Listening to Robe on Bitter's show. Hoping to demo grandstands next summer('16). They may start working on lighting and other aspects in the fall. Still trying to finalize plans for the new grandstands.
As stated by coach Robe this morning on the Mr. Bitter show.
They are in the design development phase of the project. They want to be able to do the renovation with growth in mind. That is they don't want to build something now and then have to demolish in the future to expand. Right now in order to rebuild the older portion of the stadium they have to relocate THE ENTIRE ELECTRIC SERVICE TO THE STADIUM because they placed it at the end of the stadium instead of behind the stadium. They also want to maximize the potential for revenues with chair backs and suites. Unfortunately, chair back pitch is greater than bleacher seat pitch. To increase the number of chair back seats means the stadium will have grow awy from the field resulting in the loss of intimacy and the feeling of the fans.
Design team is Abel-Crozier (local) who have retained DLR who specialize in sports venues. They designed the new Alex Box stadium. Too much information to remember. But the bottom line is their budget is 10 million and they have 5 million in the bank.
Is it too late to get an RP "bells and whistles" money donation started?
I'm if for three hundred. If we could get five hundred RP donors that would match that, we could do what one-hundred-fifty grand? That should buy a few trinkets.
We are so far down the trinket list it hurts. According to the CWS stories, Vanderbilt has added a pitching lab. The pitchers are in this building with multiple cameras breaking down their pitching mechanics.
I visited with the architect the other day and he said they went to the last home series to interview fans and get some input and opinions from us. He said the biggest complaint was concessions and how the food needs to be improved and more choices available, (which led us to wonder why UL doesn't have a culinary school??) Plans show that the concessions and toilets will be vastly expanded and improved (mens and womens on each side or the grandstands) and that the covered grandstands will be SIGNIFICANTLY larger than the present one. It will contain a club level and suites amongst other necessary amenities.
Lighting will be vastly improved and it is likely that the batting cages will be moved to the opposite side of the park by the tennis courts. Also likely that the CCC will perhaps be moved to where the cages are now and will have an improved cooking and seating area. Trees will have to be removed by the ticket bldg entrance to make room for the new grandstand and also threw out the idea of possible treehouse type area in right field pine trees. Lourdes park will be either relocated or renovated in some way. That will depend on the courtyard that is supposed to be where the cox bldg is now. The pine trees will not be removed. Nostalgia, they make the stadium louder, and they were planted by Tigue Moore so they are basically untouchable.
Naturally, as some of you have touched on, funds are lacking so the entire project will probably be done in phases as monies are available. Seeing the PRELIMINARY DRAWINGS has me excited for the future of the program! Maybe they will have a few drawings available for viewing tonight??
The trees shoukd stay but I think we should cut some of the smaller weaker trees and allow the stronger ones to grow larger. Thin them out now and the remaining trees would be fuller.
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