Remove the Track

[jburk9936]

Yes, I am bringing this old topic again. Why is this not feasible? We have added new seats and renovations up to this point. Is it even on the drawing board? Seems to me, they could lower the field 5 to 10 feet and move the stands down and closer. It really is a very unusual stadium layout that few college footbal stadiums have anymore, honestly, I think it is the last thing that keeps us from being "legit"

[ASU-FTW]

What irritates me some, is that we did not expand "properly" the first time. I am in favor of doing it right the first time, or hold off until you can. I think we should have held off on expanding the stadium as much as we did until we could find a new home for the track. At the time of the new field turf installation, the field could have been moved closer to the West side stands. Subsequently, potentially new East side stands could have been built right "on top" of the field as well.

[cbarrier90]

Yes, I am bringing this old topic again. Why is this not feasible? We have added new seats and renovations up to this point. Is it even on the drawing board? Seems to me, they could lower the field 5 to 10 feet and move the stands down and closer. It really is a very unusual stadium layout that few college footbal stadiums have anymore, honestly, I think it is the last thing that keeps us from being "legit"

CURSE YOU, TRACK! YOU'RE THE REASON WE DIDN'T WIN THE SOCON LAST YEAR!

Husky Stadium at Washington is going through the same type of renovation. Check these financial stats.

http://www.huskystadium.com/renovation- ... ncial-plan

Raise 200 million bucks and it's as good as gone!

EDIT: Unrelated, but the loudest stadium decibel recording was made at Husky Stadium during Nebraska-Washington in 1992, and that was WITH the track in place. Once they get it removed and Washington starts winning...

[ASU-FTW]

CURSE YOU, TRACK! YOU'RE THE REASON WE DIDN'T WIN THE SOCON LAST YEAR!

Husky Stadium at Washington is going through the same type of renovation. Check these financial stats.

http://www.huskystadium.com/renovation- ... ncial-plan

Raise 200 million bucks and it's as good as gone!

EDIT: Unrelated, but the loudest stadium decibel recording was made at Husky Stadium during Nebraska-Washington in 1992, and that was WITH the track in place. Once they get it removed and Washington starts winning...

I see your humor, but getting the stands close to the field potentially allows you to win more games as it would improve the homefield advantage. Is it worth millions of dollars? That's debatable, but it wouldn't be for the sole purpose of homefield advantage benefit to begin with, but rather building a better platform on which to establish future stadium expansion.

[biggie]

And lets just avoid thinking about that you aren't digging into nice soft dirt below 'The Rock'.

[Gonzo]

Removing the track doesn't necessarily mean we have to blow up 10 feet of bed rock and lower the field.

Tear the track up and plant bushes along the stands on either sideline. It will look fine. When we're in the FBS money we can worry about sinking the field.

[moonshine]

Removing the track doesn't necessarily mean we have to blow up 10 feet of bed rock and lower the field.

Tear the track up and plant bushes along the stands on either sideline. It will look fine. When we're in the FBS money we can worry about sinking the field.

Is it possible to forego digging down at all, removing the track and the lower east side stands, slide the field closer to the west side and then build the lower east side back closer to the field? I realize this may produce less than stellar site lines since it will not be steep enough but gives fans the incentive to donate more if they want better viewing seats. This at least eliminates the need to blow up bedrock and all the costs associated.

[cbarrier90]

CURSE YOU, TRACK! YOU'RE THE REASON WE DIDN'T WIN THE SOCON LAST YEAR!

Husky Stadium at Washington is going through the same type of renovation. Check these financial stats.

http://www.huskystadium.com/renovation- ... ncial-plan

Raise 200 million bucks and it's as good as gone!

EDIT: Unrelated, but the loudest stadium decibel recording was made at Husky Stadium during Nebraska-Washington in 1992, and that was WITH the track in place. Once they get it removed and Washington starts winning...

I see your humor, but getting the stands close to the field potentially allows you to win more games as it would improve the homefield advantage. Is it worth millions of dollars? That's debatable, but it wouldn't be for the sole purpose of homefield advantage benefit to begin with, but rather building a better platform on which to establish future stadium expansion.

