Could the Ragin’ Cajuns be getting a new football stadium?

[MetryCajun]

I think we're venturing into territory we know very little about. Building Codes.

Whatever can be done in a piecemeal fashion to avoid having to get the entire place up to code will be done. I'm guessing that once we start messing with the home side, the entire side will need to be brought up to code. That would mean a total demo of the home side, lower and upper deck, to be replaced by whatever. That is a HUGE project that will take a couple of years. I think we will need the NEZ for seating, but that will be decided by the admin.

Now, for the same reasons stated above, touching the visitor side will trigger the code issue once again. This is why I think nothing will be done to that side, maybe ever.

Again, just my 2 cents. At the end of the day, whatever doesn't offend the Building Code Gods is what will be done.

Correct. My ideas ignore the engineering aspect. I’m just throwing out ideas where we get the most premium seats without increasing our capacity.

[Ragin9221]

I’m sorry you are having trouble following what I want. I will try one more time. Put suites on visitor side. Put seats, suites and press box to replace upper deck. Keep NEZ as is. This will get you close to our current capacity which is way more seating than we need. Now if you and UL want additional seats that are in low demand areas I will not stand in your way. Just offering an alternative.

Well we would have 3 different price tickets. $35 ( home side between 30 yrd lines and season ticket holders) $25 ( between the 30 and end zones on home side and visitor side between the endzones) $15 (NEZ and SEZ)

Upper Deck Home Side: Premium Seating, Suites, These are your big money donors, Corporate tickets, Premium Season Ticket Holders and the like. ( whatever the going rate)

That’s my two cents.

[CharlieK]

Correct. My ideas ignore the engineering aspect. I’m just throwing out ideas where we get the most premium seats without increasing our capacity.

Except the engineering and displacement issues....as well as overall project cost issues actually exist.


If we are just throwing out our best choice...tear the whole thing down and build a state of the art 100 million stadium. ____ it, right you aren't buying tickets anyway!

[HoustonCajun]

Those suites between the 20's have to be built. Building right there will take a couple of years. NOBODY will be able to sit anywhere on the Home side until construction is done. Logic dictates those people be moved to another area. Thus, the NEZ. Also, some people actually like to sit in the SEZ. The NEZ will have its own set of season ticket holders one day. Finally the less general seating we put in the new Clubhouse/Suite/office complex, the more room there will be for suites and amenities like restaurants, etc.....to generate revenue.

Here is a picture of Cajun Field with the SEZ. Bowl the NEZ to mirror the SEZ with the concession areas. Then, above the East side of the stadium (student side), build concession areas the length of that side to match the SEZ and NEZ so the stadium has symmetry and removes the unfinished look. Then, chair back the student side to match the chair backs on the west side. Tear down the upper deck. We now have a beautiful bowled stadium. Then build the tower with the press box, clubhouse/suites, office complex, etc. above the home side.

People who sit in the upper deck will have to sit in the SEZ or NEZ or remaining student side seats not occupied by students or chair backs. The SEZ seats were not filled because (1) attendance was low from not winning, (2) we have an upper deck which will be gone and (3) many people sat on the grass in the NEZ. Those people will not buy suites and will have only the end zone and student side seating to turn to. These are not bad seats.

The stadium currently seats 43,000 with the grassy NEZ. We will end up with between 35,000 - 40,000 seats plus the suites once bowled. We can add an upper deck with additional suites when needed that could take us to 50,000+.

It cost $6M to build the SEZ and someone said $10M for the NEZ. Not sure why so much more expensive, but that cost should include the student side concessions and chair back seats. We would already have a 35,000 - 40,000 seat stadium for the additional $10M before adding the Tower suites. Now imagine the 3 sides of the stadium with the SEZ look. For $10M more, we will have the finished, bowled stadium we need. The added chair back seating on the student side will increase our revenue. With no upper deck, everyone else will have to sit in the two end zones as we fill our stadium and generate even more revenue. Winning with a more attractive schedule along with the suites and added chair backs will take care of attendance and the needed revenue if we provide the stadium amenities fans want. Let's build this right and set the course for our future.

