Softball Park construction

[CajunRed]

GREAT comments!

Just my 2 cents on the stadium. According to my information the contractor that got the job basically came in MILLIONS below the other bids AND his plans were far better than any others too (i.e. more chair backs, more seats under cover, larger locker room/more square footage, a new batting cage facility). for example, one bid was more than a million more than this guy and only had plans for approx 700 seats under cover as oppossed to the 1500 that are going in now; and some of the other bids wanted to gut and re-do the old locker room versus totaling rebuilding like this guy is doing and had ZERO money allocated for the hitting cages.

I'm o.k. with the project taking longer ESP. SINCE it wil be a 1st class facility. I would rather this project take up until the first day of the season or longer BECAUSE I KNOW we (The UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA and the RAGIN CAJUN fans and community) get more chair backs, a larger locker room, more concession area, more luxury boxes, more accomodations, etc . . . . . rather than it already be completed and we have 700 seats and a gutted locker room that's still too small and a crammed press box for Stevie P and Josh Parrot (Robert Harris alone needs his own press box for everybody elses sanity), etc . . . . ALL for the same or more money. If it was ready today but inadequate, what's the big advantage?

I like the fact that this contractor is flexible and continues to accomodate the wishes of our administration in making any chages or modifications to make sure it is just like they want it.

So, we are getting a great stadium, press box, luxury suites, concessions, locker room and hitting facility at the best price, IMO and I think "when cost and money matters, it's best to get the most bang for your buck", even if we have to put up with a little inconvenience.

Is it moving slower than everybody expected? YEP.

I'm sure there are many causes for this - but what good is that to start groaning. From what I know and have been told the contractor is a good guy and he is doing his level best to do the best job possible and he takes PRIDE in his work and wants to meet the deadlines imposed (opening day). It is obvious from discussions with people in the know that this guy is not trying to screw UL or just turn a quick profit or as we know, just hurry up and finish. They truly believe he is trying to construct the very best stadium possible within the budget.

From what my sources tell me, the project is 85% complete and I think over the next month and a half it will be substantially completed/finished. AND I think when it's done it will be AWESOME and very nice for the softball fans for many, many years to come.

Happy New Year! Here's to progress in 2011 in RAGIN CAJUN athletics - we better all get used to it, cuz it's going to continue to happen. I like the growing pains a lot better than the groaning pains! GEAUX CAJUNS!

igeaux.mobi

[Zeebart21]

Awww, this is soooo sweet.

Was there a deadline set on this project? Arent these deadlines usually set with rain delays and such factored in?

Is there really a good reason why this project might not be ready for opening day?

just axing questions....

[Zeebart21]

_ Just my 2 cents on the stadium. According to my information the contractor that got the job basically came in MILLIONS below the other bids AND his plans were far better than any others too (i.e. more chair backs, more seats under cover, larger locker room/more square footage, a new batting cage facility). for example, one bid was more than a million more than this guy and only had plans for approx 700 seats under cover as oppossed to the 1500 that are going in now; and some of the other bids wanted to gut and re-do the old locker room versus totaling rebuilding like this guy is doing and had ZERO money allocated for the hitting cages.

I'm o.k. with the project taking longer ESP. SINCE it wil be a 1st class facility. I would rather this project take up until the first day of the season or longer BECAUSE I KNOW we (The UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA and the RAGIN CAJUN fans and community) get more chair backs, a larger locker room, more concession area, more luxury boxes, more accomodations, etc . . . . . rather than it already be completed and we have 700 seats and a gutted locker room that's still too small and a crammed press box for Stevie P and Josh Parrot (Robert Harris alone needs his own press box for everybody elses sanity), etc . . . . ALL for the same or more money. If it was ready today but inadequate, what's the big advantage?

I like the fact that this contractor is flexible and continues to accomodate the wishes of our administration in making any chages or modifications to make sure it is just like they want it.

So, we are getting a great stadium, press box, luxury suites, concessions, locker room and hitting facility at the best price, IMO and I think "when cost and money matters, it's best to get the most bang for your buck", even if we have to put up with a little inconvenience.

Is it moving slower than everybody expected? YEP.

