Original Plans For The Stadium Call For A Starting Capacity Of 32,000

WIFE2HOT4U · January 30, 2007

Al and Shirley Goldfield, longtime Denton County residents, made official their donation of $1.5 million to the athletic department by presenting a check during halftime of the Mean Green men's basketball game Thursday.

"This is the largest donation in NT athletics history," said Athletic Director Rick Villarreal. "The donation will be used to keep the athletics program up-to-date on all facilities and other items necessary to stay competitive in Division 1-A athletics, which includes a new stadium."

The stadium will be located on the former Eagle Point golf course, adjacent to the Mean Green Village. Original plans for the stadium call for a starting capacity of 32,000, with the possibility of expansion to more than 50,000.

The plans also call for luxury boxes and a club level, for people who want a different view of the game. Department officials expect the stadium to be completed in 2009.

"We want the stadium to be used more than six times a year for outdoor concerts and wedding receptions," Villarreal said.

Fouts Field is currently only used for football.

The Goldfields said they love college sports and want to see the program succeed.

"I met Rick last year," Al said. "He talked to me about getting involved [with NT]. I love college sports, and my wife and I like the people involved with athletics and this university."

Al was the founder and CEO for Cell Star Corp., a leader in the wireless communication industry. When he retired in 2001, the corporation grossed more than $2.5 billion in revenue and encompassed a large international market, Al said.

"As the athletic department grows, so does the university," Al said. "My donation is a start to kick off the stadium campaign, and many other donations should follow. The university is growing like crazy, and could soon pass Texas A&M as the second largest university. A new stadium is important, as it attracts more players to NT, and makes for more of a winning atmosphere."

WIFE2HOT4U · January 30, 2007

http://media.www.ntdaily.com/media/storage...gepublisher.com

untbowler · January 30, 2007

"We want the stadium to be used more than six times a year for outdoor concerts and wedding receptions," Villarreal said.
Fouts Field is currently only used for football.

So does track practice elsewhere? What about the regional meets that occur every year?

I want Fouts imploded also but come on get the facts correct.

PlummMeanGreen · January 30, 2007

Al and Shirley Goldfield, longtime Denton County residents, made official their donation of $1.5 million to the athletic department by presenting a check during halftime of the Mean Green men's basketball game Thursday.
"This is the largest donation in NT athletics history," said Athletic Director Rick Villarreal. "The donation will be used to keep the athletics program up-to-date on all facilities and other items necessary to stay competitive in Division 1-A athletics, which includes a new stadium."
The stadium will be located on the former Eagle Point golf course, adjacent to the Mean Green Village. Original plans for the stadium call for a starting capacity of 32,000, with the possibility of expansion to more than 50,000.
The plans also call for luxury boxes and a club level, for people who want a different view of the game. Department officials expect the stadium to be completed in 2009.
"We want the stadium to be used more than six times a year for outdoor concerts and wedding receptions," Villarreal said.
Fouts Field is currently only used for football.
The Goldfields said they love college sports and want to see the program succeed.
"I met Rick last year," Al said. "He talked to me about getting involved [with NT]. I love college sports, and my wife and I like the people involved with athletics and this university."
Al was the founder and CEO for Cell Star Corp., a leader in the wireless communication industry. When he retired in 2001, the corporation grossed more than $2.5 billion in revenue and encompassed a large international market, Al said.
"As the athletic department grows, so does the university," Al said. "My donation is a start to kick off the stadium campaign, and many other donations should follow. The university is growing like crazy, and could soon pass Texas A&M as the second largest university. A new stadium is important, as it attracts more players to NT, and makes for more of a winning atmosphere."

Never say never...

ColoradoEagle · January 30, 2007

Well, beggars can't be choosers, but this is short-sighted to say the least.

Stan R · January 30, 2007

Well, beggars can't be choosers, but this is short-sighted to say the least.

Why is it short sighted? It can always be expanded upon. SMU did just fine with it's 32K seat stadium, maybe it is 35K, not sure. My point is that we have yet to sell out our 32K seat stadium, we average less than 17K. Until I start seeing consistent numbers averaging around the 30K mark, to me it makes sense to get a 32K seat stadium sooner than later. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that we will have funding for a 32K seat stadium a hell of a lot faster than a 45K seat one.

Bottom line:

You want to wait until 2015 to get a new 45K stadium, go for it. If you want to wait until 2009, you can get a 32K seat stadium. I ain't waiting around until 2015 dude.

