budget overages that will negatively affect the football expansion. If you release a particular rendering of a facility expansion or renovation and that plan does not come to and you have to go an alternate route that is not exactly as grand or elaborate as the original, you run the risk of looking much worse than you would if you just wait to make sure you had the budget in order.

I have no problems with them making a statement in the media as you say or some sort of plan to be put into motion. However, I'm just saying I think I know why they are operating so close to the vest on this one. You see people wanting to know what happened to the funding for the "new" baseball stadium to find out it was a renovation of the existing one. People start wanting to know where the money went or why we haven't "heard" anything about it and where is it headed. Its the same thing here. When you rely on private donations for these types of things, until you have them, its hard to be able to finalize plans.

[KACajun]

_
I have no problems with them making a statement in the media as you say or some sort of plan to be put into motion.

We agree on this point.

I know there was fallout about the baseball renovations, was there ever a press release on that subject or just ragin pagin banter?

If someone would give out some facts (artist rendering) then all of the rumors can be put to rest. I'm not trying to blame anyone only searching for info.

[Bankruptcyman]

_ I would also like to see more patios in the end zones much like the one Percy Guidry has. Wouldn't it be a good idea to raffle those off for each home game? Just another fundraising idea... _

Me too! I have always thought that would be a great idea. You could sell the patios like you would any other suite or box. Persons would commit to pay the cost of the patios over a number of years. It would add another unique dimension to Cajun Field and add value to the end zone seating. The stadium would be "finished" but the end zones would now have seating that people would pay a premium for and give corporations, families and extended families a place to sit together and watch the game. The athletic department could offer a number of configurations and would oversee the basic design and construction. It would be a way for budget minded Cajun fans to have a reserved space to watch the game.

[Cajunsmike]

_ We agree on this point.

I know there was fallout about the baseball renovations, was there ever a press release on that subject or just ragin pagin banter?

If someone would give out some facts (artist rendering) then all of the rumors can be put to rest. I'm not trying to blame anyone only searching for info. _

There was NEVER a press release issued regarding baseball facility improvements. The story was more than rumor here however. Coach Robichaux said in various radio interviews that plans were being discussed with a donor who wanted to remain anonymous. Story is that donor got caught in the financial meltdown. There are still plans for baseball facility improvements. They will be part of the overall facility facelift however and would follow a schedule. Last I heard, tennis resurfacing was still underway. I belief softball will then occur followed by baseball. The football renovations may follow that. Track/Soccer enhancements also fall in there somewhere but I am not sure when.