Gies Memorial Stadium

#76      
If they build a Kirby underpass, then it would require the same process.

To get around Kirby, I would stick with blocking the road on gamedays and/or building a bridge over the road, a la Iowa State, but on a smaller scale.
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#77      
I highly doubt they ever seriously consider lowering the field . it would be a multi year project and I don’t see them playing 5-6 home games in Chicago .

maybe at some point in the future they re-do both end zones to make space for seats, suites & family areas . I kinda doubt it though.

will the change East Main & lose 7000 seats ?
highly doubt it
will they at some point fix the horseshoe - likely but not soon
will they change NEZ ? not likely
 
#78      
'Don't throw shade on the corn'.

The underground Undergrad Library likely has a thick dam wall around the outside and boatload of French drains to keep water out. Lowering GMS's field ~10 ft could be done in a similar way but would be costly. The first few sideline rows would likely need to be removed to put in that dam wall and drain system. The dam would likely also need to shore-up the ground beneath the sidelines, to keep things from collapsing. If that goes well, then the field can be lowered, new stands built, etc.
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#79      
I highly doubt they ever seriously consider lowering the field . it would be a multi year project and I don’t see them playing 5-6 home games in Chicago .

maybe at some point in the future they re-do both end zones to make space for seats, suites & family areas . I kinda doubt it though.

will the change East Main & lose 7000 seats ?
highly doubt it
will they at some point fix the horseshoe - likely but not soon
will they change NEZ ? not likely
They could save a lot of money if @Fighter of the Nightman would sell his plans cheap.
 
#81      
If they build a Kirby underpass, then it would require the same process.

To get around Kirby, I would stick with blocking the road on gamedays and/or building a bridge over the road, a la Iowa State, but on a smaller scale.View attachment 50507
But what problem does an overpass solve, compared to simply closing Kirby for 7 game days? It’s already closed for many reasons beyond pedestrians entering and leaving the stadium.

The ISU situation looks like a higher speed highway located much further from the stadium. The ramped overpass is very long and ends at midfield, from where it’s apparently easy to walk around the entire stadium. Our stadium isn’t easily circumnavigated on foot, inside or outside. Dumping a big crowd into the Horseshoe wouldn’t work. You’d need to feed both the east and west entrances. Running a ramp down only one side leaves those seated on the other side stranded, so you’d need a ramp for each side. We’d then scan tickets at each doorway? Today you secure only the four corners and Grange Grove, a pretty simple setup.

How much traffic could Kirby possibly carry if it could be opened on game days? Best case is you’d have police directing traffic moving at a crawl.

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#82      
While the horseshoe is not optimal, I think they could make it pretty great by adding some club or area at the field level to bring things closer to the actual playing field, and add a beer garden type of area behind it under the scoreboard (I think they are doing something like this, but not sure how final it will be). They are doing something like this at the Rose Bowl I think:
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