[LUconn]

because 2 threads is not enough...

http://www.liberty.edu/libertyjournal/i ... N=13301942

[jcmanson]

Yeah I don't know how they're going to do that with the balconies in the Vines, but the lobby is enough to talk about. LONG overdue.

[LUconn]

Plans call for the addition of columns and a brick façade for the facility

I would just like to remind all that this was something I suggested on this very messageboard about 3 years ago. Just another example of things I say that later are reality.

[Rocketfan]

Its funny working for proto, for years it was declared fact that the Vines roof couldn't support anymore weight....im interested to see how this will be constructed.

[LUconn]

well from the looks of that picture, it looks as though they'll be taking the roof off and they'll be playing outdoors.

[rueful]

What is this a school for ANTS!

No but in the program my fiance brought me from convo shows a new roof that looks more like a golf ball.

[ALAFlamesFan]

While I am excited about a long overdue renovation to this facility isn't it a little early to announce this if they are calling for completion in 5-10 years? Shouldn't they start that article with "We hope to someday maybe have something that might look something like this possibly?" Isn't this just code for "we have no $ designated for this yet but if someone wants to give some we have a wishlist of ..."?

[LUconn]

are there 3 balconies? There's red seats on the entrance side that we can't really see.

[Jesus First]

While I am excited about a long overdue renovation to this facility isn't it a little early to announce this if they are calling for completion in 5-10 years? Shouldn't they start that article with "We hope to someday maybe have something that might look something like this possibly?" Isn't this just code for "we have no $ designated for this yet but if someone wants to give some we have a wishlist of ..."?

Actually They never said when the vines center improvements were going to be completed, I imagine that they will be done as soon as possible within the next year or two and not in 5 to 10 years, plus there is a really big need for more seats in the vines center because were out of space for convo plus the school can make allot more money on concerts and event like winterfest, We should be able to get bigger events for the vines center now which will be great for the city of lynchburg

[LUconn]

Actually, I don't know that it is great for the city. This pretty much kisses any civic center plans they had in mind, goodbye. And since LU owns it that really limits who can perform there. But LU certainly gave the city the opportunity.

[jcmanson]

are there 3 balconies? There's red seats on the entrance side that we can't really see.

Yes 3 balconies and

plans call for the addition of columns and a brick façade for the facility, along with a 3,000 seat balcony when the renovation project is completed five to 10 years from now.

[rueful]

Theres no way this thing comes out looking like this. I know LU has done some poor pre-planning before, but this would be the new number one. Were out of seats for convo, so in the next 5-10 years we hope to add 3,000 more seats for convo/basketball games. We also want to make our football stadium seat twice as many because we still plan on growing by a thousand years, which at that rate puts us at either 17,000 to 22,000 students by the time this is done, which we would then need the plans for a new convocation center to hold them all.

OR - the whole point of this is to tick off lynchburg enough to build a civic center before we build this, and weve given them plenty of time to try and do this by saying well build it in 5 years if they havent started anything, or 10 years if they have, so that we can still have our own basketball arena.

[SuperJon]

You might be one of the dumber posters on this board. Do you not pay attention to things?

a) It has been said that enrollment is going to stay under 12,000 for the foreseeable future.

b) We are adding 4000 more seats for convo, not 3000.

c) We're not growing the football stadium because we plan on growing the school. We're growing the football stadium because as our team improves, we will start to draw more and more people. The school growing in the future is part of it, but it's not part of the reason right now.

d) We won't need a new convocation center. With the ability to simulcast, we will be able to use different places to show convo. For example: The Vines could hold on campus students. Thomas Road could hold commuters and North Campus faculty. Pate Chapel could hold overflow for that. Demoss 1113/1114 could hold up to 1000 people. The Towns Auditorium could hold quite a bit (except on Fridays). The new banquet room in the press tower will be able to hold 1000. You're looking at 25-26,000 people right there, and in all reality, the only time it'd ever come close to that number is on Wednesdays.

[jcmanson]

d) We won't need a new convocation center. With the ability to simulcast, we will be able to use different places to show convo. For example: The Vines could hold on campus students. Thomas Road could hold commuters and North Campus faculty. Pate Chapel could hold overflow for that. Demoss 1113/1114 could hold up to 1000 people. The Towns Auditorium could hold quite a bit (except on Fridays). The new banquet room in the press tower will be able to hold 1000. You're looking at 25-26,000 people right there, and in all reality, the only time it'd ever come close to that number is on Wednesdays.

Yeah but don't you think the whole point of convo is kinda pointless with everyone spread out like that.

[ALUmnus]

They already use Thomas Road as overflow for convocation now, I don't think convo is really that big of an issue.

[SuperJon]

That could open a can of worms.

The trend right now in churches is multi-site. Thomas Road is even going to multi-site.

Why is that important? Because it shows the Liberty people that you can have something successful by simulcasting.

[rueful]

As I said in one of the other threads about this, yes we are staying under 12000 for the foreseeable future. Unless the foreseeable future is 20 years, this place will be too small. Sorry I didnt get all my numbers exactly right, it really does make a difference between the 3000 and 4000, we can keep it for another year.

Do you not read for context or actual meaning of stuff people post and not just the words they say? Have fun preaching some of the bible with that practice. Obviously Barber and Jr werent talking and decided "you know the school is growing, we better expand the football stadium." But you have to take into account the fact that alot of those seats they have planned on being filled by students. Some of the stuff said on this board about LU gaining respect with the city because of athletics ( actually I think Barber said something to that effect) but the stuff about how the fact that WVU and LU will be on tv will gain more fans for us, thats pretty hopeful. Yeah we will draw more of the crowds, but I think the day where there are more LU fans in Lynchburg that are purely LU fans rather than VT or UVA fans who root for LU on occasion is still quite a ways off. The only thing that has an impact on a bigger stadium due to students is graduation, but even that is a retarded point to do it because if worst came to worst, familys just sit in the grass. Obviously they arent building the expansion just for the growth of the number of students.

Spreading convocation out like that is going to nullify the point of it. Multi site churches is a horrible example to bring into this. TRBC does some stupid things now, but they are not stupid enough to put another campus in Lynchburg. I get what your trying to say about how multi site works, and I agree, that when done right and well there is still unity among the different sites, but that is rare. And to start spreading Convo out that much is getting to the point where really, you might as well just make it to where students just go to their classroom an hour early and watch the band play and speaker talk on the projector screen.

So yeah, maybe im one of the dumber posters on this board. Also keep in mind im not nearly as obsessed about sports as other people are, I have no desire to be as intelligent about sports as some of the other posters are. Im simply a fan, one who is more interested Liberty University as a whole far more so than Liberty athletics. Im a fan of LU athletics? absolutely. Do i go to the extremes some on this board go to? No, there are more important things. Do I say things that come off as dumb? Probably. Do I say things that go against what you personally think/want that you then think is dumb? Most likely

[SuperJon]

The student population could stay at 12,000 for the next 10-15 years and our student growth at games would still increase.

You admitted yourself that you don't know as much about athletics, so let me point something out for you that I highly doubt you've ever thought of.

The trend the last few years is for a college student to take on average five years to graduate. Those fifth year seniors came to Liberty with an, "We suck at football" attitude and were cultured in losing in, well, everything. The record of the football team since this class arrived is 26-19.

This year's senior class came into Liberty with an, "Eh, there's a new coach, maybe they won't suck" attitude. The record of the football team since this class arrived is 25-9.

This year's junior class came into Liberty with a, "Wow, they weren't terrible last year. I wonder how they'll be this year" attitude. The record of the football team since this class arrived is 19-4.

This year's sophomore class came into Liberty with a, "Dude, they won the conference last year" attitude. The record of the football team since this class arrived is 10-2.

This year's freshmen class came into Liberty with a, "They should've made the playoffs last year and were a really good team" attitude.

I made a video two years ago on move-in day asking people what they knew about Liberty athletics. Both returning students and freshmen got the questions wrong on a regular basis.

A week and a half ago I made the same exact video and our freshmen knew what color we wore to games, who our rival was, and even our first down chant.

With winning comes a winning culture. You come into your freshman year knowing that the team is good and looking forward to spending your Saturdays going to football games. We are no longer that school where people will go to the game because they have nothing better to do. Our football games are a must-do event on campus now. We have students showing up in the stadium the second the gates open 90 minutes before kickoff.

As this culture spreads, you'll see more and more people going to games whether we have a larger student population or not because a larger percentage of students will be going. Kids are starting to come to Liberty who were Liberty fans growing up. Granted, a lot are still fans of other teams, but we're starting to see the first wave of home grown Liberty fans make their way to the school.

[Dr. Sheh]

Kids are starting to come to Liberty who were Liberty fans growing up.

I'm not going to quote the whole thing, but that was well-said Super. I was one of those kids who grew up liking Liberty Athletics, in fact I've missed just 2 home games since I was fifteen. I'm a senior now. And even though some of our athletic teams were struggling back then, athletics did play a smaller role in my decision to come to LU. All that to say that as we continue winning, more local kids will start thinking of Liberty as their hometown team. I think the expansion of both the vines center and the football stadium anticipates that.

[rueful]

I was going to quote you but ill save the space. I agree with everything you said in that last post, you can see that. my first year here was Rocco's first year, and Im one of those first ones you talk about at the end that grew up a Liberty fan, the only college team ive ever really rooted for was LU (yeah there was a time I dated a girl who was a huge ND fan, so i cheered for them, mainly just because I got free tickets).

All I was trying to say before was something you just said (in your own words) as well, students will still make up at least a third of the attendance (if its full), where as right now they make up half. Odds are, and this is something that it would appear is a general consensus on this board, the stadium wouldnt be full right away. Students would still be about half of that.

And yes, Im thrilled about the improvements and expansions, like I said, Im a huge liberty fan. I just think that something that has often been complained about on this board is the lack of foresight in planning LU, so now I dont see why im the only one who sees a problem. I think the Bill is great, good foresight. I just think that the Vines needs some more. Yes enrollment is capped for the foreseeable future, but that could be 4 years it could be 20, either way, the size of the Vines will be inadequate come time to uncap enrollment (and seriously, how well has "capping enrollment" worked out the last 2 years). Either they will have the most retarded system to have all students meet in one place that consists of multiple places, and by then, if people have gained so much interest in football to fill 30,000 seats, wont some of them want to come to BBall games as well? We will be selling out every home game (which would be a great thing) but would eventually have to rebuild. Thats all im saying. The vines center looks great, but it cant be something of permanence.

(as to the 5 year plan, not much of that is outdated, the tennis courts got moved, but not a whole else seems different from that, well have to judge in a few more years.)

[SuperJon]

If the Vines is selling out, why would we have to rebuild?

If we had a 12,000 seat arena that sold out on a consistent basis, I think we would be ecstatic.

[rueful]

because there is a difference at selling out a 12,000 seat arena and a 24,000 seat arena. We wouldnt have to build a new arena, but who knows what the circumstances will be like in 10 years. I just think its horribly foresight to increase 3000/4000 in 5-10 years, when its already full for convo, and since the BB definitely drew alot more interest last year (well have to see how much left with Curry) the same thing you described about the football culture on campus could happen to the BB culture over the next 5 years. I just think that its bad foresight, and that most likely this plan (just for the Vines, not the williams plan) will end up being scratched.

Even in the LU commuters email yesterday it encouraged us to vote for Lynchburg as the best city over roanoke.

Lynchburg is currently behind Roanoke in polling for the best city in America. If Lynchburg pulls ahead this will have a positive effect on donor relations and other venues that affect the University.

To vote to go http://www.kiplinger.com/money/bestcities/vote.php

which I read into that as hinting talks have been there about a possible venue, such as a civic center. I dont think Vines ever sees this happen.

[SuperJon]

I still don't see how selling out on a consistent basis is a bad thing?

[rueful]

im not saying its a bad thing. I never said it was a bad thing. In the original post, I said it would be a great thing.

The only team (Professional, semi-pro, college) who has ever sold out on a consistent basis that didnt make plans to rebuild has been the red sox. Obviously, they have alot of history in Fenway and all that goes with that. I dont think people are that attached to the vines.

And im pretty sure you were always one of the opponents of taking away the large student sections. If the school is 12,000 students and there are 18,000 from the city(going off the fact that were selling out the bill and those people like basketball as well)

where do you put the students then? Do the lottery system? I just think theres alot more negatives to building this thing at that capacity. But again, Selling out at on a consistent basis is not a bad thing, it just has its draw backs if its at a number equal to the enrollment

[thepostman]

I actually pray to God that LU never moves the bball team to a 24,000 seat arena..I love smaller college basketball arenas...whenever this addition happens and if we ever sell it out consistently, with the way the Vines is, it could easily be one of the loudest places to play in the country

I am becoming more and more proud of the school I call my alma mater...it wasn't too many years ago where i wasn't sure if I would even stay at liberty...I am more and more glad that I did...

these changes will be just amazing

EDIT...I have a feeling convo will be for on campus students only very soon...but that is a whole other debate