Cajun Field Expansion ??

[DestinCajun]

From yesterday's Pickonyu

"The temperature reached 104 at Audubon Park, with the humidity making it seem like it was hotter than 110 degrees. That surpassed the previous record for a high temperature during any time of the year, set on Aug. 30, 2000. It also broke the earlier park temperature record for June 24 of 99, set in 2006. The normal temperature for that date is 91.'

[Rebel02]

_ 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 why they won't be made public, for now.

1) Nothing is set in stone that the expansion will happen. The plans exist because in the event that expansion is needed, we already have the design drawn up. There's nothing wrong with planning for the future. If no plans existed and we needed to expand immediately, then we would have fans b!chting and moaning about how short-sighted our administration is.

2) Why make public the design that is years from being done and is subject to change? If the design would be made public and then when it is actually done, fans would complain about why the final product is different from the design put out several years before.

This isn't newsworthy, yet. It's our administration planning for something that may need to be done in the future. However, at the current time, expansion of Cajun Field is not a top priority and it shouldn't be a top priority.

[Rebel02]

_ That's a real smart idea! You have sold out 2 games in the last what 7 years (and they were probably FCS schools... Ex. McNeese and Southern). You average 16,000-18,000, yet you want to spend millions on expanding? terrible idea. How about just renovating that ugly stadium to make it look nice. Especially those high schoolish boxes at the top. _

Gotta love those that don't know. The designs call for renovating and expanding the current press box and for enclosing the bowl (at least partially). Expansion and renovation will both be done, but not any time soon.

P.S.- At least we average in the tens of thousands. The only time Monroe gets more than 10,000 fans a game is when the Cajuns play in Monroe.

[AstroCajun]

_ Gotta love those that don't know. The designs call for renovating and expanding the current press box and for enclosing the bowl (at least partially). Expansion and renovation will both be done, but not any time soon.

P.S.- At least we average in the tens of thousands. The only time Monroe gets more than 10,000 fans a game is when the Cajuns play in Monroe. _

Or when the Hoax play in Little Rock. Woooo Pig SOOOEEEYYYY!!!!

I think its cute that he's taking a run at last seasons attendance leader (and the holder of the single game conference attendance record) when his team has to rent or borrow fans from Arkansas every other year to maintain what everyone acknowledges is the bare minimum required to compete at D1A (f the fcs) AND who's single biggest draw in the last 10 years at their actual home was D1AA Grambling.

Irony, thy name is Hoax fan.

[Just1More]

_ That's a real smart idea! You have sold out 2 games in the last what 7 years (and they were probably FCS schools... Ex. McNeese and Southern). You average 16,000-18,000, yet you want to spend millions on expanding? terrible idea. How about just renovating that ugly stadium to make it look nice. Especially those high schoolish boxes at the top. _

Phase I of the modernization/expansion is to upgrade the press boxes... we have you covered on that. But, when you have to do major structural work, it would be foolish not to add the additional seating capacity. UL is making a funding "system" push, for the first time... and some are starting to understand "why" and "why football". It can happen at UL and in Lafayette...

ULM should definitely not waste any money on facilities expansion.

[Zeebart21]

Thats not a ulm fan.

[HoustonCajun]

_ I think this would be a great idea, for us to expand to 46k and knocking down the upper deck and adding more suits. It would probably look a little like Lambeau Field. If we can put together some great winning season in the SBC it would make us a prime target when conference realignment comes back around again... _

My understanding is that the press box will be torn down and rebuilt that will cover the entire length of the upper deck with suites and the stadium will be bowled. The suites revenue and expected added attendance will cover the cost of expansion. I hope that when this is done, it also includes a new scoreboard with a large video screen. And, something needs to be done with the student side of the stadium. The pilings make the stadium look half finished. Too bad they couldn't put suites above it.

[anhil8tor]

_ From yesterday's Pickonyu

"The temperature reached 104 at Audubon Park, with the humidity making it seem like it was hotter than 110 degrees. That surpassed the previous record for a high temperature during any time of the year, set on Aug. 30, 2000. It also broke the earlier park temperature record for June 24 of 99, set in 2006. The normal temperature for that date is 91.'


_

I blame global warming on the temperature, the lack of funds in the RCAF, the loss to McNeese, the delay in updating baseball and football stadiums, and everything else wrong with the cajuns

[Cajunsmike]

_ 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? _

I have answered this before but I realize not everyone reads all posts so here is the explanation once again. There is no effort to keep facility improvement plans a secret. Several people have seen them. The reason that there has not been a larger push to publicize them is that these projects need state approval. That is the case despite the fact that privately raised dollars will be used for the construction. Reason for this is that the facilities do occur on state property. State approval is a formality but is required. I don't know the time frame as to when approval can be expected. Once it does, I suspect there will be more TV/newspaper coverage of what they entail

[Turbine]

_ I blame global warming on the temperature, the lack of funds in the RCAF, the loss to McNeese, the delay in updating baseball and football stadiums, and everything else wrong with the cajuns _

I am convinced it wouldn't be so hot -right now- if my ancestors hadn't been evicted from Nova Scotia.

[Cajunsmike]

_ That's a real smart idea! You have sold out 2 games in the last what 7 years (and they were probably FCS schools... Ex. McNeese and Southern). You average 16,000-18,000, yet you want to spend millions on expanding? terrible idea. How about just renovating that ugly stadium to make it look nice. Especially those high schoolish boxes at the top. _

That is an interesting comment from a ULM fan considering the amount of Cajun fans at last year's game in Monroe approached the amount of ULM fans present. Facility improvements are being financed with private dollars. Therefore it is of no concern to Louisiana taxpayers who are fans of other schools. There probably are varying opinions as to how the facility projects projects should be prioritized amongst true Cajun fans. That is why there is a board made of up business people running the RCAF.

[KACajun]

_ I have answered this before but I realize not everyone reads all posts so here is the explanation once again. There is no effort to keep facility improvement plans a secret. Several people have seen them. The reason that there has not been a larger push to publicize them is that these projects need state approval. That is the case despite the fact that privately raised dollars will be used for the construction. Reason for this is that the facilities do occur on state property. State approval is a formality but is required. I don't know the time frame as to when approval can be expected. Once it does, I suspect there will be more TV/newspaper coverage of what they entail _

Got it...so when the formality has been completed then we start the aggressive media and fund raising blitz? That’s why in an earlier post I said "Either way I hope this rumor comes to fruition in my lifetime".

I'm sure you old timers will say I'm naive, but what’s the harm with peaking public interest by dangling the carrot?