Stadium on campus?

[RayIsTheGOAT]

As an EO alum and Mansfield resident, I’m all for the on-campus stadium.
Putting it at EO Smith isn’t ideal, though. EO Smith contributes to the business in downtown Storrs (both customers and employees). For a facility that would likely only get used 6 times a year + practices, I’d rather it not take up the prime real estate in the center of Storrs and push out EO Smith to Depot, which is basically the middle of nowhere.

Discovery Drive is the most ideal place. A little bit on the outskirts of campus while still being walkable from the center of campus, plenty of land, and about as easy of access to Route 44+195 as you can get. I’ve heard from locals there might be zoning issues there with wetlands, but there’s so much land there and they’ve already started to develop there, I’d have to imagine there’s space for a stadium.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

The only real problem with the Rent is it’s not close to campus and I agree that, with upgrades, it’s got at least 20 years life left in it. So I think the stadium itself is up to power conference standards but not ideal because of where it’s located. I just don’t get why the B12 presidents would care about Uconn student access to the Rent (the B1G doesn’t seem to to care about UCLA’s)

And yet reports are that any B12 agreement will be contingent on certain Uconn financial commitments to football. What else is that about if it’s not about a new stadium?

It not a college game day atmosphere, it’s 25,000 people from the Hartford area, middle aged and older pretending for the last 25 years they’re going to an NFL game just so they can tailgate. That’s the reality!!! Robert Kraft played the whole state of CT all those years ago and when he got what he really wanted in Foxboro he left, and the result is the circus you see today. Also, maybe the Big 12 wouldn’t care about UConn having it’s stadium in East Hartford if the football program had already won 17 conference championships like UCLA has.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

As an EO alum and Mansfield resident, I’m all for the on-campus stadium.
Putting it at EO Smith isn’t ideal, though. EO Smith contributes to the business in downtown Storrs (both customers and employees). For a facility that would likely only get used 6 times a year + practices, I’d rather it not take up the prime real estate in the center of Storrs and push out EO Smith to Depot, which is basically the middle of nowhere.

Discovery Drive is the most ideal place. A little bit on the outskirts of campus while still being walkable from the center of campus, plenty of land, and aboutbrill as easy of access to Route 44+195 as you can get. I’ve heard from locals there might be zoning issues there with wetlands, but there’s so much land there and they’ve already started to develop there, I’d have to imagine there’s space for a stadium.

RayIsTheGoat is brilliant! I ask any of you just to take a drive on Discovery Drive if you are not familiar with the location. You will quickly see why it would be a great site for a college FB stadium.

 

[EricLA]

The sooner everyone involved with UConn stops caring about what the townies think, the better.

I actually tend to agree with this statement.

Of course, I would never want the University to publicly come out and say that but... People who live nearby have to know that they live in a college town. Yes putting a stadium on campus would increase traffic, congestion, etc. but honestly, 6-8 home games per year? Not the end of the world. My only concern would be the 1 lane roads - question - is it possible that they could build a 6 lane highway to and from the campus linking it to the other highway system? THAT would be a huge undertaking, but maybe something to consider for ease of getting to and from campus...

AS for the locals, you don't like the increase in activity, traffic, etc., then move. That sounds harsh I know. But before that even happens, I would expect the university and developers to have many discussions with the townsfolk to talk about all the benefits of expansion. Really try outreach to help people realize how great growth would be for the town/area, etc.

I would also hope that an on campus stadium would help increase the need for local businesses - restaurants, shops, etc. Start turning Storrs in to a bustling college town. People have talked about other college campuses - and how incredible the "college town" atmosphere is. Would love to see sleepy Storrs (Snorrs) become something more vibrant.

When i went to UConn (graduated 1987), it was pretty much a donut shop, Store 24, and maybe a few other small businesses. It's already gotten way better, and would be great to exponentially ramp that up.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

I actually tend to agree with this statement.