I'm sure there are many causes for this - but what good is that to start groaning. From what I know and have been told the contractor is a good guy and he is doing his level best to do the best job possible and he takes PRIDE in his work and wants to meet the deadlines imposed (opening day). It is obvious from discussions with people in the know that this guy is not trying to screw UL or just turn a quick profit or as we know, just hurry up and finish. They truly believe he is trying to construct the very best stadium possible within the budget.

From what my sources tell me, the project is 85% complete and I think over the next month and a half it will be substantially completed/finished. AND I think when it's done it will be AWESOME and very nice for the softball fans for many, many years to come.

Happy New Year! Here's to progress in 2011 in RAGIN CAJUN athletics - we better all get used to it, cuz it's going to continue to happen. I like the growing pains a lot better than the groaning pains! GEAUX CAJUNS! _

Yet, we have no idea who you are??

Z

[JamesTheJeweler]

Yet, we have no idea who you are??

Z

Z, he probably didn't hear you. It's hard to hear with buttcheeks covering your ears! LOL!




igeaux.mobi

[Zeebart21]

_ Z, he probably didn't hear you. It's hard to hear with buttcheeks covering your ears! LOL!




igeaux.mobi _

How you been, Buddy!!

Z

[JamesTheJeweler]

How you been, Buddy!!

Z

oh just living the dream brotha!




igeaux.mobi

[MisterCajun]

For those who wish to give their box seats and chairbacks because they can't sit in them on opening day I suspect the University will have no problem finding someone to take their place. _

Quotes like those above show typify the problem that exists right now. You think that UL won't have a problem selling my box seats if I give them up for a full refund? Really? They haven't even sold out all that were available to sell. I spoke with Shivaun a few weeks ago and she told me that box seats and chairbacks were still available and she then tried to get me to pick up some more. So yes, I think that they would have trouble finding someone to buy my seats.

Some of you people need to wake up!! Somebody needs to be held accountable it the stadium is not completed by opening day. I am so tired of people making excuses for half-assed work and effort. First impressions are the most important that there are. If you think that having teams and visitors come play at a half finished stadium is a good thing, then you're crazy. The administration needs to demand that the contractor get as many guys on the clock as needed to get this thing finished. How about working weekends and 12 hour days to get the job finished? I don't really care if the project is 85% completed as a previous poster threw out (being a figure that I really question), I want it to be completed as I was told that it would be when I renewed my tickets. A squeaky wheel gets the grease. I would recommend that that there be a lot of squeaking done to the contractor in the next few weeks.

[Cajun90]

For those who wish to give their box seats and chairbacks because they can't sit in them on opening day I suspect the University will have no problem finding someone to take their place. _

Quotes like those above show typify the problem that exists right now. You think that UL won't have a problem selling my box seats if I give them up for a full refund? Really? They haven't even sold out all that were available to sell. I spoke with Shivaun a few weeks ago and she told me that box seats and chairbacks were still available and she then tried to get me to pick up some more. So yes, I think that they would have trouble finding someone to buy my seats.

Some of you people need to wake up!! Somebody needs to be held accountable it the stadium is not completed by opening day. I am so tired of people making excuses for half-assed work and effort. First impressions are the most important that there are. If you think that having teams and visitors come play at a half finished stadium is a good thing, then you're crazy. The administration needs to demand that the contractor get as many guys on the clock as needed to get this thing finished. How about working weekends and 12 hour days to get the job finished? I don't really care if the project is 85% completed as a previous poster threw out (being a figure that I really question), I want it to be completed as I was told that it would be when I renewed my tickets. A squeaky wheel gets the grease. I would recommend that that there be a lot of squeaking done to the contractor in the next few weeks.

There might be chairbacks and boxes available right now but if it follows anything like baseball they will be gone by next season.

You can pitch a fit if you want just make sure your finger pointing is in the right direction.

Apparently you haven't worked much construction in your life either. Every contractor I've ever dealt with could really care less how much their clients kick and scream. They hear it every day. Especially on a government job where the client "UL" had little to no choice in them getting the contract and will not have much ability to keep them from obtaining future contracts.

I guess it just ticks me off that here we are doing a bunch of great things in athletics to make things better and someone has to pitch a hissy fit on a public board because everything won't be perfect for them on opening day. It is all about you anyway isn't it?

