Stadium and 2010 OCC schedule

[Clickclack]

Is anyone else taken aback as much as I am that apparently this will be a brand new facility?

[UAalum72]

Is anyone else taken aback as much as I am that apparently this will be a brand new facility?

No, because if you build a FieldTurf surface, there's nothing worth saving from the old field.

 

Although I wonder about what teams will do halftime, I hate to see them staying outdoors in the rain, like I've seen them do at CCSU before their new grandstand.

 

If the 7,000 seats are all on one side, this 'Phase 1" will be exactly like Fordham's Coffey Field is today.

[danefan]

Is anyone else taken aback as much as I am that apparently this will be a brand new facility?

No, because if you build a FieldTurf surface, there's nothing worth saving from the old field.

 

Although I wonder about what teams will do halftime, I hate to see them staying outdoors in the rain, like I've seen them do at CCSU before their new grandstand.

 

If the 7,000 seats are all on one side, this 'Phase 1" will be exactly like Fordham's Coffey Field is today.

 

Fordham looks like the exact thing I can imagine. Plus it was built in 8 months and cost $4.3 million, including lights and field turf. Looks to me like this fits all of the speculation we were seeing.

 

 

There is a ton of room under Fordham's stands for two gameday lockerrooms. Or maybe it will be close enough to walk back up to the RACC and use the existing lockerrooms until another Phase is built with gameday lockerrooms?

 

I'm just hoping whatever plan they have includes bathrooms and concessions!

[B9j2j6s]

I'll believe it when I see it.

 

However IF this is going to happen this could solve two problems. The first is building the new stadium. It will help our football program take that next step we have all been wanting it to take. Next it would allow us to recruit better athletes and possible attract a larger crowed. I really like this idea of doing phases, IMO getting 4-5 million per year in this economic climate is a whole less noticeable then if we got 40 million. Will there be some negative articles? Sure you can almost count on it. However you could argue it will benefit the city and capital region, as we would have the largest stadium in the area. All the section playoff games would most likely be played helping the local economy, it can also attract out door concerts and other events.

BTW if this happens it would start phase II of the 2010 master plan, just without the alterations to SEFCU Arena.

 

The second problem is finally getting the track and field team a regulation track to hold competitions. It would be a great idea IF this stadium comes to fruition that university field be transformed into a track and field stadium. The biggest alteration would be expanding the track. This would also probably be the biggest cost. This would require the moving of the fence, and visitor bleachers. If they wanted to I'm sure university field could become a track and field stadium. Is a regulation football field large enough to have the field events take place on it? Could someone with track knowledge answer that question please?

BTW would this be phase III of the master plan, its really vague about the creation of the track and field stadium. It shows it being built near the softball field, but gives no real details. It could be more cost effective to transform university field into a track and field area. Thoughts???

 

Speculation is a lot of fun. IF this happens the 2010 master plan would be that much closer to completion.

[danefan]

As far as the T&F facility is concerned I don't see any reason why University field cannot be easily tuned into a nice facility to hold meets. In fact, all the really need to do is rip up the old track and put down another.

 

The current home side stands would be fine as they are and the hill on the away side would be good for people to sit on the hill in between events, etc.

 

There are multiple shapes for IAAF approved tracks each of which has different turn degrees which allow you to fit a track in different situations.

 

There is a valid need for a location to hold the NYS high school track and field championships. The other thing is there has been talk of when Empire State games is brought back, it will be put in a permanent location. That could mean more state funding to finish Project 2010

in time for that (eg baseball stadium, etc)

[uofalbany]

Geting 7000 seats exactly like fordham's this coming year is PERFECT.

Every year, getting a substantial piece of the stadium sounds like a darn good plan.

Another 7000 seats on the visitors side, and endzone seating would eventually bring the total

to well past 20k... if we so desired.

 

Most important, getting high quality stadium seating up and up now.

Lockerrooms, bathrooms, concessions come second. I can live with the current situation of those things, this coming year. But, wouldn't it be sweet to be sitting in something like fordham's stadium seats next year!

 

Year 1 - 7k stadium seats, lights, transfering current scoreboard - Track Renovation (Track surface only, seating later)

Year 2 - Concessions, bathrooms, lockerrooms

Year 3 - 7k more seats, visitor's side

Year 4 - 5k Endzone #1 seats

Year 5 - 5k Endzone #2 seats with Top of the Line Scoreboard

 

As for university field, I still think it's a perfect mini stadium scenerio, for soccer and track.

