Stadium Expansion - What would it cost?

[LUSportsFan]

Probably a cart ahead of the horse type thing...

 

...I know we have to fill up what we have, but I've wondered what it would cost to add seating to PUS in case we ever got the call to move up. I can always dream. :)

 

I've seen statements like $40 Million, $20 Million, etc. Boise State made a 9,000 seat addition for $3.1 Million last year. (It was actually a replacement and expansion. They took existing endzone seats and put them in the Track & Field facility and installed new seating with more capacity.)

 

Wonder if something like Boise State used would work on the Dauphin Athletic Complex side.

 

http://www.southernbleacher.com/facility.detail.php?category=3&id=204&parent=Universities

 

The same company did the James Madison expansion. The total cost of that project was $45 Million, but it included a lot of work that would probably not be needed at PUS.

 

http://www.southernbleacher.com/facility.detail.php?category=3&id=198&parent=Universities

 

I think decking the stadium would cost more, but don't know. Below is a link to the company that was part of the WKU expansion. WKU's project ended up at $49 Million, but it is difficult to see how much was associated with the expansion from 17,500 to 22,113. WKU also had additional work. The work description sounds like the WKU project price tag included renovations similar to those already made to Provost Umphrey including a new video scoreboard.

 

http://www.stadiumbleachers.com/project-portfolio/houchensindustriesltsmithstadium

 

[Cplatt]

I think if we have a good attendance this yr and we win, then we can dangle expansion talk. We could build ourselves a good home field. I like WKU field

Cplatt

[LUSportsFan]

Something like this would get us to 23,000 seats...

 

Montana State did a 5,000 seat expansion in 2011. For Provost Umphrey it would be a 7,000 seat expansion since part of MSU's project replaced 2,000 existing seats. Total cost of the project was $10 Million, but again it included work that has already been done or work that would not be needed at PUS. (New video scoreboard, demolition of old seats before construction of new could begin, etc.)

 

http://msubobcats.com/news/2011/5/18/FB_0518111917.aspx

 

http://www.msubobcats.com/photo_gallery.aspx?gallery=63 (Double-Click Twice on Photos 4 & 12 to fully expand)

 

Montana State's $10 Million was used for the following. You'll see we would not have to spend as much for an end zone addition to Provost Umphrey. The project's seating arrangement looks like it could almost be a "drop-in / cloned" installation for Provost Umphrey.

 

1. Replace old end zone bleachers seating 2,000 and replacing them with seating capacity for 7,000. (Replacement not needed at PUS - Just addition)

2. New Visitor's Locker Rooms (Again, not needed at PUS - Dauphin Athletic Complex basically brand new)

3. Public Restrooms and Concessions (Not needed at PUS unless we needed to add some for convenience. PUS current facilities are probably more than adequate for additional seats)

4. ADA access and required egress and site utilities

5. Enclosed, Heated Storage (probably not needed at PUS)

6. Sound and Video System enhancements (Been there, done that at PUS)

 

Link to project scope (with diagram)...

 

http://www.montana.edu/EZ/scope.php

[Cplatt]

We could enclose the side near the athletic center and make a entrance tunnel and then we could build up and attach to the sweets on the Montagne Center. Where are the drawing posted a while back of what an expansion would look like? Winning answers every question towards money back into the stadium.

Cplatt

[coachacola]

I think something like this would hold over 30K. I think there's room for a small upper deck on each side or maybe just expand upwards another 10 rows or so. Squeeze some seats in front of the Montagne Center and you're looking at a nice and cozy 40K stadium. I doubt we'll see this anytime soon.

 

width=500 height=414http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7260/6890167022_b26325286e_b.jpg[/img]

30K stadium by lamar football, on Flickr

[Cplatt]

I agree, we would have to sell out every game and win big for that discussion to come up. I do think if done right, we could get 40k plus seats in there and develop a bad ass homefield advantage. Winning = $$$$$

Cplatt

[LUSportsFan]

I'm not an engineer, but I wonder if a free standing cantilevered system might work to deck the stadium. Might be able to avoid having to do any modifications to the current stadium... just build separate units above current seating (or so says this retired accountant talking out of his rear). I did find several examples of stadiums with that type of construction, though. With MLK to the west and the plant & tracks on the east, we would probably be space restricted eliminating some deck designs.

 

Example of free standing decks is at Texas A&M's Kyle Field. We wouldn't require as much space behind the current stands as they do unless we built two decks per side. :)

 

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[LUSportsFan]

Saw this link over on the CSNbbs Sun Belt Board. Our friends in Lafayette are in the middle of a stadium expansion. The current phase is adding 7,000 endzone seats and concessions. The total budgeted project cost is $4,000,000.

 

I'm thinking we could do a similar expansion with our stadium. Provost Umphrey and Cajun Field are similar in that both are dug down. In our case, the project cost might actually be less since we've already spent the money on concessions and restrooms. Based on having lived in Lafayette for three years, I expect the soil conditions are similar to Beaumont's...black gumbo clay. :)

 

Of course, we need to get attendance up, but I'm always looking at what others are doing.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2KBezU4zgw

 

Note: I edited the original thread title since we moved away from Boise State's project.

 

Georgia Southern added 7,000 seats to their stadium for less than $5,000,000 by adding a deck. The project looks nice. I don't know if PUS is set up for a project like theirs at a reasonable cost. (The less than $5,000,000 is the cost of the seating expansion.) As in our renovation their main cost was the athletic complex, concessions, and restrooms. By the way their new athletic complex is similar in size to ours (55,000 sq ft vs our 53,700 sq ft).

 

 

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