The rendering looks great, but I wish we'd cover that outside receiver a bit better.
Memorial Stadium Renovation
- Status
I’m obsessed with that south end zone rendering. We should be able to fill it in 2019 when we should be seriously competing with the top tier of the B1G. Love how we are getting people closer to the field. Hopefully the next year’s worth of designing gets the rest of the stadium closer.
I wonder…will we be moving the students out of their island in the sky to the south now? It could be good to do that if that is where the new locker rooms are and the player’s will be running out from there. Then we can make the NEZ what the south is now, your $99/cheap season ticket area.
I wonder…will we be moving the students out of their island in the sky to the south now? It could be good to do that if that is where the new locker rooms are and the player’s will be running out from there. Then we can make the NEZ what the south is now, your $99/cheap season ticket area.
This has always seemed like a no-brainer to me.
One hopes that our days of pathetically weak attendance are behind us, but the fact is, adults sit in their assigned seats, students cram together. 2000 adults in the NEZ is going to look like a much bigger crowd than 2000 students.
mhuml32
- Cincinnati, OH
Made it into the FAQ
Are there plans for a Dick Butkus Statue?
There has been great interest from our fans in a statue honoring Dick Butkus. Plans continue to evolve, making it premature to comment on anything definitive at this time.
http://uillinois_microsites.sidearmsports.com/illinoisrenaissance/
Embarrassing that a Butkus statue wasn't created many years ago.
Dan
Admin
"Plans call for an enhanced fan experience on the stadium’s east side, including new restrooms and concessions. Fans will also enjoy improved accessibility in the form of new entrances and elevators."
http://uillinois_microsites.sidearmsports.com/illinoisrenaissance/
ILLINIFAN2
- Des Moines, IA
"The grandstand will enclose the entire stadium, making it feel more intimate for our fans and more intimidating for our opponents."
Does that mean by 2019 the NEZ will be connected to east/west stands?
Does that mean by 2019 the NEZ will be connected to east/west stands?
No, that's rather euphemistically describing the NEZ as "enclosed".
It was more enclosed before the Guentherization, really.
IlliniInOK
- no longer in OK! Centralia, IL
Whitman said this is the beginning of facility improvements, right? So theoretically after this is completed and (hopefully) the team is at least competing for B1G West titles yearly, they could do something for the NEZ, right?
Illinois Director of Athletics Josh Whitman will hold a press conference at 12:30 pm CT to address the Illinois Renaissance project. Watch the live stream.
http://www.fightingillini.com/watch/?Live=614
http://www.fightingillini.com/watch/?Live=614
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VictoryIllinoisVarsity
- Chicago Suburbs
After the Paterno statue came down at Penn State, every college football program is hesitant to add a statue of a living person. Not that Butkus doesn't deserve one.
Oh, I don't think it's that.
There are obviously few figures in college football history more worthy of honoring than Dick Butkus, but there are two problems:
1. Red Grange is one of them.
2. There's no obvious place to put another statue at Memorial Stadium.
I'm all ears for creative solutions to the problem, but the priority is making MS a staging ground for future football success, not a mausoleum of the past.
At least that makes it an accurate rendering.
The plans look great! I'm excited to see them pan out. Whitman hasn't wasted a single moment since setting foot on campus.
The initial plans from last year included taking out the top rows of the East Main stands (under the balcony overhang I believe) and replacing with ADA seating and improved amenities. Supposedly want to highlight the collonade area more too.
I'm in the "anything JW does will be OK" group until proven otherwise. 
Rick George who?
South Farms
- near Ogden & Rt 83
pretty much true
the wild card in the hand that Whitman has been dealt is he always has two ways to significantly increase capacity should the program ever start consistently winning again like it did in the 1980's
1. re-do the NEZ into a bowl like endzone
2. lower the field , which we all know could be done without hurting sightlines
done together, I will guess you could get capacity close to 90,000. but you wouldn't have to do them together. I would think the NEZ would take more than 9 months, but the field lowering could be done in 9 months without doubt.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Am I the only one who thinks we can do something cool with the NEZ that does NOT involve making it into a bowl?? Just because our CURRENT horseshoe looks terrible doesn't mean the overall stadium setup of a horseshoe isn't still really cool and unique. The way we'd be finishing the horseshoe side in those plans, I'd want to put the students there and make the NEZ a cool, unique part of the stadium (as has been said, family seating with a concourse would be perfect).
ilphotog
The camera never lies
- Champaign
As someone who's been under the shoe (photog work area) for the past 20 years, I'm so looking forward to this. In area's this place looks like a Turkish prison (assuming) crumbling concrete, chain link fencing with barbed wire etc. But hell its almost 100 years old. For the workers whose offices are under there, they are to be getting a large new building for offices and equipment storage somewhere in the South Farms area. Right now storage for all kinds of things are kept there. So for them, having a new base of operations with proper storage area's will be great for them.
As for us photogs, having a real work area with basic amenities (bathrooms) will be awesome. Right now we are in a small tent area with old chairs, string lights, folding tables and lots of power strips. Hey it works and we appreciate all they have done to help us out, but its time to step into the 21st Century.
I'll have to look again, but I think a small portion of the old track surface is still there under the seating area.
As for us photogs, having a real work area with basic amenities (bathrooms) will be awesome. Right now we are in a small tent area with old chairs, string lights, folding tables and lots of power strips. Hey it works and we appreciate all they have done to help us out, but its time to step into the 21st Century.
I'll have to look again, but I think a small portion of the old track surface is still there under the seating area.
It may be worth taking some pictures for posterity's sake.
ilphotog
The camera never lies
- Champaign
Already done, but now that it's official I'll do it again. The first two home games I went in 2-3 hours before kickoff and shot the shoe from many different angles from around the stadium, but I'll go in at some point and shoot the offices and storage area's. I learned a lesson from not doing more with the first FB renovation. And learned even more from not doing more outside shots of the SFC before it started :doh:. The funny thing about it, you can think that you covered every possible angle, but as the renovation moves along, you always find angles that you don't have and wish you did. oh well you do the best you can.
To S&C: Your point about the first 5 rows and lowering the field was never brought up in the presser and Josh never brought it up on his own. Are you kidding me? I mean, are you the only one who can see? Why weren't you there asking this question? And I am still hoping I missed something on this topic. I believe it is very important topic that nobody is talking about.
I think it would be cool if the new SEZ was built fairly steep. That way the stadium can have that "fans right on top of you feel". Those kinds of stadiums always feel 10x more intimidating than a place like the Big House. I know it would cut down on the leg room (and I'm 6'4), but I would trade comfort for a better atmosphere anyday.
- Status