[Clickclack]

I would be happy just to see the action on the field...my current season tickets are like on the second or third row up....not only am I a 20 minute walk from the field....but I'm also basically sitting ground level. So the action is a mile away (jk here) with the access road and track but I also can't see over the players, fences, cheerleaders etc. Really a horrible situation...I can get a much better view pacing back and forth behind the stands or watching from home on TW3.

 

I opted to watch a few games from home simply because my seats SUCK! I have no DOUBT that there are many out there like me.

[danefan]

Geting 7000 seats exactly like fordham's this coming year is PERFECT.

Every year, getting a substantial piece of the stadium sounds like a darn good plan.

Another 7000 seats on the visitors side, and endzone seating would eventually bring the total

to well past 20k... if we so desired.

 

Most importantly, getting high quality stadium seating up and up now.

Lockerrooms, bathrooms, concessions come second. I can live with the current situation of those things, this coming year. But, wouldn't it be sweet to be sitting in something like fordham's stadium seats next year!

 

Year 1 - 7k stadium seats, lights, transfering current scoreboard - Track Renovation (Track surface only, seating later)

Year 2 - Concessions, bathrooms, lockerrooms

Year 3 - 7k more seats, visitor's side

Year 4 - 5k Endzone #1 seats

Year 5 - 5k Endzone #2 seats with Top of the Line Scoreboard

 

As for university field, I still think it's a perfect mini stadium scenerio, for soccer and track.

 

I agree with you on Years 1 and 2, although I think adding a scoreboard this year with a placeholder for a video board that can be added later is the way to go.

 

As for years 3-5, I don't think anymore than 7,000 seats should be added if we don't average over 5,000 a game in that 7,000 seats. Maybe I'm thinking small time, but I'd rather have a full stadium than a half-full stadium. Richmond (2008 national champions) is taking this approach. They are downsizing in their new stadium to 8,000 seats.

 

I'd rather see an endzone facility built with new coaches offices, training rooms, and an academic support center built before adding more than 7,000 seats.

[uofalbany]

The importance of the track and field facility should NOT be understated.

 

They need and deserve a facility now! Not 2 years from now.

[danefan]

The importance of the track and field facility should NOT be understated.

 

They need and deserve a facility now! Not 2 years from now.

 

 

They need a new track and need it yesterday. There's no doubt about it. They don't need bleachers though. What is on UField is good enough for now.

[uofalbany]

Geting 7000 seats exactly like fordham's this coming year is PERFECT.

Every year, getting a substantial piece of the stadium sounds like a darn good plan.

Another 7000 seats on the visitors side, and endzone seating would eventually bring the total

to well past 20k... if we so desired.

 

Most importantly, getting high quality stadium seating up and up now.

Lockerrooms, bathrooms, concessions come second. I can live with the current situation of those things, this coming year. But, wouldn't it be sweet to be sitting in something like fordham's stadium seats next year!

 

Year 1 - 7k stadium seats, lights, transfering current scoreboard - Track Renovation (Track surface only, seating later)

Year 2 - Concessions, bathrooms, lockerrooms

Year 3 - 7k more seats, visitor's side

Year 4 - 5k Endzone #1 seats

Year 5 - 5k Endzone #2 seats with Top of the Line Scoreboard

 

As for university field, I still think it's a perfect mini stadium scenerio, for soccer and track.

 

I agree with you on Years 1 and 2, although I think adding a scoreboard this year with a placeholder for a video board that can be added later is the way to go.

 

As for years 3-5, I don't think anymore than 7,000 seats should be added if we don't average over 5,000 a game in that 7,000 seats. Maybe I'm thinking small time, but I'd rather have a full stadium than a half-full stadium. Richmond (2008 national champions) is taking this approach. They are downsizing in their new stadium to 8,000 seats.

 

I'd rather see an endzone facility built with new coaches, training, and an academic support center built before adding more than 7,000 seats.

 

As long as 14k seats in a brand new stadium is large enough to host:

 

NCAA Men's Lacrosse Quarter Final Tournament

Empire State Games

NYS High School Football Championships

NYS Special Olympics

 

then I guess years 4-5 would all be determined at a later date.

 

And yes, planning ahead for a Top of the Line scoreboard should be a priority.

[danefan]

Geting 7000 seats exactly like fordham's this coming year is PERFECT.

Every year, getting a substantial piece of the stadium sounds like a darn good plan.

Another 7000 seats on the visitors side, and endzone seating would eventually bring the total

to well past 20k... if we so desired.

 

Most importantly, getting high quality stadium seating up and up now.

