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Topic: New Alabama State Stadium on ESPN Right Now
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DXer
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Posted: 11/22/2012 4:31 PM
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For those of you discussing renovations to Peden Stadium or a new stadium for the Bobcats, today is opening day for Alabama State's new facility and their game is on ESPN right now for you to look at. Alabama State is a FCS school and the stadium looks great. It holds 26,000 and cost $62M. It includes 200 loge seats, 750 club seats, two party terraces, and 20 luxury box suites. It even has a 64-foot high definition scoreboard. The design is such that it can be expanded up to 55,000 if need be in the future.

It looks really big-time even though it currently holds only 26,000 fans. A new Peden Stadium with this type of design would be great. Since we are an FBS achool, I would certainly push for a 35,000 to 40,000 size version of this style of stadium.

If we want to hunt with the big dogs we should at least upgrade our stadium to at least be a step up from FCS facilities.

Another stadium to emulate from down our way would be Southern Mississippi's football stadium. It holds 36,000 fans and really has a big-time feel. Southern Miss, like Ohio, is not close to any major metropolitan areas, yet it can have a 35,000 seat facility for thier football team.

BillyTheCat
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Posted: 11/22/2012 8:19 PM
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We struggle to raise money for an IPF and locker room renovations, where we going to get 62mill plus?
bobcat695
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Posted: 11/22/2012 9:49 PM
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$62 Million?  No thanks.  I am tired of our country spending money we do not have.  I applaude Ohio University for trying to operate within their means.
Gallia Cat
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Posted: 11/22/2012 9:52 PM
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I agree on the fund raising challenge. If Ohio University does decide to upgrade Peden it would most likely happen during the big upcoming construction renovation phase and the university would most likely just have to bite the bullet and foot the bill. I am sure that will go over real well among some of the militant academic types on campus.

I doubt your looking at anything approaching the $62 million range. If it were me I would simply demolish the main section on student side of stadium and rebuild it similar to what Miami did at Yeager.
mf279801
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Posted: 11/22/2012 10:05 PM
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Oh, just $62 million (plus another $10million for being in a union state), shouldn't be a problem. Just let me check the cushions..."
JSF
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Posted: 11/22/2012 10:07 PM
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bobcat695 wrote:expand_more
I am tired of our country spending money we do not have.


But if we spend money we do have, we don't have it anymore. Might as well spend the money we don't have so we won't miss it.
Pataskala
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Posted: 11/22/2012 10:50 PM
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In Columbus, they have someone who's donated toward replacing St. John's Arena with another facility.  (Yes, they just built the Schott, but why shouldn't O$U have more facilities than they can use?)  A lot of people have expressed the opinion that the project should be funded through private donations and not through school funding.  That comes from a school that seems to be rolling in cash. 
L.C.
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Posted: 11/23/2012 7:44 AM
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$62 million for 26,000 seats is "only" $2400 a seat. If you allocate $15 from each ticket sold to help pay for it, have 6 home games a year, all sellouts, and don't have to pay any interest on the $62 million, you can pay for it is 26.5 years.
The Optimist
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Posted: 11/23/2012 8:29 AM
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You guys are silly.  We are entitled to spend big.  It is our right.  Also, for those of you asking where the money will come from, I've got one word for you: bailout.

mf279801
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Posted: 11/23/2012 9:05 AM
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The Optimist wrote:expand_more
You guys are silly.  We are entitled to spend big.  It is our right.  Also, for those of you asking where the money will come from, I've got one word for you: bailout.



Yes! Everybody in The MAC, non-BCS teams, got [Current President's name redacted]Stadium! Keep [Current President's name redacted] in president, you know? He gave us a stadium!

*Note, names redacted to hopefully make this post sufficiently non-political to be kosher

87OU Alum
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Posted: 11/23/2012 9:58 AM
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Gallia Cat wrote:expand_more
I agree on the fund raising challenge. If Ohio University does decide to upgrade Peden it would most likely happen during the big upcoming construction renovation phase and the university would most likely just have to bite the bullet and foot the bill. I am sure that will go over real well among some of the militant academic types on campus.

I doubt your looking at anything approaching the $62 million range. If it were me I would simply demolish the main section on student side of stadium and rebuild it similar to what Miami did at Yeager.


The way Peden is constructed allows for alot of flexibility in renovation/Expansion.

Phase 1. Take out the current Student side........reconstruct with two levels.
Phase 2. Close in the Richland End........45 degree off the student section transition to a 90. Visiting locker room underneath with lower level seats and suite/seating on the top.  Leave unconnected on the Tower Side
Phase 3 would be close in South Green Drive end.......transitions would same as Richland end.
Phase 4 Tower Side......Leave this open ended based on needs of the stadium. Renovation and gutting of the underside should coincide though with phase 1.

 

 

colobobcat66
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Posted: 11/23/2012 10:53 AM
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bobcat695 wrote:expand_more
$62 Million? No thanks. I am tired of our country spending money we do not have. I applaude Ohio University for trying to operate within their means.
Based on the results of the last election, you're in the minority.
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Posted: 11/23/2012 11:25 AM
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mf279801 wrote:expand_more
You guys are silly.  We are entitled to spend big.  It is our right.  Also, for those of you asking where the money will come from, I've got one word for you: bailout.