Sorry, in my time at ASU I have seen the Maine, Villanova and Citadel games. As much as I'd love to copy Montana, I now realize "home field advantage" is just a nice term to make fans feel like they're a part of the game. Heck, Montana lost to Northern Arizona at home and once lost to a D-II NDSU at Wa-Griz a long time ago.

My purpose in that comment was directed at the idea that somehow we aren't "legit" because we have a track, which is a completely ridiculous notion. If the best smack talk against us is that we have a track around the field, this program has done pretty well for itself.

I agree that the inital expansion wasn't made correctly, but consider that in 2004 this program finished 6-5 with a loss to Western and by the start of 2008 had a win over Michigan and 3 national championships. The overnight demand for ASU football was so great they couldn't simply let all that business go by the wayside waiting to expand "correctly."

The best way to get the ball rolling is to fill the present seats and have the hill over capacity consistently. That's what made the North endzone seats happen last season (which, IMO, is a step in the right direction.)

Like I said, make some donations, write some letters, pull some strings, and maybe it can happen. I certainly hope it does.

[Gonzo]

I'm ready for this. I hope construction begins in the off season.

[WVAPPeer]

I have not one ounce of engineering aptitude anywhere in my body - my head and gut (both older than dirt) tells me it would be a massive undertaking to lower the
field - our season doesn't end until into Dec (referring to home games - not practices) - then the Boone winter roars in - very little spring and then summer is here and
the new season is coming down the pike - how could all this be done and us not lose a season of home games? What overall value is put on that? ---

[asumike83]

Doubt it begins in the offseason but it will begin soon. My guess is after the 2013 season.

I also agree that the track should go. It can be done without lowering the field, as pictured. Remove the track, put permanent seats behind the North end zone that are right on the field and do some landscaping along the sidelines. It would be nice for our football team to have their own stadium.

I know one obstacle is deciding where to put it. Is there any reason that putting it at State Farm or around the soccer stadium would be out of the question?

[appgrouch]

Doubt it begins in the offseason but it will begin soon. My guess is after the 2013 season.

I also agree that the track should go. It can be done without lowering the field, as pictured. Remove the track, put permanent seats behind the North end zone that are right on the field and do some landscaping along the sidelines. It would be nice for our football team to have their own stadium.

I know one obstacle is deciding where to put it. Is there any reason that putting it at State Farm or around the soccer stadium would be out of the question?

State Farm has flooding issues and would take out 4-5 fields used by UREC for IM Soccer,Football, Rugby, etc.
The ASU Soccer Stadium hardly had room for the field. The Current soccer complex would have to tear down stands and building and is not owned by ASU, it is part of a partnership with ASU and county orgs.

[moonshine]

I have not one ounce of engineering aptitude anywhere in my body - my head and gut (both older than dirt) tells me it would be a massive undertaking to lower the
field - our season doesn't end until into Dec (referring to home games - not practices) - then the Boone winter roars in - very little spring and then summer is here and
the new season is coming down the pike - how could all this be done and us not lose a season of home games? What overall value is put on that? ---

Just spit balling...Collaborate with the Socon and see if we can work the schedule out where App plays all it's home games in the first half of the season and allow demolition to begin in the 2nd or 3rd week of October. If ASU makes the playoffs, don't turn in a bid and if App gets a seed, see if the program can work a deal with Wake Forest to use their stadium. It's not like it'll hurt the attendance that much and you may be able to pull in some walk-ups from the triad. That would give a crew from at least November to July/August to complete it. If need be, work the schedule the following year to have away games until the first few weeks.

[asumike83]

I don't think there is much chance the field is lowered any time in the near future. The pictured rendering the Yosef Club has handed out that includes adding permanent seating in the north end zone could be done in an offseason and it looks like the track would have to be moved for that expansion to take place. The question is where does it go?

