[thepostman]

I agree, thats a really good idea with the band...like it a lot

[jcmanson]

Continuing the conversation from the other Williams Stadium Thread.

I'm also worried that we overflow the student side, but don't quite fill the Baptist side as much. I guess it's logical to expand the Baptist side first so that they can update the pressbox.

I have one suggestion, don't know how much it will help...they should move the band from the student side to one of the end gray sections of the Baptist side. That would free up about 200 more seats for the students, and take up 200 seats of gray on the Baptist side.

The reason why is obvious: money. The earlier we get the luxury suites in there the earlier they start paying for themselves. The next phase of construction will remedy the problem with the student side. Though there are several ways to help this next season:

1. Put the band on the baptist side as mentioned
2. Don't put the extra bleachers on the student side or allow students to overflow onto the grass but instead "reserve" a section (perhaps the section by the band) on the baptist side for overflow students

If we do those 2 things we know the student side will be packed every game.

This season we probably averaged 6,000 on the baptist side so that would leave us with about 4,000 more seats needing to be filled this season. If you put the band and overflow students over there that will probably eat up about 1,000 most games. I would think just the addition of the stadium will cause us to draw at least 500 more to the games this season than last. So, that means at worse there will be about 2,000-2500 empty seats on any given saturday out of over 19,000 seats. That's not much at all.

[SuperJon]

It's also going to look more filled on the Baptist side since people can't walk around and hang out on the concourse anymore.

[tinytim]

It's also going to look more filled on the Baptist side since people can't walk around and hang out on the concourse anymore.

That will be a good thing.

[jcmanson]

If ya'll aren't following LUADJeff on Twitter you need to. He said he's going to have daily updates on the progress of the construction. He's already uploaded 3 photos this morning.

[jcmanson]

Taking out the top 4 rows on the baptist side:


Why?

[LUconn]

apparently they're in the way of something they're going to build

[tinytim]

apparently they're in the way of something they're going to build

wisdom comes from you LUConn. Thanks.

[Rooster Cogburn]

It probably has to do with a proper foundation for a 5 story building having to go down further.

[LUconn]

and they're already gone. That was fast.

Does anybody here think this will all be done by opening day this fall? Seems like a fairly aggressive goal.

[LUnpretty11]

It's a pretty big project going down.... Hopefully. I was reading the JMU board and they have workers working around the clock. A guy said he drove by on new years night at 3 a.m. and saw lights still on and vehicles moving around. Hopefully for the workers on our stadium won't have to do that for their sake, but they may have to.

[flamesfan30]

from Jeff Barber's twitter:
Front lawn of Hancock...new parking lot w/ additional spaces and new entry/exit under construction.
Very needed http://tweetphoto.com/8084838

[SuperJon]

I can't wait til that's done.

[soccer7]

I know that we need more parking but I would like to see a parking deck instead of taking what little landscaping there is on campus and turning that into a parking lot. This being said...if they are going to tear up the parking in front of Demoss and putting in grass and landscaping that I am up for it!

[LUconn]

I was just about to say that. I'm sure there's a parking need or whatever, but the last thing this campus needs aesthetically is the removal of anything green replaced by asphalt/concrete. And that lawn is one of the few lawns that actually exist on main campus. I'm very disappointed. It's almost enough to make me clean out my couch cushions to pay for a parking garage.

[rueful]

from the picture it didnt look like it was going to get rid of the entire lawn, just whats closest to hancock, which wouldnt make that much of a difference from the view from the road in terms of the lawn

[tinytim]

I'm very disappointed. It's almost enough to make me clean out my couch cushions to pay for a parking garage.

I wish I had as much money as you

[JK37]

I'm very disappointed. It's almost enough to make me clean out my couch cushions to pay for a parking garage.

I wish I had as much money as you

Or as large of a couch!

[Rooster Cogburn]

they paved paradise and put up a parking lot

[LUaddict]

I'm sure that has been stAted before but I cannot wait to see the finished product of the stadium being completed. With the long term plan of having the stadium expanded to 60,000 seats I smell a transition to I-A football in the near future. I mean in the near future like we have completed the 30,000 seat stadium. I am just as excited as everyone is on here.I do not have any evidence to base my statement on but it is obvious with facilities expansion of this magnitude it's obvious that it's not in liberty's interest or Intention to stay in the I-AA arena. Given that we have a succesfull program I coming years and attracting talent at higher caliber with facilities FBS quality facilities like were going to be constructing IMO.

[PAmedic]

apparently they're in the way of something they're going to build

wisdom comes from you LUConn. Thanks.

yup.



Thanks JB

[PAmedic]

PS: someone tell him they're not "cranes"

[jcmanson]

So is the lower section going to have 4 fewer rows? Or will they eventually rebuild those rows underneath the mid-deck?

[flamesfan30]

he said something about "raker columns" going there on his twitter. anyone who knows construction want to explain what those are?

[jcmanson]

Here's what google image provided for a "raker beam":