FIU Stadium renovation/expansion

[MeanGreen61]

Info posted on the Sun Belt board.

Turner Construction Company's Miami office together with Ellerbe Becket has been awarded a design/build contract by Florida International University to renovate and expand Golden Panther Stadium. The project is currently scheduled fro a June 2008 completion with the Golden Panthers playing the 2008 season in their new home.

Upon completion, Florida International University's current 7,500-seat stadium will be able to accommodate 23,000 fans. The scope of work will also include private suites, a luxury club seating area, Alumni section and outdoor patios as well as increased tailgating areas. Other upgrades include new bathroom facilities, concessions, press box/media areas, field house expansion and new coaches' offices.

"We are honored that FIU has selected us to be a part of this historic project. We are certain that this project will give Florida International University a venue to continue growing their athletics program and increase fan excitement. Turner has been working at FIU for the past 10 years and we are certain that this project will be a landmark for their campus," said Jay Fraser, General Manager of Turner Construction's Miami office.

"Distinctive, intimate athletic facilities create identity and tradition for universities," said Doug Beichley, a principal in Ellerbe Becket's sports practice. "The new Golden Panther Stadium will energize fans and include them in the action. We've created a design that not only addresses how to generate spirited competition, but also how to generate revenue for the school."

[FirefightnRick]

Could y'all read the name on that? I couldn't because it was going too fast. Was it a TrailWays, Greyhound or a Private Coach?

Rick

[Huff]

This is great news for FIU and for the schools that play them. We went to the North Texas Vs FIU game last year. There is not a single school in Divion One that needs a new stadium more than these guys. I am happy for them.

[Baby Arm!]

I'm not impressed. Its a high school stadium ( and not a very good one at that) with some end zone seats. It's an improvement over what they have but I gotta ask....If North Texas decidede to build a 23k seat, ground level, alumninum stadium, would anybody hear be happy with that?

I don't think so.

[UNT_playmaker]

it seems to me like every div 1 program that needs a stadium is getting one, and with plans set to get in done in a certain amount of time....

why isnt the board of regents helping out, unt is getting three more dorms, health center, and numerous other building projects underway and football is ignored...

[FirefightnRick]

I'm not impressed.   Its a high school stadium ( and not a very good one at that) with some end zone seats.     It's an improvement over what they have but I gotta ask....If North Texas decidede to build a 23k seat, ground level,  alumninum stadium,  would anybody hear be happy with that?   

←

Absolutely I could be happy with it if it looked somewhere near like this. Imagine packing it out like that every saturday? Sure it would be tight for now, but the home field advantage would be incredible. Montana's Washington-Grizzly Stadium(They are 1-AA by the way) holds right at 23,775 right now since they enclosed the corners a couple of years ago. It currently has 48 private suites as well. It could easily be added to in the future, but for now, if you could wave a magic wand I'd take it in a heartbeat over what we have right now. FIU is only beginning, like Central Fl, USF and FAU they won't sit still with this size stadium for long. Just the fact that they are going out and getting to this point in such a short amount of time tells me where they are headed for the future.

zooooooom!, right on by.

Rick

Edited July 16, 2006 by FirefightnRick

[PlummMeanGreen]

it seems to me like every div 1 program that needs a stadium is getting one, and with plans set to get in done in a certain amount of time....

why isnt the board of regents helping out, unt is getting three more dorms, health center, and numerous other building projects underway and football is ignored...

←

And UNT_playmaker, don't forget that UNT is also getting a, uh, UNT-Dallas campus which our officials will help build with all our fundraising expertise and UNT System endowment {only $39 million, folks } and with all those Dallas corporate donations that over the last 100 plus years were rarely ever successfully tapped by our main campus fund-raisers at UNT-Denton.

UNT is fighting its war on too many fronts with so few re$erve$. In fact, all should be glad we had Norval Pohl the few years we had him and with his stamp of approval received all the extras albeit (basically) minimal we received at Fouts Field; most of this, of course, before SMU alum Lee Jackson fully took over the reigns of the UNT System.

So just go ahead and enjoy Fouts Field, young gun alums, because save the Big Donor which about 99.9% of you on GMG.com have posted is simply not out there for UNT, never-the-less, w/o Mr. B.D. Fouts Field will be home until TxDOT forces our hand to move in about 10 or 15 years.

The question many might have when that day arrives is: Will we even be ready in 10-15 years to build a major college football stadium (not a 23K seater, either.......sorry FIU) in light of recent trends, stranger than hell business practices of rewarding athletic mediocrity with contract extensions and NT Exes being further lulled to sleep into accepting such business practices; but now even moreso toward the top of the list of concerns for many..........in light of our new leadership, ie, the new president on our main campus.

So............you wanna' get rid of the $tray dog($) that ju$t $howed up on your door$tep$? Well, ju$t don't feed it...it will eventually get the hint, duck their tail$ and go away. Or......like it or not, it might just hang around because no one else really wants it and the poor stray really has no where else to go. So.............MeanJoe, if'ns you don't mind and to borrow your oft' posted lines with a bit of variation:

Buy Flea Collars

Buy Nice Dog Houses for their Retirements

And Be Proud That You $upport Something Few Others At Other Outposts of Similar Size As UNT Would Even (Vaguely) Consider $upporting ...And Especially in the Lone Star Sate, You Know, Where, uh, Football Is King? .

Edited July 16, 2006 by PlummMeanGreen

[FirefightnRick]

Plumm is correct in that much of the universitie's efforts is being directed/funneled at Dallas. That's what RV faced when he took this job and has made his job that much more difficult getting things done ever since. Donors were tapped for certain projects. Then when it was athletics turn to try and tap certain resources, about the time we were getting ready for our second bowl game in a row, athletics was told "NO not this time....either!" Thankfully those involved were able to at least get the ball rolling with the new AC center. Hopefully our new president can be convinced that the "REST" of the story needs tending to?

Rick

Edited July 16, 2006 by FirefightnRick