Memorial Stadium Renovation

FarewellLasagna · Aug 8, 2016

There are some really cool renovations out there. Purdue's doesn't look bad, but I would expect something along the lines of Oklahoma's reno.

Also, just google endzone renovation. Auburn's looks impressive as well.

Joel Goodson · Aug 8, 2016

Yeah, something like that, please. With Whitman at the helm, I think the plans will be first class.

Second and Chalmers · Aug 8, 2016

FarewellLasagna said:
There are some really cool renovations out there. Purdue's doesn't look bad, but I would expect something along the lines of Oklahoma's reno.

Also, just google endzone renovation. Auburn's looks impressive as well.

The key, honestly, isn't what it does for the seating for the fans as much as what kind of space it creates for the team to do their work and to show off to recruits.

But as long as we're on the subject, if we spend nine figures on MS again and don't lower the field I'm going to have an aneurysm.

dgcrow · Aug 8, 2016

Second and Chalmers said:
Well, I dunno, Ron Guenther: The Structure in the other end zone is also a huge problem, but this project could do a lot of good.

Let the drumbeat for lowering the field level resume.

When the last stadium renovation was being planned I asked about the field being lowered and was told that the sight lines of the sideline seats make that not possible.

midastouch11 · Aug 8, 2016

illini809 said:
As my post mentioned, it is from 2005...
I think this story is bigger that Werner suggested because I'm guessing all of the original plans are being thrown out, assuming they go with someone who is not HNTB.

Those old plans don't account for all the offices, weight room, training table, and all the football only fix-ins that'll be in this building. I've heard the renovation will be 5-stories.

Second and Chalmers · Aug 8, 2016

dgcrow said:
When the last stadium renovation was being planned I asked about the field being lowered and was told that the sight lines of the sideline seats make that not possible.

For evidence of how true that is, see the plans for lowering the field on pages 153-155 of the linked document of the original plans.

The field wasn't lowered because Guenther only raised enough money to pay for the upgrades that benefited his narrow cadre of bluehairs and nothing else.

Lowering the field would have little effect on sight-lines, except for dramatically improving them for those first few rows of seats which we currently don't even bother selling.

dgcrow · Aug 8, 2016

Second and Chalmers said:
For evidence of how true that is, see the plans for lowering the field on pages 153-155 of the linked document of the original plans.

The field wasn't lowered because Guenther only raised enough money to pay for the upgrades that benefited his narrow cadre of bluehairs and nothing else.

Lowering the field would have little effect on sight-lines, except for dramatically improving them for those first few rows of seats which we currently don't even bother selling.

Well, as Rick Blaine said in Casablanca, "I was misinformed". Sure hope they do lower the field.

IAmChrisFarley · Aug 8, 2016

Why would you want to lower the field?

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Second and Chalmers · Aug 8, 2016

IAmChrisFarley said:
Why would you want to lower the field?

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So you could put people in the five rows of seats at the bottom that currently go unoccupied, and thus bring fans five rows closer to the action. Those would also be high-value seats if they didn't have obstructed views like they do currently.

The problem with field or court lowering generally is that it can cut off people's views of the action when seats are relatively tight-packed around the field of play. Memorial Stadium has above average amounts of space between the playing surface and the stands, and thus does not have that issue.

IAmChrisFarley · Aug 8, 2016

Second and Chalmers said:
So you could put people in the five rows of seats at the bottom that currently go unoccupied, and thus bring fans five rows closer to the action. Those would also be high-value seats if they didn't have obstructed views like they do currently.

The problem with field or court lowering generally is that it can cut off people's views of the action when seats are relatively tight-packed around the field of play. Memorial Stadium has above average amounts of space between the playing surface and the stands, and thus does not have that issue.

Got it. Makes all the sense. It has always pissed me off they block off the first five rows. Hell, I wish the would bring the fans closer on the opponents sideline.

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Second and Chalmers · Aug 8, 2016

IAmChrisFarley said:
Got it. Makes all the sense. It has always pissed me off they block off the first five rows. Hell, I wish the would bring the fans closer on the opponents sideline.

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They have occasionally sold those seats for big games, but you can't see a darned thing behind the line of big, standing football dudes on the sidelines.

There is currently a lip of maybe 8 inches from the bottom row to the field. Drop that maybe 3-3.5 feet further and you'll see over the heads of the players no problem.

A wall of about six feet with the bottom row of seats coming to a couple of feet below that is pretty standard in modern stadiums, and a lot of them have the field tighter, and thus potentially more obstructed, than MS would be.

South Farms · Aug 8, 2016

IAmChrisFarley said:
Got it. Makes all the sense. It has always pissed me off they block off the first five rows. Hell, I wish the would bring the fans closer on the opponents sideline.

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they have used just about every thing they could to try to explain away why they just cant lower the playing field . all are pure bs.
a. cost - money would be well spent and it really doesn't cost that much to dig out sand, dirt and clay
b. water table -- like its never been done before in those conditions -- they invented and make pumps and sump pits for that very reason
c. sight lines - again, debunked. see discussion above

if they really wanted to do it right, they could lover the field by 10-12 and everyone in the place will still see everything they do now. it would allow people closer to the field to look over the heads of the redshirt frosh and 3rd stringers that currently block the view of people .

but the key is to have a design that properly re does the SEZ in a way that keeps the MS tradition alive while adding seats. and either double deck it now or make it grand enough on one long elevation --- but do it in a way where adding seats in 10 years is possible without demolishing anything.

if we are to compete with the upper 1/2 of the league, we need to be able to sell 80,000-85,000 seats at some point.

