Talked To Rick Tonight About The Stadium

3XNTGRAD · November 28, 2008

I've heard Texas State was not available because the Texas State University System has rights to that name and we're not a part of it. I like that "North Texas" is linked to all our past names but if I had a choice I would have taken Texas State in an instant. Big mistake we made there if it was available. It's much less regional for a name and better credibility Nationally overall as a name.

Since it never went to a vote, it is unlikely that we will never know if it could have been. The political issues you've mentioned may have been a reason that it was never seriously suggested beyond the initial talk.

Personally, I went to North Texas and am damn proud of the moniker, even though one degree was from NTSU and the other two were from UNT, it has and always will be my school!

Green Dozer · November 28, 2008

It's called under promise, over deliver.
So far all the doomsdayer's have been dead wrong about this project, so I'm going to bank on Flyer and RV on this one. If RV says Spring ground breaking, I'll believe it until we have concrete evidence to the contrary.

So you are dismissing Dr. B's comments? Maybe all us doomsdayer's as you call anybody who questions how this fan base comes up with its $30 mil have been dead wrong, but she is the only one who has been consistent in her statements about the stadium. And in this economy, if RV does sign a corporate sponsor before this spring or summer groundbreaking, then he will have a job waiting for him in NFL, MLB, NBA, and NASCAR marketing.

Green Dozer · November 28, 2008

I have a hard time believing blueprints for a simple stadium would cost $3.5 million, that's crazy. And I know the drawings all had "concept" plastered on them for liability sake but why would they trot out drawings and a model that wouldn't be close to what we wanted? I think most all were happy with the design and greatly preferred it over the previous "concept" drawings back a few years ago. They would be taking a big chance to come up with a completely new design all over again; but they don't ask us for our opinions, right?

Sorry, 3.5 million is not crazy. This is not a house. There are engineering studies that have to be done which includes all the drainage, traffic flow, etc. Then there is the electrical design, plumbing, other, plans for sprinkler system etc., every little detail has to be accounted for and included in the blueprint, and there, the price gets up there. Maybe not 3.5 mil, but 2 to 3 million would not be surprising, and I have heard RV say so in person.

Edited November 28, 2008 by Green Dozer

November 28, 2008

From what I understand, legislators that we trusted told us that it (Texas State) was almost certain to fail for the reason cited. I'm not sure that the Texas State University System existed under that name at the time. It is the oldest multi-college system in Texas, dating back to 1911, but very few had achieved university status until around 1970. We were a long-time member until the early 50s when we received our own Board of Regents.

The name change talks started at that time and I believe that it was the 60s and not the 80s when the Texas State name change surfaced.

UNTFan23 · November 28, 2008

Sorry, 3.5 million is not crazy. This is not a house. There are engineering studies that have to be done which includes all the drainage, traffic flow, etc. Then there is the electrical design, plumbing, other, sprinkler system for the field, every little detail has to be accounted for and included in the blueprint, and there, the price gets up there. Maybe not 3.5 mil, but 2 to 3 million would not be surprising, and I have heard RV say so in person.

Why do we need a sprinkler system for the field? :blink: We could easily dump a cool million per year on maintaining a grass field. That million should be spent on better things.

Also, I think many of the drainage and traffic studies have already been done.

Edited November 28, 2008 by UNTFan23

Green Dozer · November 28, 2008

Why do we need a sprinkler system for the field? We could easily dump a cool million per year on maintaining a grass field. That million should be spent on better things.
Also, I think many of the drainage and traffic studies have already been done.

Sorry, have no idea about the sprinkler system. Just using for an example as what is or could be included in plans. Also, no drainage and traffic studies have not been done. And that from Rick, in person, last month as I asked him at the Pourhouse. Also, I did not mention as part of the planse, once all the dirt is removed, the surveyors have to come back and do it all over again to make sure all the elevation is correct. I am in the construction industry, have been for 10 years, and 3 million for the plans is not unreasonable for a project this size.

Edited November 28, 2008 by Green Dozer

adman · November 28, 2008

Why do we need a sprinkler system for the field? We could easily dump a cool million per year on maintaining a grass field. That million should be spent on better things.
Also, I think many of the drainage and traffic studies have already been done.

Because we get free water.

But perhaps he meant sprinkler system as in fire extinguishing system.

NT80 · November 28, 2008

Also, I think many of the drainage and traffic studies have already been done.

