The Sicatoka Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 So I highly doubt that UND could convince the city and its taxpayers that a 30000 seat stadium would be justified. especially at that price!! I don't think UND is looking for help from Grand Forks to build something like that. UND would like to be in a facility that they own and would look to their benefactors to make it happen. (GF taxpayers can now exhale. ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siouxperfan7 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 I don't think UND is looking for help from Grand Forks to build something like that. UND would like to be in a facility that they own and would look to their benefactors to make it happen. (GF taxpayers can now exhale. ) Well wherever the money the comes from, I still don't think UND can justify building a stadium that size. Look at our attendance. Even in the early 2000's we had 11000 people. I get that you are looking big picture. Heck, I would love to see 20,000+ people at a UND football home game. But the reality of that happening anytime soon is not great. If we want to get this program really going, build the proposed indoor facility. That will get better recruits to come to UND which will produce better teams and hopefully because of that, increase attendance. So like I said. Until the Alerus is selling out every game on a regular basis, the talk for a new stadium seems kind of rediculous. Lets pack out an 11000 seat stadium before we talk about filling a 25000 seat stadium. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 People are talking 25k to 30k stadium because they're thinking of the 15k average attendance requirement for an FCS team to move to FBS. Make sense now? Six home games, say: G1: 28k <-- you need room for that one G2: 20k G3: 11k G4: 11k G5: 10k G6: 10k Average: 15k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 If we want to get this program really going, build the proposed indoor facility. Yes, definitely agree. But understand, that's a first step in a larger plan (that there are renderings of out there somewhere). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mg2009 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 No the renderings I saw were much older than this and included both an outdoor "horse shoe" field and a dome with a retractable roof. http://www.jlgarchitects.com/ it's under UND master plan, and has a 250 million dollar price tag just for the 50,000 seat stadium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siouxperfan7 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 People are talking 25k to 30k stadium because they're thinking of the 15k average attendance requirement for an FCS team to move to FBS. Make sense now? Six home games, say: G1: 28k <-- you need room for that one G2: 20k G3: 11k G4: 11k G5: 10k G6: 10k Average: 15k UND moving to FBS?? Are you serious? You can't be honestly saying that with a straight face can you? 15000 average attendance? When was the last time we averaged 10000 in a season? Do you really think we can compete with FBS teams? We can barely beat NAIA teams right now!! We have tough enough games with FCS teams, not sure how we can compete at the FBS level. Even if we did decide to go FBS, I am sure there would be conferences jumping to add the University of North Dakota. And what is the benifit of playing at the FBS level? So we can have a sub 500 record every year and get blown out in most games!! I can't believe I am having this dicussion. UND playing at the FBS level??? What a rediculous statement!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darell1976 Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 UND would be the next Eastern Michigan of attendance if we went FBS. EMU wouldn't even come close if they used Grand Valley State's stadium. That 15,000 attendance rule was put in so the FBS doesn't look like March Madness where a team can average 500 fans can get into "the Dance". Until there is high demand in attendance (ex. REA), we will be in the FCS for quite awhile. When the Alerus opened we had attendance of 11,000 plus regularly lets get back to that first before any talk of a 25,000 seat stadium. You want UND to play in a stadium that big go on teambuilder.easports.com and make UND a 25,000+ seat stadium. The demand is not even close to being there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puck Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 http://www.jlgarchitects.com/ it's under UND master plan, and has a 250 million dollar price tag just for the 50,000 seat stadium. The concept by JLG is obviously outdated as the more recent plan for the IPF would not allow for an East-West orientation of the football field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnboyND7 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Lets be real here. If North Dakota as a state had one major school (i.e Wyoming), maybe a move would be feasible to have an FBS team in Fargo/Grand Forks. But with the way things are here, and the lack of population...its not happening. Neither UND or NDSU will smell FBS other than playing an FBS school or two annually. Heck, even Appalachian State and Montana...two schools that have the fan support/ticket demand to make a move haven't done so. In the meantime, have fun kickin' back and enjoying the FCS like your brothers to the South (except Lakes, he is thinking Big 12 hehe ) Like Darrell said, if you want a big stadium full for a UND football game, feel free to use teambuilder and select Michigan's Big House as your stadium. