OT- Louisville stadium expansion

[FDNY99]

Shortly after joining the Big East (when PJ was still ~41k) Louisville announced expansion plans to their fan base with an eventual capacity of ~72k that would need at least two phases (the first was completed ~ 2010).

Having P-5 status has helped, but I believe more so due to the ability to justify another expansion than the conference funds helping cover the costs.

A huge difference between the two schools (UL & us) a decade ago was that they were willing to publicize their aspirations while we preferred to remain quiet. Part of this I imagine was due to our state preferring not to mention things that may create waves. Part I'm sure was due to lack of leadership at the top (president) and part was due to the AD knowing if he publicly stated he had aspirations he would then need to act on them.

You hit this on the head @FfldCntyFan .....and that meant he would need to do actual work and raise actual money..2 things which he flat out sucked at!

 

[jackl]

A couple of the best concerts I ever went to were in Louisville, summer of 1978 at the old fairgrounds. Summer Jams I & II. Steve Miller, REO Speedwagon, Foreigner & Thin Lizzy in one and Ted Nugent, Journey, Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush, Eddie Money(sucked) & Star Castle(which was a Yes sounding band with originals) in the other.

Speaking of concerts my wife and I and a friend went to the Kate last night in Old Saybrook to see Willie Nile and his band in Concert. Absolutely blew me away. I never even hear of this rocker before last year and it was an outstanding performance in a wonderfully intimate setting. The Kate only hold 300 people at the most. Easy to get to, parking out front(200 ft away), drinks that you can bring into the theater. An elevator to the if you need it. Not a bad seat in the house. We were in the 3rd row 10 feet from the stage. High energy show where they played for 2.5 hrs straight. Said he was coming back next year. Check him out on you tube. Willie Nile.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

You hit this on the head @FfldCntyFan .....and that meant he would need to do actual work and raise actual money..2 things which he flat out sucked at!

Hathaway was only part of the problem. For far too long the administration at UConn felt they couldn't have a public appearance of wanting to grow. There was a fear that they had to make the legislators think they were fully grateful for the less than adequate to adequate support that was given. Additionally too many in the public (primarily Mansfield residents and Hartford businesses) flipped out any time it was mentioned that UConn athletics wanted to do something big.

There have been too many forces working against what should have been a common goal; building the state's flagship university to match that of the top public schools in the country.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Shortly after joining the Big East (when PJ was still ~41k) Louisville announced expansion plans to their fan base with an eventual capacity of ~72k that would need at least two phases (the first was completed ~ 2010).

Having P-5 status has helped, but I believe more so due to the ability to justify another expansion than the conference funds helping cover the costs.

A huge difference between the two schools (UL & us) a decade ago was that they were willing to publicize their aspirations while we preferred to remain quiet. Part of this I imagine was due to our state preferring not to mention things that may create waves. Part I'm sure was due to lack of leadership at the top (president) and part was due to the AD knowing if he publicly stated he had aspirations he would then need to act on them.

Shortly after joining the Big East (when PJ was still ~41k) Louisville announced expansion plans to their fan base with an eventual capacity of ~72k that would need at least two phases (the first was completed ~ 2010).

Having P-5 status has helped, but I believe more so due to the ability to justify another expansion than the conference funds helping cover the costs.

A huge difference between the two schools (UL & us) a decade ago was that they were willing to publicize their aspirations while we preferred to remain quiet. Part of this I imagine was due to our state preferring not to mention things that may create waves. Part I'm sure was due to lack of leadership at the top (president) and part was due to the AD knowing if he publicly stated he had aspirations he would then need to act on them.

You may be exactly right. But then how backward thinking is Connecticut. Louisville aspires to be big time, and gets there. UConn, "the little engine that couldn't" aims small, stays small.

And to think we here in Connecticut mock a state like Kentucky and yet they have two - not just one - programs (Kentucky & L'Ville) that are playing in P5 conferences with big time stadiums.

 

[weyuo]

You may be exactly right. But then how backward thinking is Connecticut. Louisville aspires to be big time, and gets there. UConn, "the little engine that couldn't" aims small, stays small.

And to think we here in Connecticut mock a state like Kentucky and yet they have two - not just one - programs (Kentucky & L'Ville) that are playing in P5 conferences with big time stadiums.