AJR2010OX · January 30, 2007

ok, I wrote the article. Track does practice at Fouts, and there is the region 2-4a meet held every year, as well as the north texas classic, but I meant and Rick meant that 30k people would fill up for things besides football. Sorry its only my 2nd time writing for the NT Daily, my bad.

Why is it short sighted? It can always be expanded upon. SMU did just fine with it's 32K seat stadium, maybe it is 35K, not sure. My point is that we have yet to sell out our 32K seat stadium, we average less than 17K. Until I start seeing consistent numbers averaging around the 30K mark, to me it makes sense to get a 32K seat stadium sooner than later. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that we will have funding for a 32K seat stadium a hell of a lot faster than a 45K seat one.
Bottom line:
You want to wait until 2015 to get a new 45K stadium, go for it. If you want to wait until 2009, you can get a 32K seat stadium. I ain't waiting around until 2015 dude.

Travis · January 30, 2007

ok, I wrote the article. Track does practice at Fouts, and there is the region 2-4a meet held every year, as well as the north texas classic, but I meant and Rick meant that 30k people would fill up for things besides football. Sorry its only my 2nd time writing for the NT Daily, my bad.

I understood what you meant. Good article. I am glad to know that there are some that truly care about the universiity and its success.

SilverEagle · January 30, 2007

Why is it short sighted? It can always be expanded upon. SMU did just fine with it's 32K seat stadium, maybe it is 35K, not sure. My point is that we have yet to sell out our 32K seat stadium, we average less than 17K. Until I start seeing consistent numbers averaging around the 30K mark, to me it makes sense to get a 32K seat stadium sooner than later. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that we will have funding for a 32K seat stadium a hell of a lot faster than a 45K seat one.

Here's my take on that situation. Unless we get Baylor to come back, or TCU, or some other (in the eyes of the casual fan/student) high profile team, then we'll probably never fill up Fouts to it's capacity of 30.5K.

Why? Because as crappy as the regular seating is.....the endzone seats are even worse. They are all-metal, which makes them brutal to sit on early in the season, and you can't see worth a damn unless the teams are practically on the goal-line.

Even if North Texas turns into the most entertaining/ass-kicking football team in all of Texas this fall, everyone watching from the endzone seats will overall be punished for their experience, more than they will be entertained.

untbowler · January 30, 2007

ok, I wrote the article. Track does practice at Fouts, and there is the region 2-4a meet held every year, as well as the north texas classic, but I meant and Rick meant that 30k people would fill up for things besides football. Sorry its only my 2nd time writing for the NT Daily, my bad.

sorry did not mean to call you out. :ph34r:

I'll go back and hide in the Ozarks

Was a very good pro-athletics article. Nice job

Keith7 · January 30, 2007

I wonder what they plan to do with the fouts when/if a new stadium is built?

ADLER · January 30, 2007

The plans also call for luxury boxes and a club level, for people who want a different view of the game. "We want the stadium to be used more than six times a year for outdoor concerts and wedding receptions," Villarreal said.
Fouts Field is currently only used for football.

Didn't Theron J Fouts also have a grand idea of putting the track and the field events between the football field and the fan seating? Well, doing the same with the coctail party rooms and the banquet halls should work almost as well. I wonder why no other schools do this.

HELLO MCNEESE STATE!

Whippee Shine! It's a whipped topping AND a floor wax!

(but probably not very good at either)

trud1966 · January 30, 2007

I wonder what they plan to do with the fouts when/if a new stadium is built?

Hopefully implode that s.o.b. When they do, I'm going to be sitting across the street, on the hill at the Super Pit with a 6 pack and watching. I will NOT be sad to see her disappear into the night. That stadium has to fall 2nd in the "all time ugly" catagory right behind Texas Stadium.

Edited January 30, 2007 by trud1966

Green Mean · January 30, 2007

I wonder what they plan to do with the fouts when/if a new stadium is built?

I heard that the immediately plans for that space when they tear down Fouts will be to put parking there....as many of us know we have a huge parking problem at NT so thats what they will probably do.

the real grad88 · January 30, 2007

I'll take 32K now in a heartbeat. We can add on later. I just hope this info is true. So, we have the donations/pledges to actually build it? It this true?