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geaux_sioux Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 I've actually seen conceptual renderings of a horse shoe stadium that would incorporate the existing memorial stadium that seats around 25,000-30,000, but I'm sure that would be more in the $70-$90 million price range. I would love to see an outdoor field but they would have to construct some sort of heating system to keep people coming during winter months. The horseshoe design was scrapped in its place is a retractable roof stadium that still encorporates the facad of Memorial and would seat around 25000. The drawings are online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IrishSiouxFan Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 http://www.jlgarchitects.com/ it's under UND master plan, and has a 250 million dollar price tag just for the 50,000 seat stadium. I wonder why an outdoor "horse shoe" stadium would cost $250 to build? I would have thought it would have been around the $90 million mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mg2009 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 People are talking 25k to 30k stadium because they're thinking of the 15k average attendance requirement for an FCS team to move to FBS. Make sense now? Six home games, say: G1: 28k <-- you need room for that one G2: 20k G3: 11k G4: 11k G5: 10k G6: 10k Average: 15k people at ndsu rip into members of their own fanbase who dare hypothesize about going fbs (heh lakes). They are way better prepared, at least in football, and are as ready to make the jump as anyone, although i think the dome would be a big drag on attendance. With more prominent teams, say a MWC type schedule, I think they could sell 30,000 tickets pretty comfortably, assuming they were competitive. I think there is the spare talent in the region to support another competitive FBS team, but not two or three or more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 UND moving to FBS?? Are you serious? It's called a larger, long-term plan. It doesn't mean it will or has to happen. But if the opportunity arose, there's a plan. And do we, does anyone, know what the NCAA will do with football alignments and division going forward? Better to take good care of what you have and have a plan for the future than get caught by surprise. PS - "There's no way UND will ever fill an 11,400 seat hockey rink. They barely fill a 6067 seat rink ... " -- some UND fans circa the year 2000. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mg2009 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 I wonder why an outdoor "horse shoe" stadium would cost $250 to build? I would have thought it would have been around the $90 million mark. because thats how much they cost? it's the same size as tcf bank stadium, which cost 275 iirc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WILDCAT Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 So any idea what the new design of the field will look like yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IrishSiouxFan Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 because thats how much they cost? it's the same size as tcf bank stadium, which cost 275 iirc. Northern Texas just built "Mean Green Stadium" for $78 million and it holds over 30,000 and it is very nice. FAU has a nice new stadium that holds 30,000 with the ability to expand to over 65,000 and they built it for $62 million. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mg2009 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Northern Texas just built "Mean Green Stadium" for $78 million and it holds over 30,000 and it is very nice. 50,000 is alot different than thirty thousand. Instead of building around, you have to go up. Also, dealing with seasonal weather increases material costs. higher grade concrete, insulation, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeauxSioux Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 So any idea what the new design of the field will look like yet? I'm guessing that if you look at the field in the proposed UND Athletics Complex, add some Alerus and/or Big Sky logos and that would be pretty close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IrishSiouxFan Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Are you high?? Building a stadium for 25,000-30-000???!!!! Yeah, thats a great idea if you want to spend 80 million on a stadium that will be half full. Seriously. Fargo would struggle to fill a stadium that size for a game, and they have 3 times the population around Fargo than GF does. UND has acereaged under 9000 for football over the last 4 years. So I highly doubt that UND could convince the city and its taxpayers that a 30000 seat stadium would be justified. especially at that price!! Until the Alerus starts selling out on a regular basis, there is no need for a new stadium of that size. Sorry brother, I refuse to think small. If we're going to do it, let's do it right the first time around and do it big. Let's construct a facility we can build a program and a tradition around! I'm aware of past attendance records and could absolutely care less about what UND did back in the D2 and D1 transition days, the future is looking bright and it's going to take students, alumni, and fans with the right attitude to help make it happen (a winning team doesn't hurt either). I refuse to accept that UND will be a lack luster team that 10,000 or more people in the region support, I honestly believe in the potential of this institution and know that great things are in the pipeline! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 The original renderings looked like this: http://postimage.org/image/4m5ebg7hz/ You are looking southwest from the roof of the "Nut Lab". The near building is the Indoor Training Facility that they are close to breaking ground on. West of that, on the site of old Memorial is a north-south running FB field with a retractable roof (shown open in image). North of both buildings is a soccer field (that is today a parking lot). On the west end of the soccer field is a parking ramp. That ramp isn't built yet as that'd be in the east side of Columbia Road. However, beyond that ramp to the west is the ramp they have built on the west side of Columbia Road. And before you say all this is pie in the sky (OK, it is), why'd they build a bridge over Columbia Road from the current "west" ramp to an empty parking lot? They had to build a tower (with elevator) on the east side of Columbia for the east end of the bridge. You're telling me that will forever be "a bridge to nowhere"? I'd bet against. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siouxperfan7 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Sorry brother, I refuse to think small. If we're going to do it, let's do it right the first time around and do it big. Let's construct a facility we can build a program and a tradition around! I'm aware of past attendance records and could absolutely care less about what UND did back in the D2 and D1 transition days, the future is looking bright and it's going to take students, alumni, and fans with the right attitude to help make it happen (a winning team doesn't hurt either). I refuse to accept that UND will be a lack luster team that 10,000 or more people in the region support, I honestly believe in the potential of this institution and know that great things are in the pipeline! Nothing wrong with dreaming big, but you have to be realistic. While I agree that this program can grow and attract many more fans, the chance of UND going to the FBS and building a new 25000 seat stadium is very unlikely. I think a more realistic goal would be to build the indoor practice facility and rebuild memorial stadium to hold 15000-18000 people all while competing at the FCS level. While dreaming of playing in the FBS is bold, it is just not pratical. You be positive, I'll be realistic. Maybe we can meet somewhere in the middle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siouxperfan7 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 The original renderings looked like this: http://postimage.org/image/4m5ebg7hz/ You are looking southwest from the roof of the "Nut Lab". The near building is the Indoor Training Facility that they are close to breaking ground on. West of that, on the site of old Memorial is a north-south running FB field with a retractable roof (shown open in image). North of both buildings is a soccer field (that is today a parking lot). On the west end of the soccer field is a parking ramp. That ramp isn't built yet as that'd be in the east side of Columbia Road. However, beyond that ramp to the west is the ramp they have built on the west side of Columbia Road. And before you say all this is pie in the sky (OK, it is), why'd they build a bridge over Columbia Road from the current "west" ramp to an empty parking lot? They had to build a tower (with elevator) on the east side of Columbia for the east end of the bridge. You're telling me that will forever be "a bridge to nowhere"? I'd bet against. Pretty sure that had more to do with building a new parking ramp east of Columbia. Do you honestly think that UND is going to build a 25000 seat retractable roof stadium? Honestly, is this what you really believe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeauxSioux Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 (edited) Pretty sure that had more to do with building a new parking ramp east of Columbia. Do you honestly think that UND is going to build a 25000 seat retractable roof stadium? Honestly, is this what you really believe? I take you back to a conversation 4 years ago where architect Lonnie Laffen said.... My name is Lonnie Laffen and my firm - JLG Architects completed the Athletics Facilities Master Plan for UND. The current plan allots space for a new football stadium back on campus at a future time when the Alerus Center can no longer meet the needs of UND's Football program (20 years?). The plan allows for a new stadium of 25,000 seats with a retractable roof. The recently completed parking facility and a matching counterpart would be directly linked by skywalk. The master plan saves and integrates the existing Memorial Stadium seating section into the new stadium I do believe that the Alerus will no longer meet the needs of UND football in the not so distant future. Edited January 26, 2012 by GeauxSioux Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Pretty sure that had more to do with building a new parking ramp east of Columbia. Do you honestly think that UND is going to build a 25000 seat retractable roof stadium? Honestly, is this what you really believe? That drawing was part of a UND long-term facilities plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darell1976 Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 An honest question....how many games will that roof be open? I see maybe the first few at the most. I never see that roof open in Nov or Dec (playoffs) unless its in the 50's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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