Now, add to that the demolition of the Cox building and a Sports Quadrangle connecting the facilities. With all of our other facilities already completed, we will have the complete Athletic Complex. A 40,000 seat stadium separates us from almost all the G5 schools that are building these 30,000 seat stadiums. You don't build for the status quo. This is our chance to plan and build for the future. We finally have the leadership to take us to the next level. Let's build for that. I don't think our AD came here to continue our future in the Sun Belt with a 30,000 seat stadium. We want to compete with Houston and ECU who have 40,000 and 50,000 seat stadiums. For the first time, we have a big time coach and AD and a President who are all on the same page with big time thinking. Let's build to achieve their vision and move UL athletics to another level. This will change the perception of the University of Louisiana and separate us from the LA Techs and ULMs.

Now, while this is being built, it is time for the city and private investors to build around the Athletic Complex with apartments, shopping, bars, restaurants and hotels, etc. that were described in the University Master Plan. Envision what that will ultimately look like. This entire complex will be a city destination and game days will be something to behold.

[Esqueleto]

Here is a picture of Cajun Field with the SEZ. Bowl the NEZ to mirror the SEZ with the concession areas. Then, above the East side of the stadium (student side), build concession areas the length of that side to match the SEZ and NEZ so the stadium has symmetry and removes the unfinished look. Then, chair back the student side to match the chair backs on the west side. Tear down the upper deck. We now have a beautiful bowled stadium. Then build the tower with the press box, clubhouse/suites, office complex, etc. above the home side.

People who sit in the upper deck will have to sit in the SEZ or NEZ or remaining student side seats not occupied by students or chair backs. The SEZ seats were not filled because (1) attendance was low from not winning, (2) we have an upper deck which will be gone and (3) many people sat on the grass in the NEZ. Those people will not buy suites and will have only the end zone and student side seating to turn to. These are not bad seats.

The stadium currently seats 43,000 with the grassy NEZ. We will end up with between 35,000 - 40,000 seats plus the suites once bowled. We can add an upper deck with additional suites when needed that could take us to 50,000+.

It cost $6M to build the SEZ and someone said $10M for the NEZ. Not sure why so much more expensive, but that cost should include the student side concessions and chair back seats. We would already have a 35,000 - 40,000 seat stadium for the additional $10M before adding the Tower suites. Now imagine the 3 sides of the stadium with the SEZ look. For $10M more, we will have the finished, bowled stadium we need. The added chair back seating on the student side will increase our revenue. With no upper deck, everyone else will have to sit in the two end zones as we fill our stadium and generate even more revenue. Winning with a more attractive schedule along with the suites and added chair backs will take care of attendance and the needed revenue if we provide the stadium amenities fans want. Let's build this right and set the course for our future.

Now, add to that the demolition of the Cox building and a Sports Quadrangle connecting the facilities. With all of our other facilities already completed, we will have the complete Athletic Complex. A 40,000 seat stadium separates us from almost all the G5 schools that are building these 30,000 seat stadiums. You don't build for the status quo. This is our chance to plan and build for the future. We finally have the leadership to take us to the next level. Let's build for that. I don't think our AD came here to continue our future in the Sun Belt with a 30,000 seat stadium. We want to compete with Houston and ECU who have 40,000 and 50,000 seat stadiums. For the first time, we have a big time coach and AD and a President who are all on the same page with big time thinking. Let's build to achieve their vision and move UL athletics to another level. This will change the perception of the University of Louisiana and separate us from the LA Techs and ULMs.

Now, while this is being built, it is time for the city and private investors to build around the Athletic Complex with apartments, shopping, bars, restaurants and hotels, etc. that were described in the University Master Plan. Envision what that will ultimately look like. This entire complex will be a city destination and game days will be something to behold.