FirefightnRick · January 30, 2007

ok, I wrote the article. Track does practice at Fouts, and there is the region 2-4a meet held every year, as well as the north texas classic, but I meant and Rick meant that 30k people would fill up for things besides football. Sorry its only my 2nd time writing for the NT Daily, my bad.

I understood exactly what you meant, and GOOD JOB on the article. From what I understand about the future of our track program is that we will eventually build another track venue elsewhere, probably south of the Andrew Smith Practice facility. Easily done as track doesn't require many stands and they could probably use the endzone aluminum seating as a basis for it's stands as those can be easily dissmantled, moved and reassembled.

Rick

Mean'n'Green07 · January 30, 2007

I'll take 32K now in a heartbeat. We can add on later. I just hope this info is true. So, we have the donations/pledges to actually build it? It this true?

I would think if we were close to wrapping up big donations we would want to announce the official news as soon as possible to help with recruiting. It seems to me perfect timing for an announcement would have been last month as TD and company hit the roads hard talking to new recruits. Don't get me wrong, I don't really care what time of the year the announcement is made... just seems it would of made sense to get the news out as fast as allowed during recruiting season.

One more thing: Why does everybody seem to think a new stadium announcement is looming around the corner? Has RV or anyone else personally said there will be announcement shortly or is this all just pure speculation?

Edited January 30, 2007 by Mean'n'Green07

Stan R · January 30, 2007

I would think if we were close to wrapping up big donations we would want to announce the official news as soon as possible to help with recruiting. It seems to me perfect timing for an announcement would have been last month as TD and company hit the roads hard talking to new recruits. Don't get me wrong, I don't really care what time of the year the announcement is made... just seems it would of made sense to get the news out as fast as allowed during recruiting season.
One more thing: Why does everybody seem to think a new stadium announcement is looming around the corner? Has RV or anyone else personally said there will be announcement shortly or is this all just pure speculation?

pure speculation. :bangin:

AJR2010OX · January 30, 2007

i would think something would come out:

A. Signing Day

B. Spring Game

C. University Day?

D. Sometime during spring practice

E. August... to get students excited

one thing I would advise all of you to look at is the UNT masterplan... its 144 pages and you can get it (at least I did) by searching on Google UNT Masterplan. Its really interesting to see what the expected future holds for UNT

pure speculation.

Eagle1855 · January 30, 2007

one thing I would advise all of you to look at is the UNT masterplan... its 144 pages and you can get it (at least I did) by searching on Google UNT Masterplan. Its really interesting to see what the expected future holds for UNT

yeah, it is pretty cool. I look forward to the day the campus looks like page #74.

Edited January 30, 2007 by Eagle1855

Stan R · January 30, 2007

I've read that plan and it is definitely exciting. I think the great part to me is the addition of all of the large trees and closing off of most of the streets to make the campus more pedestrian friendly. I am amazed at how fast everything is already coming along with the new dorms, etc. Does anyone know how the library mall area expansion is coming along? They were going to spend an extra 100-250K on that area for a waterfall, etc.. Has that happened yet?

BonfireBrian · January 30, 2007

i would think something would come out:
A. Signing Day
B. Spring Game
C. University Day?
D. Sometime during spring practice
E. August... to get students excited
one thing I would advise all of you to look at is the UNT masterplan... its 144 pages and you can get it (at least I did) by searching on Google UNT Masterplan. Its really interesting to see what the expected future holds for UNT

That master plan is extremely exciting. I highly recommend that all of you take some time to look at it, and realize how great North Texas will soon become! The new stadium is in this plan, and so are the plans for Fouts Field's replacement in that area.

Mean'n'Green07 · January 30, 2007

yeah, it is pretty cool. I look forward to the day the campus looks like page #74.

I really liked the library mall... last time I checked it is still under construction installing the new fountains

AJR2010OX · January 30, 2007

supposedly the mall cost $500,000 or so, all donated by someone... I think its gonna be called Julies fountain or something of that nature. I'm more excited about Legends Hall, the new intramural fields, and the new sorority coming back on campus.

I really liked the library mall... last time I checked it is still under construction installing the new fountains

Coffee and TV · January 30, 2007

I heard that the immediately plans for that space when they tear down Fouts will be to put parking there....as many of us know we have a huge parking problem at NT so thats what they will probably do.

I think a parking garage or two would certainly help as well. And maybe by 2012/2015 DART will come all the way to Denton which should help ease some of the parking tensions brought on by out-of-town commuters.