Warde on Record: 10,000 More Seats (Hartford Business Journal)

[UConn9604]

"Winning two college basketball national championships in two days drove revenue, visibility, and economic development for UConn and Connecticut, but for the university to reach the financial success of big-time athletics programs it will have to focus on football, experts say.

"To drive more revenue, UConn Athletic Director Warde Manuel wants to add another 10,000 seats to Rentschler Field — home of the university's football team — sometime in the next 10 years, generating an additional $2 million in ticket revenue.

"Such a major infrastructure investment to expand the facility's seating by 25 percent would have to be driven by ticket demand, which only will come if the team is performing at a top level, Manuel said."

http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/20140428/PRINTEDITION/304249936/1002

 

[Hoophound]

Should have said 3-5 years instead of 10. Nobody is going to hold him to it anyway.

 

[Rondogg]

It could be 1-2 years with just one incoming phone call...

 

[DarthGrumpy]

It’s Connecticut. it takes 3 years, a dozen meetings in Hartford, and approval from some farmer up in Union CT who does not like the sign because it upsets the Kentucky bred horses in his trailer, just to get the NCAA Championship signs up on I-84 at exit 68. 5 to 10 for a football stadium expansion is realistic.

 

[uconNYC]

I rather he say it than not say it. Shows the issue is on his mind.

 

[B1GEast]

a self full filling prophesy?

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Eh, this is more of the same we heard from Hathaway. It has to be demand based. Neither Rutgers or Ville had the ticket demand to expand their stadiums. But this is CT.

 

[Carl Spackler]

For those, for whatever reason don't already know - The design and blueprints for the stadium contracted in about 1999-2000 time frame, were put together and designed for a structure of a permananent 50,000 seat capacity stadium. It was designed in and implemented to be constructed in two phases - phase 1, the initial 40,000 seat capacity structure that exists now and has for 11 years now, and the second stage to expand by 10,000 to 50,000.

To my knowledge, the foundation/footings/internal structure is already all in place for another 10,000 seats to be added as a third tier opposite the press box, club seat tower. I have no idea how much it would cost to build it, but I do know that the design, technical aspects of all of it were done a long time ago, and I believe that the foundations/footings, etc. that would be involved in supporting a third tier are already in place, so construction should be ground up. In the grand scheme, adding those 10k seats should not be a huge, unfathomable dollar amount - as the plans, design and foundation ground work has already been done, and at this point it's the actual construction job ground up only that needs to be contracted.

We've seen what adding temporary seating can do as well. Logistically speaking, we don't have a difficult road other than political equity to cross, to have a permanent 50k capacity stadium, with easily temporary expanding to 52,500.

FWIW: That 50k seating capacity permanent, would make Rentschler field the largest division 1A/FBS football stadium in New England and New York State.

 

[B1GEast]

For those, for whatever reason don't already know - The design and blueprints for the stadium contracted in about 1999-2000 time frame, were put together and designed for a structure of a permananent 50,000 seat capacity stadium. It was designed in and implemented to be constructed in two phases - phase 1, the initial 40,000 seat capacity structure that exists now and has for 11 years now, and the second stage to expand by 10,000 to 50,000.

We all knew this already Carl, thanks.

 

[UConn9604]

To my knowledge, the foundation/footings/internal structure is already all in place for another 10,000 seats to be added as a third tier opposite the press box, club seat tower. I have no idea how much it would cost to build it, but I do know that the design, technical aspects of all of it were done a long time ago, and I believe that the foundations/footings, etc. that would be involved in supporting a third tier are already in place, so construction should be ground up. In the grand scheme, adding those 10k seats should not be a huge, unfathomable dollar amount - as the plans, design and foundation ground work has already been done, and at this point it's the actual construction job ground up only that needs to be contracted.

Everyone (including me) says this -- but is there any documentary proof that this is true?

I actually have a piece of the lightweight concrete that was used to pour the footings in my office -- I went on a tour with the head of the OPM in late 2002 or so and he pointed some scrap concrete out (and I picked up some). The story that I was told was that the entire stadium was supposed to be built with blue chairbacks but the footings required additional lightweight concrete (!!!) and therefore, in order to make the project come in under budget, they cut out all of the blue seats except those between the 35 yard lines (which is why there is plenty of room in our rows of bleachers, unlike much of the upper deck at Gampel, which is Foxboro Stadium-bad).