Lockerrooms, bathrooms, concessions come second. I can live with the current situation of those things, this coming year. But, wouldn't it be sweet to be sitting in something like fordham's stadium seats next year!

 

Year 1 - 7k stadium seats, lights, transfering current scoreboard - Track Renovation (Track surface only, seating later)

Year 2 - Concessions, bathrooms, lockerrooms

Year 3 - 7k more seats, visitor's side

Year 4 - 5k Endzone #1 seats

Year 5 - 5k Endzone #2 seats with Top of the Line Scoreboard

 

As for university field, I still think it's a perfect mini stadium scenerio, for soccer and track.

 

I agree with you on Years 1 and 2, although I think adding a scoreboard this year with a placeholder for a video board that can be added later is the way to go.

 

As for years 3-5, I don't think anymore than 7,000 seats should be added if we don't average over 5,000 a game in that 7,000 seats. Maybe I'm thinking small time, but I'd rather have a full stadium than a half-full stadium. Richmond (2008 national champions) is taking this approach. They are downsizing in their new stadium to 8,000 seats.

 

I'd rather see an endzone facility built with new coaches, training, and an academic support center built before adding more than 7,000 seats.

 

As long as 14k seats in a brand new stadium is large enough to host:

 

NCAA Men's Lacrosse Quarter Final Tournament

Empire State Games

NYS High School Football Championships

NYS Special Olympics

 

then I guess years 4-5 would all be determined at a later date.

 

And yes, planning ahead for a Top of the Line scoreboard should be a priority.

 

 

I didn't think about those outside events. With that in mind, 7,000 seats won't do it. 10,000 plus definitely has to be the target.

[danefan]

BTW, I was just looking at scoreboards and I ran across SBU's new one:

 

 

 

That's a 20' x 50' HD video screen. Pretty sweet.

[uofalbany]

Geting 7000 seats exactly like fordham's this coming year is PERFECT.

Every year, getting a substantial piece of the stadium sounds like a darn good plan.

Another 7000 seats on the visitors side, and endzone seating would eventually bring the total

to well past 20k... if we so desired.

 

Most importantly, getting high quality stadium seating up and up now.

Lockerrooms, bathrooms, concessions come second. I can live with the current situation of those things, this coming year. But, wouldn't it be sweet to be sitting in something like fordham's stadium seats next year!

 

Year 1 - 7k stadium seats, lights, transfering current scoreboard - Track Renovation (Track surface only, seating later)

Year 2 - Concessions, bathrooms, lockerrooms

Year 3 - 7k more seats, visitor's side

Year 4 - 5k Endzone #1 seats

Year 5 - 5k Endzone #2 seats with Top of the Line Scoreboard

 

As for university field, I still think it's a perfect mini stadium scenerio, for soccer and track.

 

I agree with you on Years 1 and 2, although I think adding a scoreboard this year with a placeholder for a video board that can be added later is the way to go.

 

As for years 3-5, I don't think anymore than 7,000 seats should be added if we don't average over 5,000 a game in that 7,000 seats. Maybe I'm thinking small time, but I'd rather have a full stadium than a half-full stadium. Richmond (2008 national champions) is taking this approach. They are downsizing in their new stadium to 8,000 seats.

 

I'd rather see an endzone facility built with new coaches, training, and an academic support center built before adding more than 7,000 seats.

 

As long as 14k seats in a brand new stadium is large enough to host:

 

NCAA Men's Lacrosse Quarter Final Tournament

Empire State Games

NYS High School Football Championships

NYS Special Olympics

 

then I guess years 4-5 would all be determined at a later date.

 

And yes, planning ahead for a Top of the Line scoreboard should be a priority.

 

I didn't think about those outside events. With that in mind, 7,000 seats won't do it. 10,000 plus definitely has to be the target.

 

As for the track and field, only the track surface is necessary. Seating can wait. Current seating is fine.

 

The reason 7k seats on each sideline totaling 14k is perect in my opinion, is the fact that if we didn't want to do anything else for a long time, we'd have a 14k stadium that would be perfect for ALOT / almost ALL things, and we really wouldn't need to do anything more if we didn't want to. But, if we wanted to expand, we'd already have the PERFECT base.

 

Hopefully this thread and its contents are in fact going to become a reality, and not just another round of gossip.

[Clickclack]

I would strongly favor the approach to not build to much to quickly (seats) and then have trouble filling it.

 

Build facilities that can accommodate our needs...Lacrosse Quarter Finals etc. are potential events but not the main motivation for building this facility.

 

Start averaging 6K a game and then think about adding more seats.