Of course, I would never want the University to publicly come out and say that but... People who live nearby have to know that they live in a college town. Yes putting a stadium on campus would increase traffic, congestion, etc. but honestly, 6-8 home games per year? Not the end of the world. My only concern would be the 1 lane roads - question - is it possible that they could build a 6 lane highway to and from the campus linking it to the other highway system? THAT would be a huge undertaking, but maybe something to consider for ease of getting to and from campus...

AS for the locals, you don't like the increase in activity, traffic, etc., then move. That sounds harsh I know. But before that even happens, I would expect the university and developers to have many discussions with the townsfolk to talk about all the benefits of expansion. Really try outreach to help people realize how great growth would be for the town/area, etc.

I would also hope that an on campus stadium would help increase the need for local businesses - restaurants, shops, etc. Start turning Storrs in to a bustling college town. People have talked about other college campuses - and how incredible the "college town" atmosphere is. Would love to see sleepy Storrs (Snorrs) become something more vibrant.

When i went to UConn (graduated 1987), it was pretty much a donut shop, Store 24, and maybe a few other small businesses. It's already gotten way better, and would be great to exponentially ramp that up.

I’m with you. Unfortunately my fellow townies who do not care about sports do not share this sentiment.
Storrs is absolutely trending in the right direction. Just look at what it is now compared to 15 years ago. I wish the buildings were made of brick and less like a plastic Hollywood movie set, but we’ll take what we can get I guess.
I would love for it to be a bustling college town with more a night scene in Storrs downtown. It’s just still so sleepy. I wish it could be more like Church Street in Burlington VT. And we can do that without sacrificing the beautiful landscape and forestry that I/other townies love around here.

 

[Dove]

Six Saturdays every fall wouldnt kill ya. The MAJOR question I have is ...
what happens to The Dairy Bar?

More flavors!!

 

[CL82]

Discovery Drive is the most ideal place

I'd list that as the number two choice behind the athletics campus but before Horse Barn Hill. The downside is the distance from Burton and Shenkman and the fact that building on Discovery Drive would require approvals from the town of Mansfield. Given their history, I think we could expect a concerted effort to slow down the project by NIMBYism. To the best of my belief, no approval by Mansfield is necessary to build in the athletic campus.

 

[Scrutineer]

I'd list that as the number two choice behind the athletics campus but before Horse Barn Hill. The downside is the distance from Burton and Shenkman and the fact that building on Discovery Drive would require approvals from the town of Mansfield. Given their history, I think we could expect a concerted effort to slow down the project by NIMBYism. To the best of my belief, no approval by Mansfield is necessary to build in the athletic campus.

You're the man. Just went back to your post on page one and that site behind the athletic campus does seem ideal.......other than not having a great view from a hill top.

We often left that way from home games at Gampel to get to 32 and it really is easy. Make some road upgrades on campus and 32 and 44 and no one.........check that, it's Mansfield...... could complain.

---

 

[Waquoit]

More out-of-staters in favor of a new stadium, great.

 

[cellocgg]

Why the hell would we focus on building a new stadium lmao, let's work on filling up the one we have

 

[Rdkid]

I was involved in lobbying many years ago at state capitol as a former football guy! Unfortunately the town of Mansfield put up barriers, traffic etc for about 6 weekends a year! Short sighted... they have the land from Huskies to the North, you'd walk by the Alumni Center toward the stadium!
Just think of this: Alums on campus,hotel or 3, food sales etc etc! Great for the economy of the area, my son went to PSU, there were a few great condos in the that alums would own , make it a 3 day weekend on campus, take in a show at Jorgensen, nice restaurants, no fore sight! I now live outside CT , would love to bring Grandies to a weekend, worth the travel to show them where I went! UConn alum would support it! And it would help small businesses immensely!