Now, this guy wasn't clear on why more lightweight concrete was required for the footings, i.e., whether there was a design flaw that had to be remedied, or whether the project originally called for X footings and they ended up pouring 2X footings -- and it was a State project, so if anyone cared about cost overruns, that would be a first -- but there's my anecdote.

Besides, Lew Perkins was in charge then, so it wouldn't surprise me if he had additional footings poured even without permission.

 

[Carl Spackler]

The official story is that the number of chairbacks was cut down in favor of spending more money at the time for increading spending on audio/visual. Which should tell you how tight the budget was on getting it all passed through on the Adrienne's Landing Project. It''s possible that the reduction in chairbacks may have had something to do with concrete quality instead - sure. I don't know. The 'official' story was that the decision was made to invest more in the scoreboard/screen, and audio.

I don't know anything about the footings / concrete quality stuff, and if I have time later I"ll dig a bit for the documents, which I'm sure are available online in public domain somewhere, but I am 100% sure that the construction project was a definite two phase project, with the second phase being planned for ground up to get to 50,000 capacity permanent, and the planned addition was a third tier opposite the tower lengthwise. The scoreboard side was to remain open, so that the Hartford skyline would be visible from a majority of the seats in the stadium above ground level. That was a big part of the initial design, for whatever reason - Ellerbe Becket was given the task of designing it so that people up in the stands could see Hartford.

The biggest issue that UCONN has, and will continue to have, when it comes to decision making and course of actions involving Rentschler, is that UCONN does not own the facility. that's the price we pay now, for having had to squeeze through the stadium plans around all the NIMBY's in the Mansfield, Tolland, Windham.

My guess is that we've actually got a very good financial situation at the school, being tenants and not owners of the facility, but the tradeoff is that we don't really have top and final say, in calling any of the shots around the management of the facility. I think that expanding the stadium the 10k is a no-brainer really, and if the school owned the facility, it would have been done years ago. But to get it done, will require convincing the state management offices of the facility to get it done.

I believe that those that are involved in the grassroots Jasper Howard Memorial project for the stadium are currently experiencing first hand what this means. I don't think there is a single person at UCONN opposed to the concept, but they simply don't have the top and final say in making something like that happen at the facility.

Again - the tradeoff - I believe, is that we've got a pretty good financial situation as a tenant, instead of an owner.

 

[CTGoonie]

"FWIW: That 50k seating capacity permanent, would make Rentschler field the largest division 1A/FBS football stadium in New England and New York State."

I had to look this up because I was sure the Carrier Dome was larger but it looks like it's FB capacity is 49,262. If Uconn gets to 50k they could also add those temp seats for certain B1G games to get to 53k.

 

[Carl Spackler]

We all knew this already Carl, thanks.

Hey - there are always new players, families, and friends and fans checking out UCONN football every year, and this website is probably one of the most accessible and frequented online sources they look at. I bet there are people that will read this, that had no idea that the stadium was originally planned to be a 50,000 seat permanent capacity, and the second phase of construction to get there, just hasn't been implemented yet.

 

[Doggie Style]

Question # 1 : GLobal Spectrum is willing to look at expansion if the demand calls for it?????????? They manage the property and basically do as they are told correct?
They need to stay out of the conversation.
Question # 2 : who the HELL is Fred Carstasen and why is the Director of the CT Center for economic Analysis weighing in on this, because the per capita richest state in the country (One of) has been so successful in keeping our jobs here in the state and economy booming with sound fiscal policy???? Keep a lid on it Fred, we have no interest on your views on Conference alignment!!!

Who are we going to here from regarding our plight next, Santa Clause and the guys wearing the yellow jackets at The Rent that give nothing less than a full body cavity search upon entering the facility????

 

[Carl Spackler]

"FWIW: That 50k seating capacity permanent, would make Rentschler field the largest division 1A/FBS football stadium in New England and New York State."

I had to look this up because I was sure the Carrier Dome was larger but it looks like it's FB capacity is 49,262. If Uconn gets to 50k they could also add those temp seats for certain B1G games to get to 53k.

Exactly. You would hope that Susan and Warde have made one James Delaney and associate university presidents well aware, that the only thing UCONN needs to very quickly have the biggest college football stadium in all of New England and New York State - is a phone call.