They were done for the site in general when Eagle Point was being planned and a stadium considered for that spot. It was deemed suitable for a stadium.

3XNTGRAD · November 29, 2008

The name change talks started at that time and I believe that it was the 60s and not the 80s when the Texas State name change surfaced.

I've always read and heard that the UNT name was the one first put forward in the 1960s, and that UT legislators said now way to any "University of" name other than UT. That was when the NTSU compromise was finally approved.

Anybody know if TSU was even considered back in the 60s, or if that was first considered with the name change in the 80s?

NT80 · November 29, 2008

I've always read and heard that the UNT name was the one first put forward in the 1960s, and that UT legislators said now way to any "University of" name other than UT. That was when the NTSU compromise was finally approved.
Anybody know if TSU was even considered back in the 60s, or if that was first considered with the name change in the 80s?

UNT was suggested as a name change in a bill in Feb. 1961. It passed in the House but in the Senate the Austin senator said it would "damage" UT and threatened a fillabuster, so NTSU was the upgrade compromise from NTSC. Not sure if TSU was floated back then but I'd like to know.

UNT_playmaker · November 29, 2008

Hayden Fry pushed for the "Texas State" name for better name recognition and to stay away from being a directional school. Fry also pushed for us to be in the old SWC and play rival games with SM-?.....

His requests were ignored by NT adminstrators and blocked by the douche bags that are SMU and he basically saw being a head coach at NTSU was a loss cause....

houstonmeangreen · November 29, 2008

UNT was suggested as a name change in a bill in Feb. 1961. It passed in the House but in the Senate the Austin senator said it would "damage" UT and threatened a fillabuster, so NTSU was the upgrade compromise from NTSC. Not sure if TSU was floated back then but I'd like to know.

NTSC (or maybe it was NTSU) got its name from a typo in Austin....North was added by mistake and UNT just left it in the name...originaly submitted as TSC (or TSU). The history of this was posted at a celebration at UNT when UNT changed it's name to UNT from NTSU...I read this and thought "what a strange way to come by a school's name"

yyz28 · November 30, 2008

So you are dismissing Dr. B's comments? Maybe all us doomsdayer's as you call anybody who questions how this fan base comes up with its $30 mil have been dead wrong, but she is the only one who has been consistent in her statements about the stadium. And in this economy, if RV does sign a corporate sponsor before this spring or summer groundbreaking, then he will have a job waiting for him in NFL, MLB, NBA, and NASCAR marketing.

No, I'm not dismissing them at all - waht I AM saying, and have said since the beginning, is that WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THE $30M in hand to begin construction. RV's statements and what Flyer has told us have, to date, been pretty accurate - Dr. B has a reason to not be overly positive at this time as it is her job to get funding for the whole school, not just the Athletic department and she has to politic more than RV does. It's the same people who were convinced the student vote woudn't go our way and were expecting the end of UNT athletics who are now convinced that everything to date was just subturfuge to appease everyone for a short period of time, but this time 5 years down the road we still won't have broken ground.

I don't call everyone who questions how this fan base comes up with $30 million doomsdayers. I call those who, no matter what is said or done, STILL thinks this project is dead in the water doomsdayers.

We have a GREAT bond rating. It doesn't matter if this sucker doesn't get paid for in 20 years - it will still get built, and will go as scheduled.

3XNTGRAD · November 30, 2008

NTSC (or maybe it was NTSU) got its name from a typo in Austin....North was added by mistake and UNT just left it in the name...originaly submitted as TSC (or TSU). The history of this was posted at a celebration at UNT when UNT changed it's name to UNT from NTSU...I read this and thought "what a strange way to come by a school's name"

Your post is only half right. The "North" was added by Austin from the original name -- but in the 1890s, not the 1960s. So, North has been part of our name since almost the beginning -- it wasn't some late add on that has no history.

When Texas Normal College and Teacher Training Institute (the founding name) applied for certification to offer teaching certificates after the founding of the school, the approved certificate came back with the name "North Texas Normal College" as the name -- and we have been "North Texas" ever since.

We have no history of a TSU like name, so it is a stretch to think we should be TSU instead of UNT (and as already posted -- UNT is the name we asked for in the 1960s, rather than NTSU).

adman · November 30, 2008

Your post is only half right. The "North" was added by Austin from the original name -- but in the 1890s, not the 1960s. So, North has been part of our name since almost the beginning -- it wasn't some late add on that has no history.
When Texas Normal College and Teacher Training Institute (the founding name) applied for certification to offer teaching certificates after the founding of the school, the approved certificate came back with the name "North Texas Normal College" as the name -- and we have been "North Texas" ever since.
We have no history of a TSU like name, so it is a stretch to think we should be TSU instead of UNT (and as already posted -- UNT is the name we asked for in the 1960s, rather than NTSU).

