When We Have To Expand New Stadium For Either...

PlummMeanGreen · October 4, 2010

Some of you close to the stadium scene have an answer for the future expansion of our new stadium when that day arrives (and it will). And then...at what part of our new stadium would you put a 5,000 or 10,000 seat expansion (which would be more likely)?

Prediction: A new "name HFC" will cause this expansion to happen much sooner than later.

GMG!

Edited October 4, 2010 by PlummMeanGreen

Green Crazy · October 4, 2010

i would fill in the gaps between the wings and each section.

Mean Green Matt · October 4, 2010

Tear out the wing, particularly because of the ugly steel support beams, and complete the bowl with concrete all the way around. Then add an upper deck on the student side, with a row of suites in between levels like Kansas State...if expansion is needed past that, we must be doing really, really well.

FirefightnRick · October 4, 2010

i would fill in the gaps between the wings and each section.

Yup, in the corners. Not sure how many we can get in there but that would be the best place.

Rick

PlummMeanGreen · October 4, 2010

i would fill in the gaps between the wings and each section.

The wings part of our stadium look like a temporary thing to me with the erector set backing on all the renderings.

How many butts does the "wings" part of our new stadium even seat? Could it be taken out completely and 10K be put in its place? I see major college stadiums with endzone seating as large as sideline seating.

Wonder if there is a new stadium master plan in place for expansion of stadium? I have no idea what the student side will look like since all we see is the Press Box side in most everything.

I would think double-decking the student side would be out of the question because of how expensive that would be. Anyone know?

GMG!

PS: Thanks for the photo, FFR! And are there 4 separate corners that have present areas for expansion, Rick?

Edited October 4, 2010 by PlummMeanGreen

Mean Green Matt · October 4, 2010

The wings part of our stadium look like a temporary thing to me with the erector set backing on all the renderings.

How many butts does the "wings" part of our new stadium even seat? Could it be taken out completely and 10K be put in its place? I see major college stadiums with endzone seating as large as sideline seating. Wonder if there is a new stadium master plan in place for expansion of stadium? I have no idea what the student side will look like since all we see is the Press Box side in most everything. I would think double-decking would be out of the question because of how expensive that would be. Anyone know?

GMG!

PS: Thanks for the photo, FFR!

I have been under the impression that the wings were going to be torn out...thats why they are being made cheaply of metal...I don't have inside information or anything...just thought that was the plan.

Green Mean · October 4, 2010

If and when the day comes where UNT football is a power and even 50K seats aren't enough, is it even possible to expand beyond that to say 70 or 80 thousand? I imagine all the old big school stadiums today weren't ever figured to expand to 80-100k capacity but they made it happen. So I wonder if technically our stadium could be expanded beyond 50k?

PlummMeanGreen · October 4, 2010

If and when the day comes where UNT football is a power and even 50K seats aren't enough, is it even possible to expand beyond that to say 70 or 80 thousand? I imagine all the old big school stadiums today weren't ever figured to expand to 80-100k capacity but they made it happen. So I wonder if technically our stadium could be expanded beyond 50k?

Good question, Green Mean.

I remember seeing TAMU Coach Gene Stallings last game as Aggie coach versus DKR's Horns down in College Station when Kyle Field seated about 45,000--it had a track in it, too, which they put chairs around the stadium perimeter at that time.

Many of us remmber OSU in Stillwater's stadium and the dramatic change T. Boone Pickens money created for that stadium. Some of these stadiums don't even resemble their former looks.

TCU will probably do the same thing with Amon Carter as OSU did and I would guess may lose some seating as a result? PerryFrog, you there? I left you a PM anyway.

GMG!

Edited October 4, 2010 by PlummMeanGreen

FirefightnRick · October 4, 2010

So I wonder if technically our stadium could be expanded beyond 50k?

I see no reason why it couldn't. After seeing what they were able to do at DKR and Kyle, and soon to be at Amon Carter as well, I think anything is possible.

Rick

Mean Green Matt · October 4, 2010

So I wonder if technically our stadium could be expanded beyond 50k?

I have stared at the designs and construction extensively in the past (which I know is kind of lame) thinking about this. At that point, we would assume we have the money to spend, even if expansion is expensive. Expanding to 70k or 80k may require tearing out the AC deck and completing the bowl around the stadium. The only other thing I can think of is they lengthen the press box on the alumni side to be the full length of stands, and put an upper deck on that side. Both of these are kind of extreme, but may work if we ever needed it. An upper deck over the completed bowl in the endzone opposite the AC may be the first step past 50K though.

GrayEagle · October 5, 2010

Jim, quit thinking small. The next expansion will add at least 15,000 seats when we are invited to the Big XII. Seriously, if we can consistently fill the new stadium I would guess that we'll go ahead and expand it to 50K because if we can do that that will mean that we are having a lot of success on the field.

I haven't seen any plans for the expansion but understand that it calls for filling in the horseshoe and double-decking the east side.

BTW, what is the large structure between the east stands and the AC?

Green Otaku · October 5, 2010

If and when the day comes where UNT football is a power and even 50K seats aren't enough, is it even possible to expand beyond that to say 70 or 80 thousand? I imagine all the old big school stadiums today weren't ever figured to expand to 80-100k capacity but they made it happen. So I wonder if technically our stadium could be expanded beyond 50k?

Sounds like our stadium is configured to go 50k seats by adding on. The strength and structures put in place are for those specifications. When UT built their new end zone, the whole thing had to be rebuilt structurally, which we would have to do as well if we want to expand past 50k.