Yes! Everybody in The MAC, non-BCS teams, got [Current President's name redacted]Stadium! Keep [Current President's name redacted] in president, you know? He gave us a stadium!

*Note, names redacted to hopefully make this post sufficiently non-political to be kosher



This is so great
DXer
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Posted: 11/23/2012 11:40 AM
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Again, if you want to be a part of the FBS division, you should at least upgrade your facilities to at least be better than those at the FCS level. The disparity in size between a large majority of FBS schools' stadiums and those of the MAC is incredible. If you want to run with the big dogs, there should be an attitude of at least trying to increase your fan base so that a larger stadium would be necessary. The above example was a FCS school who could get the necessary funding. Why is Ohio athletics so faint on the radar scale that such an idea would be out of the question for us, an FBS school?
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Posted: 11/23/2012 12:02 PM
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colobobcat66 wrote:expand_more
$62 Million? No thanks. I am tired of our country spending money we do not have. I applaude Ohio University for trying to operate within their means.
Based on the results of the last election, you're in the minority.


at the risk of hitching a ride on the Siberian express...  I think people remembered that the other party has NO credibility regarding debt or deficits.
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Posted: 11/23/2012 7:38 PM
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For one, I would like to see a new Peden Stadium. Current Stadium isn't in the best shape. The only problem is we don't sell out every game, and do we have the money?
TheBikeman
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Posted: 11/23/2012 9:51 PM
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Tuition at OU isat an all time high, the school needs a lot of infrastructure repairs. I think Peden would be at the bottom of the list.
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Posted: 11/23/2012 11:56 PM
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Yea, OUr current athletic budget really eats-up the University's resources, afterall we spend about 3% of the total annual budget on athletics.  Secondly, with the proposed plan of spend approximately $1,000,000,000 (that's right, 1 billion) in renovations/construction/repairs on campus, how in the world can we justify spending $65,000,000 or whatever on a sports stadium?
 
Hopefully you will understand my sarcasm.  I could care less what the faculty says, spend the money on a new stadium!
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Posted: 11/24/2012 12:14 AM
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There in a process of remodeling and rebuilding about 80 percent of the South Green by adding 6 dorms and tearing down about 12. There are building a practice facility for the football team. I would like them to add and fix Peden stadium, but I think OU is focusing on Academics which I applaud. You go to school to graduate, not to blow millions on sports (cough SEC). Even though it can be a great source of revenue. 
catfan28
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Posted: 11/24/2012 12:19 AM
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SonnyDrysdale wrote:expand_more
Tuition at OU is at an all time high


Had to laugh at that one. Tuition is at an all-time high at every school in the country. When's the last time someone decreased tuition?
Good cat Good cat
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Posted: 11/25/2012 8:00 PM
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We don't have the money. As it is, the university will be drowning in bond debt 20-30 yrs from now. 'Nough said.
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Posted: 11/25/2012 8:10 PM
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ou79 wrote:expand_more
Yea, OUr current athletic budget really eats-up the University's resources, afterall we spend about 3% of the total annual budget on athletics.  Secondly, with the proposed plan of spend approximately $1,000,000,000 (that's right, 1 billion) in renovations/construction/repairs on campus, how in the world can we justify spending $65,000,000 or whatever on a sports stadium?
 
Hopefully you will understand my sarcasm.  I could care less what the faculty says, spend the money on a new stadium!


2.6 Billion in the next 20 years, 978 Million in the next six years. Yeah.. a new stadium from the genreal university fund is a little bit out of the question. 

However, if the right private donations come about and/or additional revenue increases it coud very well happen. Case-and-point, the "multi-purpose" center. 
Ohio69
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Posted: 11/25/2012 9:22 PM
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I can see the non-SEC southern schools taking over the second tier of div. I football.  Arkansas State.  Alabama State. Troy.  Louisiana Tech.  Etc.  Looks like they are going to build the facilities and spend the money and have better programs than the MAC.  And, likely CUSA and whatever becomes of the Big East.  And, unlike the MAC, fans will show up.  





Casper71
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Posted: 11/25/2012 10:19 PM
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Do you seriously think that "if they build it they will fill it" sounds like something that will happen at Ohio?  I seriously doubt our ability to EVER draw over 30,000 (unless tosu plays in Athens). 
catfan28
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Posted: 11/25/2012 11:18 PM
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Ohio69 wrote:expand_more
I can see the non-SEC southern schools taking over the second tier of div. I football.  Arkansas State.  Alabama State. Troy.  Louisiana Tech.  Etc. 


LA Tech: 25,841
Arkansas State: 25,429
OHIO: 21,844
Troy: 20,952
Alabama State: 15,563

I get your point, but it's not like these schools are exactly killing it with attendance. They play in the shadow of the SEC like we play in the shadow of the Big 10. Don't see them taking off anytime soon.

As for Alabama State, they are an FCS school in the SWAC...a collection of HBCU's that have some of the lowest budgets in the country. There's been little to no talk of them going FBS, and their budget is less than half of ours. Nice, shiny (debt ridden) football stadium - but little substance otherwise.
Last Edited: 11/25/2012 11:18:59 PM by catfan28
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