Revisiting Track Removal/Renovation

[AppAttack]

At the least if the track stays make it charcoal color

Black with gold lines???

[boonetown1]

https://usatfanindex.files.wordpress.co ... 1000&h=666

Look to Boise. This needs to be done for tv. Just add temporary mats/turf over track. There is no reason why we cannot do this on the sides this year, instead of gray put green or black.

That is much worse than we have.

You're telling me a green cover turf is worse??...interesting

[bcoach]

https://usatfanindex.files.wordpress.co ... 1000&h=666

Look to Boise. This needs to be done for tv. Just add temporary mats/turf over track. There is no reason why we cannot do this on the sides this year, instead of gray put green or black.

That is much worse than we have.

You're telling me a green cover turf is worse??...interesting

Sorry I must be having a computer problem. On my screen it looks grey and much wider than ours. Looks like a coliseum floor. looks terrible on my screen.

[AppOrange]

You want the cheapest fix, get rid of any track equipment and vehicles that can be seen from the playing surface, now that does look bush. I like the thought of enhancing the visitors side, maybe wrapping the seating a little towards the hill with the A. More seats and visually pleasing on tv. I wish we could get more shots of our home side and pressbox on tv. Also, black end zones please.

[WVAppsfan]

Are there plans that have been developed to look at this? Estimated cost? Estimated time line?

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

Are there plans that have been developed to look at this? Estimated cost? Estimated time line?

Won't happen until track finds a new home. Cost will depend on the plans. Don't think there are any current clear plans.

[WVAppsfan]

Thanks for the update. That is the problem with having a mountain top for a home top as a home, Sometimes it is hard to find the right piece of ground.

[MtnDevil95]

Thinking long term and with an Alabama level budget, I would propose a few things that I think would elevate the experience while maintaining some of the tradition and feel of The Rock:

• Bigger better video screen/scoreboard (this should be near term goal)
  Enhance and improve the sound system (this should be a near term goal)
  Relocate the track, dig down and get East, West stands closer to the playing field
  Close in the North side, build over and around Owens
  Regrade Miller Hill closer to the endzone, add tents with patio type seating areas along the back of the hill for VIP Donors and Corporate sponsors (catering, beer/wine, private bathrooms, etc.)

[App91]

You want the cheapest fix, get rid of any track equipment and vehicles that can be seen from the playing surface, now that does look bush. I like the thought of enhancing the visitors side, maybe wrapping the seating a little towards the hill with the A. More seats and visually pleasing on tv. I wish we could get more shots of our home side and pressbox on tv. Also, black end zones please.

This!
So true. Cannot understand why the equipment is left out for all to see.

[APPdiesel]

Want to affect change? Email Doug Gillan with your concerns. Do so in a rational, thoughtful, clear, and concise way (especially with things like moving the extra equipment on game day). He replied to many many emails about the white out, so he does read them.

[EastHallApp]

Thinking long term and with an Alabama level budget, I would propose a few things that I think would elevate the experience while maintaining some of the tradition and feel of The Rock:

• Bigger better video screen/scoreboard (this should be near term goal)
  Enhance and improve the sound system (this should be a near term goal)
  Relocate the track, dig down and get East, West stands closer to the playing field
  Close in the North side, build over and around Owens
  Regrade Miller Hill closer to the endzone, add tents with patio type seating areas along the back of the hill for VIP Donors and Corporate sponsors (catering, beer/wine, private bathrooms, etc.)

I cosign all these ideas, with a couple caveats:

- Any expansion around the north end zone must not block the view of Howard's Knob.
- I love the cafe table idea for the path around the south end zone (have proposed it here before myself), but I'm not sure about the tents. Maybe I'm envisioning it wrong, but it sounds like a potential eyesore. I think you could just put boxed-off tables with reserved seats and sell them at a premium price and it would be a nice enhancement and revenue stream without looking tacky for everyone else.

[Yosef10]

Want to affect change? Email Doug Gillan with your concerns. Do so in a rational, thoughtful, clear, and concise way (especially with things like moving the extra equipment on game day). He replied to many many emails about the white out, so he does read them.

Hate being that guy and not singling you out as many still do it. But I think we should at least at this point get our AD's name correct, it's Doug Gillin.