Green Otaku · October 5, 2010

I have stared at the designs and construction extensively in the past (which I know is kind of lame) thinking about this. At that point, we would assume we have the money to spend, even if expansion is expensive. Expanding to 70k or 80k may require tearing out the AC deck and completing the bowl around the stadium. The only other thing I can think of is they lengthen the press box on the alumni side to be the full length of stands, and put an upper deck on that side. Both of these are kind of extreme, but may work if we ever needed it. An upper deck over the completed bowl in the endzone opposite the AC may be the first step past 50K though.

I have wondered this as well. We can always complete the bowl, add press boxes on the east side to match and add a tier all the way around on top of the press box kind of like Ohio State.

NT80 · October 5, 2010

BTW, what is the large structure between the east stands and the AC?

That structure will be one of the visitor locker rooms. The east stands will continue on over the top of it when it's walls and ceiling are completed.

As for expansion, the plan I last heard was to take down the endzone wing and continue the concrete stands around the bowl plus add a deck over the student side to bring it to 50K. Beyond that I'm sure would involve more decks and maybe seating in the AC endzone.

Edited October 5, 2010 by NT80

Green Mean · October 5, 2010

I have stared at the designs and construction extensively in the past (which I know is kind of lame) thinking about this. At that point, we would assume we have the money to spend, even if expansion is expensive. Expanding to 70k or 80k may require tearing out the AC deck and completing the bowl around the stadium. The only other thing I can think of is they lengthen the press box on the alumni side to be the full length of stands, and put an upper deck on that side. Both of these are kind of extreme, but may work if we ever needed it. An upper deck over the completed bowl in the endzone opposite the AC may be the first step past 50K though.

Yeah that was the one thing I was considering that would have to be done is tear down the AC to expand the stadium. That's why when the initial plans was to have one endzone where the AC is I was instantly thinking well what if we ever want to expand big time? Oh well I guess the day we get to that level money won't be a problem and we will be able to tear down the AC and expand the stadium and build another AC.

PlummMeanGreen · October 5, 2010

Jim, quit thinking small. The next expansion will add at least 15,000 seats when we are invited to the Big XII. Seriously, if we can consistently fill the new stadium I would guess that we'll go ahead and expand it to 50K because if we can do that that will mean that we are having a lot of success on the field.

I haven't seen any plans for the expansion but understand that it calls for filling in the horseshoe and double-decking the east side.

BTW, what is the large structure between the east stands and the AC?

Jack, I just had one of those visions of less than grandeur moments. Please forgive, I promise not do that again. :rolleyes:

GMG!

PS: You're right, though, why even bother with a 5K or 10K expansion--aim higher. I was hoping for an initial seating that would wow some future conference suitors for our cause, but am happy with what we're getting next Fall, too.

GMG! !

Edited October 5, 2010 by PlummMeanGreen

UNT Mean Green · October 5, 2010

There are already architect drawings from HKS for the expansion completed. I'm not claiming they are a working set of drawings, but the following concept has been drawn:

Fill in the corners of the end zone.

Add a row of suites (15 or so) to the top of the visitors side, and add a deck on top of it.

Add 4 suites to the home side on the ends of where the current ones are.

houstonmeangreen · October 5, 2010

There are already architect drawings from HKS for the expansion completed. I'm not claiming they are a working set of drawings, but the following concept has been drawn:

Fill in the corners of the end zone.

Add a row of suites (15 or so) to the top of the visitors side, and add a deck on top of it.

Add 4 suites to the home side on the ends of where the current ones are.

have you seen this rendering by hks ?

wardly · October 6, 2010

what are you guys smoking? we will open our new stadium next year with another in a long line of sorry teams. unless we win, something we have done only 5 of the last 20 years, the "new" will wear off and we will be back to 18,000 or so attendance, looking to hide 12,000 empty seats. we will need to expand this stadium when pigss fly.

DeepGreen · October 6, 2010

I hope our AD is drawing up plans for finding new head coach and not stadium expansion. We have many more pressing problems, or haven't you noticed.

GrayEagle · October 6, 2010

I hope our AD is drawing up plans for finding new head coach and not stadium expansion. We have many more pressing problems, or haven't you noticed.

Come on, Deep. It gets our minds off of how bad things really are.

forevereagle · October 6, 2010

what are you guys smoking? we will open our new stadium next year with another in a long line of sorry teams. unless we win, something we have done only 5 of the last 20 years, the "new" will wear off and we will be back to 18,000 or so attendance, looking to hide 12,000 empty seats. we will need to expand this stadium when pigss fly.

We more like you, fans with a positive outlook and a can do attitude! The optimism about things not seen is infectious.

UNTLifer · October 6, 2010

what are you guys smoking? we will open our new stadium next year with another in a long line of sorry teams. unless we win, something we have done only 5 of the last 20 years, the "new" will wear off and we will be back to 18,000 or so attendance, looking to hide 12,000 empty seats. we will need to expand this stadium when pigss fly.

Glad to see your attitude hasn't changed.

PlummMeanGreen · October 6, 2010

Check this out:

http://texas.construction.com/texas_construction_news/2010/0817_CarterStadium.asp

Anyone else notice who TCU is using to design their upgraded stadium? :rolleyes: Do we get a referral fee or did ol' Jerry already grab hold of that?

Also noticed they are going from approx. 47K seats to a 40K seater, too. Seems remodeled stadiums across the USA lose thousands of seats upon completion.

GMG!

Edited October 6, 2010 by PlummMeanGreen

Ret Faculty Fan · October 6, 2010

There are already architect drawings from HKS for the expansion completed. I'm not claiming they are a working set of drawings, but the following concept has been drawn:

Fill in the corners of the end zone.

Add a row of suites (15 or so) to the top of the visitors side, and add a deck on top of it.

Add 4 suites to the home side on the ends of where the current ones are.

Double decking the student side and filling in the gaps is exactly right. The suites are a likly possibility. I asked RV this question when we were viewing the stadium progress last month.