Personally can't wait until baseball starts their renovations and I won't have a problem spending the whole year sitting in a lawn chair in the outfield if that is what it takes.

[CajunRed]

Amen

There might be chairbacks and boxes available right now but if it follows anything like baseball they will be gone by next season.

You can pitch a fit if you want just make sure your finger pointing is in the right direction.

Apparently you haven't worked much construction in your life either. Every contractor I've ever dealt with could really care less how much their clients kick and scream. They hear it every day. Especially on a government job where the client "UL" had little to no choice in them getting the contract and will not have much ability to keep them from obtaining future contracts.

I guess it just ticks me off that here we are doing a bunch of great things in athletics to make things better and someone has to pitch a hissy fit on a public board because everything won't be perfect for them on opening day. It is all about you anyway isn't it?

Personally can't wait until baseball starts their renovations and I won't have a problem spending the whole year sitting in a lawn chair in the outfield if that is what it takes.

igeaux.mobi

[MisterCajun]

_ There might be chairbacks and boxes available right now but if it follows anything like baseball they will be gone by next season.

You can pitch a fit if you want just make sure your finger pointing is in the right direction.

Apparently you haven't worked much construction in your life either. Every contractor I've ever dealt with could really care less how much their clients kick and scream. They hear it every day. Especially on a government job where the client "UL" had little to no choice in them getting the contract and will not have much ability to keep them from obtaining future contracts.

I guess it just ticks me off that here we are doing a bunch of great things in athletics to make things better and someone has to pitch a hissy fit on a public board because everything won't be perfect for them on opening day. It is all about you anyway isn't it?

Personally can't wait until baseball starts their renovations and I won't have a problem spending the whole year sitting in a lawn chair in the outfield if that is what it takes. _

As mighty as you think that the baseball program is, there are still plenty of seats available for that program too. The softball team has had much more success over the years but is still the red headed stepchild.

You act like the contractor is God and that the administration is being handcuffed by him. If the administration really wanted to speed things up, all they need to do is make a few telephone calls to a couple of sympethtic legislators and government officials. Word would then get to the contractor to get it in gear and things would then speed up dramatically. You sir are the one who obviously has not had any experience dealing with governmental contracts.

I have been a softball season ticket holder for 8 years and admit that this is the only UL program that I support. We sat in our lawn chairs (to use your phrase) last year for softball (being the outfield bleachers) in anticipation of sitting in our new 3 million dollar stadium this year that we were told would be ready by the start of the season. If you went to a softball game at all last year, one started to question if the new stadium would be ready or not because they did almost next to zero demolition during the season. Many questioned why we had to sit in the outfield beciause of the lack of demolition/construction progress. However, we were constantly told by the administration that everything would be ready for the start of the season. And hence our anger at what apparently was a lie unless things change dramatically before February 11th.

I will be sure to read this website intently when construction starts on the baseball stadium for all of the comments that will be posted if the stadium is not ready at the date that it was supposed to be and see just how many people would be just as happy as you would be to sit in their lawn chairs. I'll bet you that there will be more disatisfied people than there are satisfied.

[Frenchie35]

This is form the horses mouth. While looking around the softball consturction last Sept. I ran across Scott Farmer. Without asking he said that things would be completed by Thanksgiving. That's Thanksgiving 2010. Here we are 39 days before the first pitch. After putting up $1110 for my seats I would hope that I don't have to sit on lawn chairs as stated by someone who is willing to do so. This contruction will never be complete by game day. They have tons of brick work, press box and suits to be put in and bricked. The roof to be installed and not to mention all the plumbing and electrical work. Now picture this: how much work do you think will be done during the season? Not very much because of the libility factor. I think we are loaded with home games to start the season. So to the one who says lawn chairs will be ok with him, let me say this. Walking up and buying general admision tickets will not be a problem. But for me and others like me it will be. If you don't think they are not rubbing their heads at the ticket office with the approching home game you better pull your head out the sand..........Question, do you think the almighty 50 miles to the east would put up with this??????????

[MisterCajun]

Amen.