[asutrnr81]

Yes, I am bringing this old topic again. Why is this not feasible? We have added new seats and renovations up to this point. Is it even on the drawing board? Seems to me, they could lower the field 5 to 10 feet and move the stands down and closer. It really is a very unusual stadium layout that few college footbal stadiums have anymore, honestly, I think it is the last thing that keeps us from being "legit"

I have an idea i have not "heard" discussed. First let me say I do not think removing the track is necessary. But let's say we do. I think It can be done without lowering the field. I would NOT do anything to the West (home) side as it is not necessary that anyone be any closer to the home team. But I would simply use the current upper deck angle to build down to the field. Step it down a level but create the stands from the east side upper deck to the field over the existing seating. This would build some symmetry. It also would give you something to "build" to for endzone seating on the north end. Then our fans would be right "behind" the visiting team and would give the Apps some room on the west side.

Then when it is time to re-cover the field you could adjust it "IF" you wanted.

Go APPS!

[asutrnr81]

I'm ready for this. I hope construction begins in the off season.

Gonzo...I love the pic....but it looks to me like with this rendering, we would keep the track and at least part of the stands on the north end would be retractable.

go APPS!

[ASU-FTW]

I'm not in favor of that proposed expansion plan, and I hope it is just a draft. The idea of a tiny third deck is just silly to me. It puts considerable distance between the fans and field. Like I said earlier, it needs to be done right next time. The endzone addition is not bad, I'll admit.

[firemoose]

They should have made a deal with the county and just bought the old high school. There is already a track and football field there (just needs a modern surface), four additional fields for other activities, stands (with room to expand), parking, and room to build a complex with additional room for more student housing. That's exactly what the people bidding for the site are planning to use it for, a retail site and student housing. We already ripped down Mountaineer Apartments and put up modular housing so there was plenty of room for more of those. I know the county had $$$$ in their eyes but the university has pull and a deal could have been worked, especially during these past two years while the property just sat there with no bids and vandals were tearing it to shreds. And before some say it's too far away from campus, they are planning on building a new building and putting a part of the College of Health Science at the site of the old Lowe's Hardware (State Farm Rd and Deerfield) beside the Hospital. That is farther than even driving 321 to the big light and taking 105 to the old HS. It would have solved a few problems and given the university a bunch more rooms that they could have controlled and made money from instead of letting a private firm come in and make the money.

[GlassOnion]

IMO, dropping all the concrete bleachers and rebuilding is the best option. They already are in rough shape. I'd build the stands closer to the field, at the same rise, and on the fieldhouse side have a 10 ft or so walkway at the top of the stands, with maybe a couple concession setups. The aluminum stands would be easy enough to disassemble, and reassemble at the T&F site. and then we could mirror the home side. Of course I think we're destined for the cobbled together look due to limited means. But when I win the lotto..

[appgrouch]

They should have made a deal with the county and just bought the old high school. There is already a track and football field there (just needs a modern surface), four additional fields for other activities, stands (with room to expand), parking, and room to build a complex with additional room for more student housing. That's exactly what the people bidding for the site are planning to use it for, a retail site and student housing. We already ripped down Mountaineer Apartments and put up modular housing so there was plenty of room for more of those. I know the county had $$$$ in their eyes but the university has pull and a deal could have been worked, especially during these past two years while the property just sat there with no bids and vandals were tearing it to shreds. And before some say it's too far away from campus, they are planning on building a new building and putting an entire College (HLES) at the site of the old Lowe's Hardware (State Farm Rd and Deerfield) beside the Hospital. That is farther than even driving 321 to the big light and taking 105 to the old HS. It would have solved a few problems and given the university a bunch more rooms that they could have controlled and made money from instead of letting a private firm come in and make the money.

1) to pay for it add at least $ 10-15 Mil to the campaign to pay for it or jack up the Athletics fee again?
2) It would still have to be rezoned of university use by the town of boone and they won't let us rezone a 2-story office building up at university hall. Do you think that they are going to forgo all the tax revenue that site would generate in private hands.
3) The College is Health Sciences of which HLES is a part of. The complex that would be built there would be focused on Medical Professions (Nursing et al) and the land has been conditionally donated by the Hospital to set up a partnership to get these programs to a higher level. The condition is for ASU getting the money and they can't even get the state to pony up the planning dollars. HLES and a few other parts of CHS would stay on campus.