Very unique and imposing, but kinda dark. The kind of stadium I would expect in Gotham City.Below is AI generated, but I kept iterating on the results on I got something I felt looked imposing and could fit well with the existing architecture. I think this may work better for the NEZ though. Both the NEZ and SEZ are garbage. (Love the video screen btw, haha...I didn't ask for that part. Perhaps it's a sign?)
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I can see BB on the video screen in his toga giving the thumbs up or thumbs down depending on the game situation.Below is AI generated, but I kept iterating on the results on I got something I felt looked imposing and could fit well with the existing architecture. I think this may work better for the NEZ though. Both the NEZ and SEZ are garbage. (Love the video screen btw, haha...I didn't ask for that part. Perhaps it's a sign?
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Colored and stamped concrete could go a long way!This is the type of actually unique stadium OOZING with character and a traditional aura that we would never get because following bland modern-looking designs is so much cheaper.
If our stadium looked like that, it would be considered the best in the Big Ten regardless of capacity ... period.
Love me some Gothic architecture.
I love how AI can generate such a great image that really looks like it would fit perfectly with the architecture and aesthetics of the existing stadium, but it can't make a football field 100 yards long or even get the yard markers correct!Below is AI generated, but I kept iterating on the results on I got something I felt looked imposing and could fit well with the existing architecture. I think this may work better for the NEZ though. Both the NEZ and SEZ are garbage. (Love the video screen btw, haha...I didn't ask for that part. Perhaps it's a sign?
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At any rate, I would definitely vote for this in either end zone or both!
Live in Georgia now. Several years ago, my next door neighbor (Dawg fan) traveled to Chicago on business. As he likes to visit college football stadiums, he took the opportunity to drive down to Champaign to see ours. He told me that he was very impressed by the grandeur off the exterior. The use of brick and especially the columns. He was less impressed with the inside. Said the sideline stands were fine but the end zones were a disappointment (used different words not suitable for mixed company). I told him all Illini fans agree. If it was up to me, I wouldn't spend another dollar on gameday enhancements until the end zones are renovated to look like the picture above or better where possible.Lol, thank you ... and yes, behind getting our basketball program the uniforms it deserves, this is probably my biggest Illini-related passion at the moment! It's just such a shame, because it's not like we are putting lipstick on a pig ... Memorial Stadium has the kind of potential that is extremely rare, and it just needs attention. We have such a gift, and we are somewhat wasting it. Right now, I feel like MS is treasured by Illini fans, and non-Illini fans are about split between "it's the definition of meh" and "parts of it actually have really cool architecture, it's kind of underrated!" However, that is really not good enough. A stadium with its history should have Wrigley Field status, where even visiting and rival fans can appreciate it as a cathedral to the sport. Unfortunately, we have the equivalent of a Wrigley Field that was never finished in 100 years of usage, haha. And it sucks, and I want it fixed so Memorial Stadium can take its rightful place as a truly iconic venue!
Regarding the announced "enhancements" or whatever, I am really curious to see where they put these video boards. I was actually thinking the other day that while the towers are easily the coolest feature of Memorial Stadium, it is kind of unfortunate they are parallel to the east/west stands. If I could wave a magic wand, we would transport all four into the "corners" of the stadium, and we could have a "squared-in" setup like Hard Rock Stadium. I feel like it would be SO cool if the towers were in the spaces of the video boards in the below pictures, and we could have video boards on top of all four and add architecturally matching upper deck stands to the south and north sides:
Too tired to try to make that visual a reality in MS paint, haha. The basic idea, though, is that we want all corners filled in somehow. To its credit, the 2016 renovation plan would have indeed accomplished this, at least on the south side. However, this picture does a good job of showing how it would be way easier if you could just rotate those towers a bit, lol.
Where's Emperor Nero's box?
I think 10-12 is a minimum . maybe 16 ft .
It's been a couple years since I was inside MS but architects and engineers would need to check sight lines to understand how much the playing surface could potentially be lowered. If I remember correctly, the lower 'bowl' rise over run is roughly 1 to 3. The sideline seating wall is roughly 50 ft from the field sideline, so we would need to factor that in. The upper deck is steeper, and I do not have an estimated rise/run, but I remember being able to see most of the sideline space with the current setup. Depending upon where the viewing angles would fall, that may allow the field to be lowered a few to 10+ ft. Lowering the field should allow the tarped off rows between the 30s to be used and maybe even allow a few new rows to be added, bringing the crowd closer behind the team benches.
I am utterly unqualified to speak on any of the engineering questions. To your last question, however, I would have to think we will use other full-size football stadia. Especially after the general mocking of the NU home field during the Dyche remodeling, but also needing that revenue.
hopefully , Josh is quietly getting donor promises right now . I think any construction is still 4-5 years off . fully agree that any conference or P4 non con game needs to happen at SF or WF (maybe one game in Nov ) . we will need to move out for one season. maybe just hold all games at SF . Bears will be out of there by then
The debts are a big concern and I too hope that the DIA has them under control. There are likely donors lined up to cover some of the costs via annual/periodic payments but the UI has to carry the bonds until those monies come in.
Beating tOSU on October 11 would certainly accomplish that!Maybe we could just jack up the stadium.
I bought five tickets for my family of four partially for the extra space. Allows the possibility of bringing an extra person to a couple of games too.