_ This is form the horses mouth. While looking around the softball consturction last Sept. I ran across Scott Farmer. Without asking he said that things would be completed by Thanksgiving. That's Thanksgiving 2010. Here we are 39 days before the first pitch. After putting up $1110 for my seats I would hope that I don't have to sit on lawn chairs as stated by someone who is willing to do so. This contruction will never be complete by game day. They have tons of brick work, press box and suits to be put in and bricked. The roof to be installed and not to mention all the plumbing and electrical work. Now picture this: how much work do you think will be done during the season? Not very much because of the libility factor. I think we are loaded with home games to start the season. So to the one who says lawn chairs will be ok with him, let me say this. Walking up and buying general admision tickets will not be a problem. But for me and others like me it will be. If you don't think they are not rubbing their heads at the ticket office with the approching home game you better pull your head out the sand..........Question, do you think the almighty 50 miles to the east would put up with this?????????? _

[CajunRebel]

_ As mighty as you think that the baseball program is, there are still plenty of seats available for that program too. The softball team has had much more success over the years but is still the red headed stepchild.

You act like the contractor is God and that the administration is being handcuffed by him. If the administration really wanted to speed things up, all they need to do is make a few telephone calls to a couple of sympethtic legislators and government officials. Word would then get to the contractor to get it in gear and things would then speed up dramatically. You sir are the one who obviously has not had any experience dealing with governmental contracts.

I have been a softball season ticket holder for 8 years and admit that this is the only UL program that I support. We sat in our lawn chairs (to use your phrase) last year for softball (being the outfield bleachers) in anticipation of sitting in our new 3 million dollar stadium this year that we were told would be ready by the start of the season. If you went to a softball game at all last year, one started to question if the new stadium would be ready or not because they did almost next to zero demolition during the season. Many questioned why we had to sit in the outfield beciause of the lack of demolition/construction progress. However, we were constantly told by the administration that everything would be ready for the start of the season. And hence our anger at what apparently was a lie unless things change dramatically before February 11th.

I will be sure to read this website intently when construction starts on the baseball stadium for all of the comments that will be posted if the stadium is not ready at the date that it was supposed to be and see just how many people would be just as happy as you would be to sit in their lawn chairs. I'll bet you that there will be more disatisfied people than there are satisfied. _

I know you are fustrated and you have the right to be since you were promised some new fancy seats for your rump that you won't get to sit in for awhile.

BUT

If you follow the Cajuns for long enough and you will understand that when things actually do get built (which is rare) they get built slowly. And they happen this way for reasons that are sometimes out of the adminsitration's control. But at least they are happening. The wheels of progress are finally starting to turn after many years of them ground to a halt. I for one know that everytime I pass Lamson Park I get a smile on my face because I finally see some progress; even if it's slow.

[LsuULfan]

Question, do you think the almighty 50 miles to the east would put up with this?????????? _

The Stadium Club project for Tiger Stadium was not completed on time. Seats themselves were finished but inside amenities were not and the glass overlooking the back parking lot ended up having some design issues and delays, and we weren't given any break on price. Was not finished until following off season.

At the New Alex Box, there were some items in the Club area not finished as well for 1st year-again no break in price.

Construction delays seem to be inherent in these kinds of projects and are very frustrating for fans-leaving you feeling like the university over-promised when selling or like the contractor isn't pressing as hard as needed.

[Frenchie35]

_ The Stadium Club project for Tiger Stadium was not completed on time. Seats themselves were finished but inside amenities were not and the glass overlooking the back parking lot ended up having some design issues and delays, and we weren't given any break on price. Was not finished until following off season.

At the New Alex Box, there were some items in the Club area not finished as well for 1st year-again no break in price.

Construction delays seem to be inherent in these kinds of projects and are very frustrating for fans-leaving you feeling like the university over-promised when selling or like the contractor isn't pressing as hard as needed. _

By you discription of the construction of Tiger Stadium and how much was completed by game time you don't have to much to complain about. (You had a place to play while it was being built) The project here will not be ready to sit in. Like I stated, Press-box, suites, concession and restrooms, roof over the stadium and seats in the stands. The structure for the press-box and suites are not even installed......than after all of this you have all interior work (walls and pertitions) plus plumbing and electrical to do.....38 days and counting......$1110 for a lawn chair view form the outfield.....But if I follow some, I should not complain. (I am here to buy four box seats, will the stadium be completed at season start? Yes it will). That's what I got from the ticket people.