Trying to get an idea of how Kentucky can afford stadium expansions and it looks like CT collects about 5 Billion more in taxes and has 120,200 less road miles to maintain(Kentucky 165,944 mi vs CT 45,744mi). Of course when you figure in the amount of administrative costs per mile(Kentucky less than $1000 per mile vs CT's 2nd highest total of $77,000 per mile) you can see where a lot of the tax revenue is going.

http://reason.org/news/show/21st-annual-highway-report

http://www.governing.com/gov-data/state-tax-revenue-data.html

 

[BoatShow]

I must be in the minority but I've never understood the appeal of sitting in an end zone seat 40 rows up or on a second tier of an end zone.

I sat in the extra bleachers during the Maryland game. Maybe the worst seat I've ever had at a sporting event.. Mainly because I could t see a scoreboard.

 

[Redding Husky]

I must be in the minority but I've never understood the appeal of sitting in an end zone seat 40 rows up or on a second tier of an end zone.

I sat in the middle of the end zone in row 40 for Super Bowl XIX (49'ers vs. Dolphins).

It was better than my wedding day (yes, I'm divorced).

 

[tduconn]

Shortly after joining the Big East (when PJ was still ~41k) Louisville announced expansion plans to their fan base with an eventual capacity of ~72k that would need at least two phases (the first was completed ~ 2010).

Having P-5 status has helped, but I believe more so due to the ability to justify another expansion than the conference funds helping cover the costs.

A huge difference between the two schools (UL & us) a decade ago was that they were willing to publicize their aspirations while we preferred to remain quiet. Part of this I imagine was due to our state preferring not to mention things that may create waves. Part I'm sure was due to lack of leadership at the top (president) and part was due to the AD knowing if he publicly stated he had aspirations he would then need to act on them.

Lew Perkins saw the direction of college athletics and it took him almost 10 years of lobbying to get someone to believe him.

Another difference between Louisville and UConn is that once the stadium was built the UConn attitude was "ok the basketball teams are saved" Never seamed their was much incentive to go beyond that...."UConn FB can compete but we doubt they will ever be NC's" Louisville fans, administrating never stopped idolizing "to be all they can be" despite the challenges to do so.

The state of Connecticut is not very progressive in its thinking on anything. Look at the shape the economy is in. With all the efforts needed to keep solvency, don't expect any money for a stadium expansion. Outside of on field performance, a 40,000 seat stadium does not bring any revenue that would excite a P5 conference.

Twenty yeas go my good WVU friend from Middletown suggested the state of CT was going to do the minimum to play in a big boy conference......the stadium is too small. Look where we are now!

 

[upstater]

I met with our foundation guys right after we lost out to Louisville. They said one of the key factors (other than some key members really trying to block us) was Louisville's commitment to athletics / facilities. They had something like $200 million of facilities that were either already built or in process with funding in place. Basically every single LV sports team had pretty much a brand new class A facility. UCONN had (and has) a lot of plans - but we were way behind. And still - as great as it is going we don't have soccer funded, we don't have anything for baseball, etc. To the extent that this was an arms race re: money/facilities/commitment - they had us hands down. I remember posting about this at the time but people were so convinced it was Warde being asleep that I got shouted down.

Interesting that they would say that... just after UConn poured $200m into facilities.

$100m Rent
$65m football practice + training
$45m basketball

 

[Duncan Idaho]

The initial "new" stadium was privately funded. UL also has 5-6, 11+win seasons since 2000 with many wins against ranked teams. We need a breakout season(s) very badly.

 

[FDNY99]

Interesting that they would say that... just after UConn poured $200m into facilities.

$100m Rent
$65m football practice + training
$45m basketball

You have to take that $45 million basketball facility out of the equation upstater. That should have been done by Hathaway and Warde was just getting started raising the $$ for it.

 

[upstater]

You have to take that $45 million basketball facility out of the equation upstater. That should have been done by Hathaway and Warde was just getting started raising the $$ for it.

Actually, $24 million was raised for bball facilities BEFORE the Louisville to ACC thing was even brought up: http://today.uconn.edu/2012/10/donors-contribute-24-million-for-new-basketball-center-at-uconn/

 

[Nostical]

We're going to need a T Boone type to give us the $100M needed to get us into heaven. The search is on.

 

[upstater]

We're going to need a T Boone type to give us the $100M needed to get us into heaven. The search is on.

T Boone was very generous with his money. Then he took all the pledged money and put it in a hedge fund which went belly up. Billions lost.

 

[Redding Husky]

We're going to need a T Boone type to give us the $100M needed to get us into heaven. The search is on.

Maybe we should organize a Power Ball group among UConn fans. When we hit a big one, half goes to us and half goes to UConn football.