The rendering looks great, but I wish we'd cover that outside receiver a bit better.
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.
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/
"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."So what exactly are they doing to the east stands?
"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?
Embarrassing that a Butkus statue wasn't created many years ago.
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.
At least that makes it an accurate rendering.The rendering looks great, but I wish we'd cover that outside receiver a bit better.
"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/
If you click through one of those links they mention that the plan is to keep capacity over 60k.
And going forward from there, as I said, adding seating capacity is cheap and easy. You could put 20k in the NEZ if you don't have enough seats and probably do it in one offseason. Cross that bridge when you get to it.
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.
It may be worth taking some pictures for posterity's sake.