100%. The whole point of this is to continue the progress of UConn as a national university and flagship. As smaller private schools become less appealing, making UConn a destination in every way for current and future alumni is the drive for being one of the few when CR settles. Donations, loyalty, fun, memories. And a solid public education that pays dividends across the board for the state and its residents. I think development using every bit of close-in space in the athletics district is it. View it like a pro sports owner does. It is bigger that 8 weekends of football. Gotta think big and keep building. The Rent certainly is not part of this equation.

 

[JMick]

There would be no finer spot for a picturesque Michie Stadium-ish structure than Horsebarn Hill. Can you imagine the blimp/drone shots in October? .... but, the anti-any development of any kind (and anti-sports) forces will mobilize quicker than Seal Team 6 as they have time and time again. Nothing nastier than an army of Edith Pragues (RIP).

I can understand not wanting to touch horsebarn hill. Anywhere else should be fair game. Eminent domain some property if you have to. There's precedent for it.

 

[uconnric]

What planet are you from?

I think yours is farther from the sun

 

[uconnric]

I don’t think the Big 12 cares whether the stadium is on campus or not. They probably want 50,000-60,000 seats with Fannie’s in them. You’re just not going get the same attendance in Storrs as in East Hartford. If we need to invest in football I wouldn’t waste money on a new stadium, just expand and improve what we have. You don’t have the roads or political will from the state or from Mansfield to build it on campus.
Some of you have conveniently forgotten why the stadium wasn’t built on campus in the first place.

 

[cellocgg]

What else is that about if it’s not about a new stadium?

I'm assuming it's more about NIL. I don't think the stadium is the problem

 

[Buffett10]

Not to mention Central, UHart, Pro Soccer, CIAC playoffs, and UMess.

Uhart what? They're athletics are absolute crap now.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

I don’t think the Big 12 cares whether the stadium is on campus or not. They probably want 50,000-60,000 seats with Fannie’s in them. You’re just not going get the same attendance in Storrs as in East Hartford. If we need to invest in football I wouldn’t waste money on a new stadium, just expand and improve what we have. You don’t have the roads or political will from the state or from Mansfield to build it on campus.
Some of you have conveniently forgotten why the stadium wasn’t built on campus in the first place.

Only four of the B12 stadiums seat 60,000 or more.

 

[CL82]

I can understand not wanting to touch horsebarn hill. Anywhere else should be fair game. Eminent domain some property if you have to. There's precedent for it.

There is precedent for it, but no need for it given that we've got a choice of three, well really 4 if you count the depot campus, sites that we already own.

 

[CL82]

I don’t think the Big 12 cares whether the stadium is on campus or not. They probably want 50,000-60,000 seats with Fannie’s in them. You’re just not going get the same attendance in Storrs as in East Hartford. If we need to invest in football I wouldn’t waste money on a new stadium, just expand and improve what we have. You don’t have the roads or political will from the state or from Mansfield to build it on campus.
Some of you have conveniently forgotten why the stadium wasn’t built on campus in the first place.

I'm not sure that there's any need for a dramatic infrastructure upgrade. As I've said here often, I just don't see the need to build a limited access highway to a stadium that'll get used six times a year.

There's also no need to get approvals from Mansfield if we build in the athletic campus, so while they undoubtedly be the normal Mansfield objections, they are essentially mirror buzzing gnats regarding the project.

Let me correct the last piece of mythology, that we see here commonly, that somehow Mansfield stopped us from building Storrs originally. While there was a proposal to build on campus, it was absolutely a huge wishlist item that included a stadium, the equivalent of the Burton complex in the equivalent of the Shenkman center. The legislature proposed it not because of any imagined statewide power of Mansfield residence, but because they felt it was prohibitively expensive. Now that we would be building just the stadium and not the support facilities, those objections might not be there.

The reason why we ended up in East Hartford was that the state legislature was still licking its wounds from the patriots pulling out of that deal, certainly because the legislature was ballking about it. Pratt and Whitney then, smartly, offered us property that they couldn't develop due to environmental cleanup concerns. The legislature jumped on it and now we have a stadium that's awkwardly located a half hour off-campus.