I would like to see this image with the new Tigue in the background. Get that drone back up there.

[HelmutVII]

I spoke to an Architect today and this is what he told me.

1)If you are making modifications to a building where the cost totals 50% or more of the cost of replacement you have to bring the entire structure up to current codes PROVIDED the Authority Having Jurisdiction over the project follows current codes. (Generally there are some exceptions to this however)

2) If the Authority Having Jurisdiction is the State of Louisiana then there regulatory authority is the State of Louisiana Facilities and Planning. They typically do not follow the fifty percent rule. HOWEVER, anything that is an addition to an existing building (like the SEZ or additions to Tiger Stadium) have to meet current codes ESPECIALLY Life Safety Code (NFPA 101 etc) and Handicapped accessibility . I am thinking the additions to Tiger stadium have separate means of egress because the means of egress for the older portion of the stadium did not meet code or capacity requirements for the additions. Similar situation for the SEZ for Cajun field. The SEZ project had to meet all requirements for Life Safety Code and Handicapped requirements and CURRENT BUILDING CODES. That's why the slope of the stadium in that section is different from the rest of the stadium.

Here comes the rub. Any renovation of Cajun Field (old section) is virtually impossible to bring to current codes because the stadium slope (and resulting step and aisle slope) and seat pitch requirements can't be met without total reconstruction. Big problem with aisle width and aisle handrails. Once concrete is in place it is not cast in stone but it's pretty damn close. The only thing that could possibly be done is to redo the press box and add some suites across the top. This could only be done provided somebody signs off on the supporting structure. This may or may not be a problem. We would pretty much have to leave the rest alone because that would involve total reconstruction which is not a viable option.

One final thing. He did imply that LSU could do what they did because they are LSU. I'm afraid that's the way it is.

See post above relative to bringing a facility up to code.

[Turbine]

Considering how much it would cost to dig out a bowl and build a football stadium two feet below sea level ... I think UL can build a pretty fancy press box and sweet set of suites without going over half the cost.

[Ragin9221]

Considering how much it would cost to dig out a bowl and build a football stadium two feet below sea level ... I think UL can build a pretty fancy press box and sweet set of suites without going over half the cost.

What I am proposing is to get everything to code. Redo everything concrete and seating, add chair backs like Houston Cajun said, and redoing the same to the home side, and demolish the upper deck and put premium seating, suites, press box etc.


That’s why I give it 5 years to get it done. In the end we would have brand new renovated stadium.

We won’t need to rush it, and the biggest thing to me is moving all season ticket holders to a new visitor side with chair backs.

If people could go with out chair backs, and deal with sitting on bench seats. Add the NEZ, and then redo the home side and press box.

Then move everyone back to the home side, and redo the visitor side.

[Cajun90]

What I am proposing is to get everything to code. Redo everything concrete and seating, add chair backs like Houston Cajun said, and redoing the same to the home side, and demolish the upper deck and put premium seating, suites, press box etc.


That’s why I give it 5 years to get it done. In the end we would have brand new renovated stadium.

We won’t need to rush it, and the biggest thing to me is moving all season ticket holders to a new visitor side with chair backs

Unless you put up a very substantial structure on the West side you are going to have a difficult time convincing season ticket holders to move to the East side and spend a number of games staring directly into the sun.

[Ragin9221]

Unless you put up a very substantial structure on the West side you are going to have a difficult time convincing season ticket holders to move to the East side and spend a number of games staring directly into the sun.

Think you going to have a difficult time convincing the every day Cajun fans that they will have to move to the other side of the stadium.

Scared those fans may never come back.

[Cajunsmike]

If we build wide enough and not up..visitor side will be prime seats. Could actually be creative and build something that blocks the sun which wouldn't be difficult.

The sun beating down on that visitor's side is a major problem for that area. Especially now that TV may demand more afternoon games. I would have that issue be a prime focus for correction with any new design.

[Louisiana84]

The sun was never a problem when we played all our games at night.