Second and Chalmers · Aug 8, 2016

The other big improvement that could be made would be to build the lower section of the North End Zone where the band currently sits all the way down to the field on either side of the "Zuppke Field" sign. Especially if you moved the band somewhere else, that would make that area feel considerably less disconnected from the action.

You'd be covering up the views of the field from the current "recruiting lounge", but I'd imagine that function would be moving to the South End Zone as part of this project.

If the money is there you could do an awful lot to eliminate the problems with MS. If.

Bomb Squad 217 · Aug 8, 2016

I think we could totally sacrifice those first 5 rows if they do an awesome job with the endzones. Enclose those bad boys, bring em closer, add some seating, profit.

BZuppke · Aug 8, 2016

I always envisioned a double deck horseshoe. Don't know how feasible it is.

Fighter of the Nightman · Aug 8, 2016

BZuppke said:
I always envisioned a double deck horseshoe. Don't know how feasible it is.

That'd be awesome, but I think they just need to at least bring it closer to the field as the bare minimum ... that seating looks so thin and dinky compared to the grandness of the rest of the stadium, even noticeably skinnier than when the tinker toy rafters were behind it (which I'm sure looked much worse from the outside but looked much cooler in the stadium). The more I look at photos of that endzone, the stranger and worse it looks.

This is an old drawing that was actually mocked up on this site a few years ago, but seriously, just look at what a difference having the extra height of having those seats go down to field level (obviously permanent seating will look better than this, but it's a nice visual) makes in making it look more imposing as a stadium:

Bomb Squad 217 · Aug 9, 2016

That's a good looking stadium there

Second and Chalmers · Aug 9, 2016

Bomb Squad 217 said:
That's a good looking stadium there

Note the lowering of the NEZ seats to the field there too.

That's a little simpler and cruder than it would have to be in practice for various reasons, but you can see how it could be made to look like much less of an island in the sky.

IlliniBubba · Aug 9, 2016

I spent some time reading through the 2005 proposal that was linked earlier: 2005 HTNB MS Proposal

I'd encourage everyone to skim it over - there's some really interesting ideas in there that haven't been addressed, at least not yet. Besides the lowering of the field idea, there's a number of fairly little easy things that I noticed - things that the DIA could even start doing now - or it could be part of a renovation:

-Using the terrace in the NW corner of the stadium as an outdoor eating area overlooking the field. Right now this deck sits completely empty and further isolates the NEZ. Add a "Hickory River" grill deck there and some tables with a nice view of the field, and it would be a nice spot for people to hit up during the game. This could be done anytime now with very little cost.

-Add a year-round team store in the SEZ, facing Kirby Ave. I would hope this would be part of the horseshoe renovations, but we should absolutely have a full-time indoor team store run by the university somewhere in MS. Or partner with Gameday with a cheap lease, so they don't have to set up their little tent in the tailgate lots. This could go hand-in-hand with the Hall of Fame which would presumably be part of any SEZ renovation.

-Create more of a connection or "concourse" behind the NEZ with concessions and additional amenities, so it's more connected to the rest of the stadium and not as much of an island.

Can't wait to see the actual plans - supposedly they're spectacular. I think Robert from IlliniBoard saw a peek at them and he was definitely impressed.

Second and Chalmers · Aug 9, 2016

IlliniBubba said:
-Using the terrace in the NW corner of the stadium as an outdoor eating area overlooking the field. Right now this deck sits completely empty and further isolates the NEZ. Add a "Hickory River" grill deck there and some tables with a nice view of the field, and it would be a nice spot for people to hit up during the game. This could be done anytime now with very little cost.

Doing this in a way that then connected the NEZ to the West concourse would be a grand slam.

BZuppke · Aug 9, 2016

Wouldn't those be incredibly bad sight lines in the endzones with the lowered seats? That's why I like the horseshoe upper deck - it would improve the endzone sight lines. Sure it would be way more expensive too.

Second and Chalmers · Aug 9, 2016

BZuppke said:
Wouldn't those be incredibly bad sight lines in the endzones with the lowered seats? That's why I like the horseshoe upper deck - it would improve the endzone sight lines. Sure it would be way more expensive too.

If you lower the field they shouldn't be awful. End zone seats are never ideal, that's why they're the cheapest.

Bomb Squad 217 · Aug 9, 2016

Yeah, I totally understand not bringing them all the way down, for sight line purposes. But bring them down some, and bring them closer. Enclose it and it adds many more seats. Double deck the other end like that and we have even more seating. Completely making up for any rows not right on the field and the 5 empty rows or whatever.

peace davids · Aug 10, 2016

Fighter of the Nightman said:

This was mine from a year or so ago, the last time we discussed this. My major concern is to do something positive with the NEZ. Whatever they do on the south side is going to be better than this, I hope.

IrishIllini · Aug 10, 2016

IlliniBubba said:
Can't wait to see the actual plans - supposedly they're spectacular. I think Robert from IlliniBoard saw a peek at them and he was definitely impressed.

Do we have a date for their release? Dying to see what Whitman has planned.

:chief: