[LUconn]

Where on earth would they put 15k seats? And what who would sit in them? I know I know, future. But seriously, where would they put them?

[A.G.]

You could horsehoe in the scoreboard end zone with the hill. That would work.

[LU'sbestmanger]

with the school gettng bigger and bigger every year and hopefully a really good season, u never know what will happen

[El Scorcho]

Where on earth would they put 15k seats? And what who would sit in them? I know I know, future. But seriously, where would they put them?

Up. My understanding is that Williams was constructed with the idea of the current press box being easy to revamp/rebuild. Second seating levels would then be added above both lower levels.

I think horseshoeing would be a good step prior to that, though. If they can fill that up, then they should go up.

[SuperJon]

I still say we need to fill up our current stadium on a regular basis before we build a bigger one. A packed 10-12,000 stadium does so much more for things than 10-12,000 people in a 25,000 seat stadium.

[HarrisburgFlame]

Three keys to filling the stadium. Rocco's boys getting off to a quick start and putting an exciting product on the field. The students getting behind the program again. Liberty's ongoing efforts in the community.

Winning will fill the seats if nothing else.

[PAmedic]

agree that the talk was always about filling in the bowl first. how that works with the old fieldhouse in the sight-lines, I don't know.

I say- if the money's there now- build it. you can always cover it with a huge LU tarp if you don't need the seating initially, but at least its an option.

And El-S is correct as well- the next big addition was always slated to be UP on either side, including new press boxes. That would enable us to get to 36K capacity.

I'll stop now before SJ and the Appy St and JMU fans go into hysterics.

[SuperJon]

I'm too busy trying to get over this creative block I'm having in Photoshop trying to create a half decent signature to have the same argument for the 14th time.

[HarrisburgFlame]

I would say they are going up vs. a bowl or now. I assume the old fieldhouse would be demolished to make room for closing off an endzone at some point. I haven't seen the long range plans but going up on either side seems easy enough. Lots of room. They could even do a concourse level where the top exists now and start the additional seating above. With the pitch of the seats one has to believe a horseshoe would make for pretty crummy seats in the end zone corners. I don't think we'll have to worry above the design any time soon though :>)

[LUconn]

I would say they are going up vs. a bowl or now. I assume the old fieldhouse would be demolished to make room for closing off an endzone at some point.

Exactly. You'd have to get rid of the fieldhouse in order for anybody to see and I don't think they're planning on doing that any time soon. Then again if you go up you've got more buildings in the way. The press box and consession stands. So, I'm not seeing any expansion happening until we're ready to demolish a bunch of buildings.

[bigsmooth]

good to see you HF! as we have talked about in an earlier thread, this stadium is designed to go up. if anyone has been to maryland's byrd stadium or carter finley stadium, you will see how it is done. i too would eventually like to see the old fieldhouse torn down and bowl one end in, but im sure that is down the road. does anyone know if the new building would have an extra locker room for visitors? i know at carter-finley they had the same thing we had, an old fieldhouse, so they are putting a visitors locker room underneath the new stands in the bowl. it will be cool when we reach that era that we need to expand.

[HarrisburgFlame]

I was just at Carter-Finley last week - you are right - that model would be very easy to follow at Williams Stadium. The renovations at CF are pretty impressive - nice facility.

[bigsmooth]

CF is certainly nicer now, though they did have one design flaw. the end with the big football center the players have to go up 2 or 3 levels to get to the locker room. BTW, the original contractor for CF built williams.

[Purple Haize]

Definetly they will be building up. (See Genesis for Tower of Babel blue print!! ) I am not certain if the current foundation/"footers" would hold it, but I thnk that is how is was designed. Either way, it would be big.
As for the wisdom of doing it........... I most certainly fall into the camp "Fill What We Have" camp. If you have 8 or 9 K in our current stadium you would THINK (and probably are) a part of something special. The stadium would be 75 to 80% full and you would LOVE being there and want to come back. NOW put those SAME people in a stadium that is double our size and you get what you currently have. Attendance that feels like no one is there.
Just my two cents

[jimflamesfan]

Well, I don't know. If you need to have the seats to go I-A...and your plans are to eventually go I-A...then eventually at some point you need to add seats.

I also tend to lean towards thinking we should wait until we fill what we have...

I guess I would be okay if we did add the seats, but IF THEY DO THEN I WOULD REALLY, REALLY HOPE THEY WOULD TARP THE ENTIRE NEW SECTION WITH SOME KIND OF COOL BLACK COVERS SO IT DOESN'T EVEN LOOK LIKE THE SEATS EXIST UNTIL WE HAVE PEOPLE TO FILL THEM. Someone mentioned the tarping before, that would be the way to go.

That way, you still feel like your fillin' the stadium...and you're ready when JMU et al form a I-A conference.

(Have they ever finished the hockey seating yet?!?!...there we have people standing with no seats...and yet in football we have empty seats yet plan to add more...maybe we could convice the NCAA that we already have a 30,000 stadium...we develop a "tradition" of standing in the grass circle and at the top where there are no seats...haha).

[jimflamesfan]

Now that I'm venting about seats...I also sent an email suggesting that they paint the "reserved seats" below the blue seats, at Williams stadium red...so that people actually know that they are reserved.

People (even ushers) have had no idea in the past that those seats are reserved...and I've paid the extra $ to have the reserve seats, only to have people with $5 tickets sitting in my seat.

I emailed the new AD, and he promised to fix this problem...so in a step of faith, I have bought 4 season tickets in the reserved section again. We will see what happens! Hopefully I won't have to give up or fight for my seats this year

[PAmedic]

I guess I would be okay if we did add the seats, but IF THEY DO THEN I WOULD REALLY, REALLY HOPE THEY WOULD TARP THE ENTIRE NEW SECTION WITH SOME KIND OF COOL BLACK COVERS SO IT DOESN'T EVEN LOOK LIKE THE SEATS EXIST UNTIL WE HAVE PEOPLE TO FILL THEM. Someone mentioned the tarping before, that would be the way to go.

hmmm. wonder who that genious could've been... oh thats's right...

I say- if the money's there now- build it. you can always cover it with a huge LU tarp if you don't need the seating initially, but at least its an option.

[A.G.]

So, if the tarping theory holds, we should have had all BUT the front two rows tarped for the last couple of games last year.

[jimflamesfan]

Yep...Actually, we could've just tarped the whole student section and all sat on one end, like we did for the coastal game.

(although, there were games that were well attended...homecoming VMI last year, and the W & M game the year before....normally the early games before we kept losing).

Any comments on the reserved seats below the blue seats being painted red...that's what I hope they do, so at least people know they're reserved.

[LUconn]

We better be talking about nice tarp here. Like the kind with our giant logo on it. We don't want the walmart brand blue tarp.

[PAmedic]

can I interject for a minute (as scintilating as the tarp conversation has become) and reiterate my request for MORE PICTURES of the turf job, please?

[SuperJon]

It's rained everyday this week in Lynchburg. I doubt too much has gotten done.

[PAmedic]

boo hoo. Wish I could take the day off due to rain.

[LUconn]

If they had a giant tarp they could get it done.

[PAmedic]

don't give JF any ideas - next thing you know he's having plans for the "Jerry-Dome" drawn up.

And you KNOW he'll talk someone into paying for it.