Stadium expansion

[Dane96]

Relax. It could be lipservice. I didn't expect the shovels to go in ASAP. If they say to Coach, "What part of the stadium you want expanded, endzone facility with a small amount of seats, or a permanent "visitors" side", then we will know what starts first. I never expected this to happen all at once.

 

I would not be shocked if a "plan is released to select donors and corporate vendors," I would also not be surprised if a first expansion starts after next season.

[bob87]

 

I wonder what it would cost for a full page ad in the tu rag to list some of these points and others. A paying ad would be the only way we could get our point out there, because the tu will simply never give us an honest shake otherwise. Anyone on this blog in advertising? Anyone want to take up a collection?

 

I have no interest in contributing even 1 cent towards anything where the money goes to the TU. As I told the TU when I cancelled my sunday only subscription when the wrote their garbage editoral a couple of years ago that the old football stadium was sufficient, my money will be spent at Albany instead of them. I would suggest everyone does the same. Sunday only TU was about $50 a year. I get better value adding football parking, buying a Bob Ford stadium T-shirt, beers in the beer garden, etc than any money spent on the TU .

[danefan]

I have no issue with anything that has come out of the university on this. Jones is going to do what he wants regardless of what the TU says. He's saying nothing but the truth. There are no shovels hitting the ground in the near future. We all know that.

[MRSGDG]

I have no issue with anything that has come out of the university on this. Jones is going to do what he wants regardless of what the TU says. He's saying nothing but the truth. There are no shovels hitting the ground in the near future. We all know that.

 

Just continually sad that the TU manufactures stories like this. People in the know, know it's BS, but the general community who we're looking to gain support from has no idea it's manufactured.

[danefan]

I have no issue with anything that has come out of the university on this. Jones is going to do what he wants regardless of what the TU says. He's saying nothing but the truth. There are no shovels hitting the ground in the near future. We all know that.

 

Just continually sad that the TU manufactures stories like this. People in the know, know it's BS, but the general community who we're looking to gain support from has no idea it's manufactured.

 

Agreed completely. And I think it's crazy that Iorizzo is saying he didn't intend for his article to be read as UA getting ready to build.

[Clickclack]

I have no issue with anything that has come out of the university on this. Jones is going to do what he wants regardless of what the TU says. He's saying nothing but the truth. There are no shovels hitting the ground in the near future. We all know that.

 

Just continually sad that the TU manufactures stories like this. People in the know, know it's BS, but the general community who we're looking to gain support from has no idea it's manufactured.

 

Agreed completely. And I think it's crazy that Iorizzo is saying he didn't intend for his article to be read as UA getting ready to build.

 

I quizzed him about it on twitter...his response was basically semantics...asked me to show him the word "imminent" which I used in characterizing his article. Make no mistake about it, his original piece prompted the BS editorial from this morning.

[bob87]

I have no issue with anything that has come out of the university on this. Jones is going to do what he wants regardless of what the TU says. He's saying nothing but the truth. There are no shovels hitting the ground in the near future. We all know that.

 

Just continually sad that the TU manufactures stories like this. People in the know, know it's BS, but the general community who we're looking to gain support from has no idea it's manufactured.

 

Agree but until people stop buyiing it and it goes out of business, it is not going to change

[UAalum72]

This morning: UAlbany president: $20M football stadium expansion not a priority

 

The subheading "Times Union story on expansion prompts denial of any work soon" so the T-U's top Sunday story was about nothing new, then they pat themselves on the back for prompting a denial of non-news. They also quote Svare saying he's not anti-sports, just pro-academics.

[Michigan_Dane]

Svare and the malcontents at the TU managed to sabotage their own university.

 

What an A-hole!!!!

[danefan]

Svare and the malcontents at the TU managed to sabotage their own university.

 

What an A-hole!!!!

 

Agreed, but I still don't think this changes anything. If Jones wants to expand the stadium, he doesn't need the TU or Svare to approve. They didn't approve the last time around.

 

All he needs is $$$$$$. Any we've seen from the last round - the money will come when know one expects it. $20m is chump change. Especially if they sell the naming rights for a couple million and then raise a couple million more. All of a sudden its $15m or $12m. That amount could get through without any fan fare.

[Dane96]

Exactly. My guess-- once they get around to $4m in private funding...then the wheels start turning. Once the wheels start turning, it's all traction. The truth is, this was NEVER EVER going to get done this time around. I don't think McElroy was taken out of context and he spoke with very good leadership skills: Hey, I'm going to find out what coach wants/needs. Then we will shape our plan from that...because our goal is to give coach a chance to win titles.

 

I suspect we see expansion within 3 years...like we all have been predicting.

 

What I don't get is how a man who sits as the head of our Board can allow his paper to constantly go after Albany. He's not a stupid businessman and he has to see the writing on the wall as far as the UA vs. Siena growth model for his own paper. Furthermore, how come they didn't go buckwild with stories when Nano was being snatched away which, for all intents and purposes, will saddle taxpayers with INCREASED costs and little gain for the State. The gain is for Cuomo's Presidential run.

 

Really surprised at Hearst's inaction, at the very least to a call for neutrality in reporting.

[Clickclack]

Unh just announced a 25mil renovation plans....

Edited February 1, 2014 by Clickclack

[UAalum72]

Unh just announced a 25mil renovation plans....

But similar to us, New Hampshire will not move forward until they raise $5 million in private donations.

[danefan]

The other thing that everyone seems to be missing is our stadium has in actuality a very small capacity. Sure it says 8,500, but if I remember correctly, at least 3500 of that is either temporarily bleachers or berm seating.

 

There's no way we are going to keep renting temp bleachers at $150k a year.

 

My personal opinion is that we'll see a $10-12m expansion in 2 years. Likely to include east side permanent stands that bring total capacity to 12,000-14,000 with an end zone building housing academic support, athletic training, locker rooms and coaches offices. The building is very much needed. Our training and coaching facilities are not up to DI standards.

 

We should be ok at 12,000-14,000 capacity for to rest of this decade unless some landscape changes happen in FBS that require us to put up or get relegated.

Edited February 1, 2014 by danefan

[UA'08]

Unh just announced a 25mil renovation plans....

Where was this announced?