 

[huskymedic]

Question # 1 : GLobal Spectrum is willing to look at expansion if the demand calls for it?????????? They manage the property and basically do as they are told correct?
They need to stay out of the conversation.
Question # 2 : who the HELL is Fred Carstasen and why is the Director of the CT Center for economic Analysis weighing in on this, because the per capita richest state in the country (One of) has been so successful in keeping our jobs here in the state and economy booming with sound fiscal policy???? Keep a lid on it Fred, we have no interest on your views on Conference alignment!!!

Who are we going to here from regarding our plight next, Santa Clause and the guys wearing the yellow jackets at The Rent that give nothing less than a full body cavity search upon entering the facility????

Ummm... http://ccea.uconn.edu/ccea_staff.htm

 

[Doggie Style]

Ummm... http://ccea.uconn.edu/ccea_staff.htm

HAHAHA!! Nice.......

 

[coachcap]

Well this should put to rest all of the projections that we've heard in the past about capacity after the 2nd stage of construction. to summarize: 50k, 55k, all the way up to 65k.

 

[husky10]

2 questions:

Does anyone know what max capacity the deal with East Hartford allowed for? I thought I read here that it could be up to 65,000 but could not confirm this.

Isn't the actual capacity of the stadium like 38,000 and change? Would the 2nd stage of construction increase capacity to 50k or increase by 10k?

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Holding everything else static in the past few years, the stadium capacity was a none issue.

Rutgers/Maryland were added for cable boxes and access to recruits.

Ville as added because we were in the midst of the P era and they were on their way to winning the league.

If the B1G called and said expand the stadium and you're in - we'd do it in a second.

There's no sense in expanding when demand doesn't necessitate it and were already up against financial hurdles.

Do people want 20,000 empty seats or 10,000 for Memphis, Tulane etc or more money to retain coaches etc.

 

[CTMike]

I've heard our max capacity to be 25k so doubling it would be nice.

 

[Carl Spackler]

2 questions:

Does anyone know what max capacity the deal with East Hartford allowed for? I thought I read here that it could be up to 65,000 but could not confirm this.

Isn't the actual capacity of the stadium like 38,000 and change? Would the 2nd stage of construction increase capacity to 50k or increase by 10k?

It's a good question, that I've never asked the right people for an answer I guess, because I don't know. Sell out capacity has been reported at 40,000 for over a decade by pretty much all sources of info. Depending on where you look for info, the actual current seating capacity is either 40,000, or it's 38,100 permanent seating or so + some kind of additional 'seating' to get to 40,000 capacity. Either way, everything I've ever read, and remember about it from back when - is that the design for the actual PERMANENT seating upon completion of the original design is supposed to be 50,000 - and that would involve that third tier construction.

THe gray area in seating has to do with the scoreboard plaza and tower space - I"ve never had that adequately explained to me, although that's probably because I've never taken the time to actually ask the right people. Doesn't really matter much to me.

 

[Dooley]

Everyone (including me) says this -- but is there any documentary proof that this is true?

Here is the original CGA's Adriaen's Landing and Rentschler Field document: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/pub/chap588z.htm.

In it, it states under Section 32-651 Definitions:

(34) "Stadium facility" means a multipurpose sports stadium with a minimum of approximately forty thousand seats and with capacity for expansion to a minimum of approximately fifty thousand seats, meeting all applicable requirements for home team facilities for Division I-A football of the NCAA and the college football conference of which the university is expected to be a member, including seating capacity, size and composition of playing surface, locker room and media facilities and other amenities, to be owned by the state on the stadium facility site, together with equipment, fixtures, furnishings and appurtenances integral and normally associated with the construction and operation of such a facility, stadium parking and ancillary infrastructure improvements, all as more particularly described in the master development plan.

 

[coachcap]

2 questions:

Does anyone know what max capacity the deal with East Hartford allowed for? I thought I read here that it could be up to 65,000 but could not confirm this.

Isn't the actual capacity of the stadium like 38,000 and change? Would the 2nd stage of construction increase capacity to 50k or increase by 10k?

The capacity issue is due to fire dept. regulations. The seating is @ 38,500. It's reported as capacity of 40k to account for all souls in the building at capacity. It includes both teams, volunteers manning the concession booths, maintainance staff, police & security details & any other service staff.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

The scoreboard side was to remain open, so that the Hartford skyline would be visible from a majority of the seats in the stadium above ground level. That was a big part of the initial design, for whatever reason - Ellerbe Becket was given the task of designing it so that people up in the stands could see Hartford.

From where I sit, I say the Hartford skyline. On one of those cold fall/winter days I'd rather see the sun. I'm jealous of/hate the folks on the sunny side of the stadium.