While we are on the subject of history, can anyone give me the lowdown on the bell used at the game? What is its history? Where did it come from? What is its significance? How long have we had it? Etc etc.

NT91 · December 1, 2008

I've never seen the man so excited about the stadium project. He said everything is on schedule, corporate fund raising *IS* going on, and that we are still on target to break ground late spring/early summer. The legislation will be introduced in January and we're keeping our fingers crossed that it will pass early rather than later in the session.

So the first game in the new stadium will be in 2011?

FirefightnRick · December 1, 2008

While we are on the subject of history, can anyone give me the lowdown on the bell used at the game? What is its history? Where did it come from? What is its significance? How long have we had it? Etc etc.

It is a near identical replacement of the Normal bell that was retired and placed on permanant display in the union. Both weigh an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 lbs. The alumni had searched for many years to replace the Normal bell since it's retirement in 1982, which was due to it cracking after years of service on campus, and then at the football games. Keith and Susan Swartz and family finally found the new NT Spirit Bell a few years ago in Michigan and had it shipped here to Texas. If I'm not mistaken I believe it was cast by the same manufacturer as the original also? After deciding on several ideas how to best move the large bell around, they bought an airport jet tug that was acquired from an airforce base here in Texas and customized it so that the bell could be mounted permanantly onto it and then safely transported anywhere they need it to be. As far as we have been able to find it is currently the largest, motorized spirit bell used in collegiate athletics today.

Rick

Sound_Man · December 1, 2008

It is a near identical replacement of the Normal bell that was retired and placed on permanant display in the union. Both weigh an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 lbs. The alumni had searched for many years to replace the Normal bell since it's retirement in 1982, which was due to it cracking after years of service on campus, and then at the football games. Keith and Susan Swartz and family finally found the new NT Spirit Bell a few years ago in Michigan and had it shipped here to Texas. If I'm not mistaken I believe it was cast by the same manufacturer as the original also? After deciding on several ideas how to best move the large bell around, they bought an airport jet tug that was acquired from an airforce base here in Texas and customized it so that the bell could be mounted permanantly onto it and then safely transported anywhere they need it to be. As far as we have been able to find it is currently the largest, motorized spirit bell used in collegiate athletics today.
Rick

why hasn't it been around this season though?

Bryan316 · December 1, 2008

why hasn't it been around this season though?

I know B23 can give more insight, but I believe it's going through an overhaul/rebuild like the Model A did earlier this year.

aztecskin · December 1, 2008

I think it is funny, and kind of sad that Red McCombs dropped 50 mill for the biz school at UT. We are having a debate on whether or not it will be possible to raise 30 mill from alumni. Another reminder of our station in life.

mad dog · December 1, 2008

Sorry, 3.5 million is not crazy. This is not a house. There are engineering studies that have to be done which includes all the drainage, traffic flow, etc. Then there is the electrical design, plumbing, other, plans for sprinkler system etc., every little detail has to be accounted for and included in the blueprint, and there, the price gets up there. Maybe not 3.5 mil, but 2 to 3 million would not be surprising, and I have heard RV say so in person.

If UNT paid $3.5 million for drainage and engineering, they got hosed. Addison paid $500,000 for a drainage and infrastructure study, and that was for a $1 billion dollar development over in the Brookhaven Club area. Let's say the D&I was somehow as complicated as a major urban redevelopment, and cost the same amount. In that case, you're still paying $3 million for stadium plans. Now whether or not that is too high... I don't know. But D&I shouldn't play that much into it.

Green Dozer · December 1, 2008

If UNT paid $3.5 million for drainage and engineering, they got hosed. Addison paid $500,000 for a drainage and infrastructure study, and that was for a $1 billion dollar development over in the Brookhaven Club area. Let's say the D&I was somehow as complicated as a major urban redevelopment, and cost the same amount. In that case, you're still paying $3 million for stadium plans. Now whether or not that is too high... I don't know. But D&I shouldn't play that much into it.

Sorry i was not clear..I was talking about total cost of all the plans....picky picky picky.