I'm not saying that building on campus is a sure thing, and you can make a good argument for just upgrading the rent, which, as I've often said is a great place to watch a football game, but, the mythology that we need to build a super highway to stores, or that Mansfield residence somehow hold sway over the state legislature is silly, when looked at with any serious scrutiny.

 

[huskymedic]

I'd list that as the number two choice behind the athletics campus but before Horse Barn Hill. The downside is the distance from Burton and Shenkman and the fact that building on Discovery Drive would require approvals from the town of Mansfield. Given their history, I think we could expect a concerted effort to slow down the project by NIMBYism. To the best of my belief, no approval by Mansfield is necessary to build in the athletic campus.

Based on zoning? Wonder who "owns" Discovery Dr?

 

[CL82]

Based on zoning? Wonder who "owns" Discovery Dr?

I actually feel like you and I had a conversation about this and that you indicated that the athletic district required no further approvals, perhaps because it was already zoned for use for athletic complexes? Again, I'm combining a vague recollection, with speculation, but perhaps discovery Drive is zoned for industrial use and thus would require additional approvals were to put a stadium in there?

Does that ring any bells, because I feel like it was you and I talked about this?

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Uhart what? They're athletics are absolute crap now.

Crap team in a crap stadium

 

[UCONNJACK]

Construct a dual purpose stadium with academic uses attached to the stadium. Notre Dame Stadium was renovated recently with academic uses constructed to the preexisting structure. It would make the project more plausible with the blending of athletic and academic needs.

“In January 2014, the university (ND) announced a $400 million enhancement of the stadium, the Campus Crossroads project. This expansion features three 8-story buildings, on the west, south, and east sides of the stadium. The expansion added more than 750,000 square feet (70,000 m2) of teaching, research, and performance space. The enhancement added new premium stadium seats. The three buildings are called the Duncan Student Center on the west, O'Neill Hall on the south, and Corbett Family Hall on the east.[39] The project was completed in January 2018. The project was designed by the SLAM collective, with HOK design firm as a consultant. Barton Malow served as the design-build contractor.”

 

[LoyalFanCT]

Construct a dual purpose stadium with academic uses attached to the stadium. Notre Dame Stadium was renovated recently with academic uses constructed to the preexisting structure. It would make the project more plausible with the blending of athletic and academic needs.

“In January 2014, the university (ND) announced a $400 million enhancement of the stadium, the Campus Crossroads project. This expansion features three 8-story buildings, on the west, south, and east sides of the stadium. The expansion added more than 750,000 square feet (70,000 m2) of teaching, research, and performance space. The enhancement added new premium stadium seats. The three buildings are called the Duncan Student Center on the west, O'Neill Hall on the south, and Corbett Family Hall on the east.[39] The project was completed in January 2018. The project was designed by the SLAM collective, with HOK design firm as a consultant. Barton Malow served as the design-build contractor.”

If they put the stadium on Discovery Drive, the dual purposes could also link to businesses which want to have high-tech research on the Storrs campus. That was the entire goal of the Discovery Drive initiative. Even conference space that could be rented out to corporations could be in the mix.

 

[powerplay]

A stadium at the depot campus could be really beautiful with plenty of room for tailgating, a separate RV lot etc. The only downside is that it is off-campus. If we are going to go through the expense of building and on campus stadium, we should actually build it… on campus.

I think its close enough to be considered on campus, but if not, perhaps this could be a catalyst to revamp the Depot Campus. There's a lot of potential there. It's a shame what that area has become. If a new stadium is in the cards, I hope the powers that be think a little bigger than a stadium and maybe develop a plan that could be an economic driver for the university and general area. A multi-use stadium that would be used more often the 6 games a year. I use Rentschler as an example, there is so much more potential to increase the revenue if it were used more often.