[boonetown1]

Thinking long term and with an Alabama level budget, I would propose a few things that I think would elevate the experience while maintaining some of the tradition and feel of The Rock:

• Bigger better video screen/scoreboard (this should be near term goal)
  Enhance and improve the sound system (this should be a near term goal)
  Relocate the track, dig down and get East, West stands closer to the playing field
  Close in the North side, build over and around Owens
  Regrade Miller Hill closer to the endzone, add tents with patio type seating areas along the back of the hill for VIP Donors and Corporate sponsors (catering, beer/wine, private bathrooms, etc.)

I cosign all these ideas, with a couple caveats:

- Any expansion around the north end zone must not block the view of Howard's Knob.
- I love the cafe table idea for the path around the south end zone (have proposed it here before myself), but I'm not sure about the tents. Maybe I'm envisioning it wrong, but it sounds like a potential eyesore. I think you could just put boxed-off tables with reserved seats and sell them at a premium price and it would be a nice enhancement and revenue stream without looking tacky for everyone else.

If we were to regrade the south end zone, I say we build the new scoreboard slightly in front of the bathrooms behind (similar to dukes, nice brick). I like the idea about built in seating along the top of the grass and then potentially adding in some permanent vendor areas around back near the bathrooms (kind of like nice farmers market covers). The permanent covers would match the stadium, so we do not have tents around the top (ie Appalachian cookie company, etc.). The vendors would rent space to sell their food and dare i say beer if we ever go that route.

[MDaniels84]

Dang, I was just getting a little frustrated about the track. Love all of the ideas sprouting forth.

[ASUGoose]

I'd prefer to build up the north endzone seating where the track is and connect the two lower sections of the east and west and add club seating to the top on those seats. Then regrade Miller hill so it comes up to the south endzone.

I like this approach. And with the hill built up and leading right up to the endzone, that could be the entrance for our guys to come down into the stadium, like we see at Clemson.

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

We have a lot of good plans...But who is going to pay for it? Where will the money come from?

[asu66]

How long has the bank been named Miller hill and who is the Miller in Miller hill? Just started hearing recently that's all.

Within the last year! The hill is likely to stay a long, long while.

http://www.appstatesports.com/ViewArtic ... =210556287

Think North end zone and further expansion of the "Millennial Campus" concept. Think additional premium seating, a premium club area, a ginormous video board and more. There is a long waiting list for premium seating--and that creates a revenue stream.

Read this link all the way to the end and let your mind wander into the next few years.

http://www.news.appstate.edu/2015/06/29 ... al-campus/

[bigCasu]

We have a lot of good plans...But who is going to pay for it? Where will the money come from?

That money comes from people buying season tickets and investing into the program. When entities borrow money, the lender wants to know that the loan can be paid back. We prove that with season tickets sales.

[hotrod2001]

My idea, if I was ever in charge of such matters, would be to remove the track from the football stadium and expand down the student section (or general admission) to the side lines and then fill in with stadium turf.

Then I would purchase the old Watauga High School site off of 105 from the county (?) and use that a new multiple sport athletic complex.

The old football stadium is still there, the high school was a AAA school so there is plenty of seating, the track is still there, although it would need to be replaced. You have the infield which can be used for field events, or Lacrosse or Field Hockey. The facility also has a softball field, a baseball field, and multiple tennis courts which could also be used for either intramurals, club or team activities.

It also would come with a generous amount of parking and geographically speaking, is no further from the center of campus (Sanford Mall) than the baseball field is. At last check the property I think was on the market for $20 million, but I would think a state entity could probably cut a better deal on the property.

[EastHallApp]

We have a lot of good plans...But who is going to pay for it? Where will the money come from?

That money comes from people buying season tickets and investing into the program. When entities borrow money, the lender wants to know that the loan can be paid back. We prove that with season tickets sales.

I've never run an athletic dept., and obviously the more tickets and YC memberships sold the better, but I suspect we need to attract some major corporate sponsors besides just relying on rank-and-file donors and fans. (Unless we can locate that one super-wealthy sugar-daddy booster like some places have.)

In the meantime, I think that's why it's important to find those cost-effective improvements. Bowling in the North end zone would obviously be expensive, never mind the fact that the demand doesn't currently exist for that many extra seats when the opponent isn't named Miami. Adding patio/cafe table seating around the top of the hill, OTOH, shouldn't be too pricey and would provide more premium seats that I bet would get snatched up quickly.