Stadium Expansion

[MSU01]

Seems like it's overdue. The ticket situation this year has officially veered into ridiculous. Zero new season passes were sold to the public in the offseason. Demand seems like it's pent up with no signs of fading.

Hadn't seen any recent discussion on plans to continue on Stadium Expansion but it feels like it's holding the program back again. Anyone heard any rumors on recent concepts or developments?

I know there was an overarching plan including redoing East stands and open north endzone back when the south endzone was filled in. I just haven't heard any talk about rolling that forward (or anything else like it).

I doubt we'll hear anything official from MSU until the Indoor Practice Facility is completed and opened, at the earliest. I'd have to disagree that the program is being held back by not expanding the stadium, because the two most recent facilities projects (BAC and IPF) won't be used by fans but will continue to have a huge positive impact on the football program itself. My guess: Within the next 10 years we'll have a rebuild of the east side bleachers. North end zone seating won't happen because the BAC is just too close to the field and the amount of seats you can fit in there may not be worth the cost. As with any facilities improvement project, unless a massive donor drops out of the sky and funds the entire thing it won't happen nearly as quickly as we'd like it to.

I think the prior plans always showed a short section of stands in the north endzone. I'd think they would have built the complex roughly where they'd need to to accommodate a short set of stands with a tunnel back to the complex. Guessing stands would come up to roughly window level on the complex or so until they can go higher in the corners. They had basically unlimited room to the north to space the complex so I can't imagine them not factoring in eventual expansion plans on it.

That was just my guess, if you look at the original renderings from the facilities improvement project they definitely wouldn't be able to build the exact same structure that was originally pictured there. To expand stadium capacity I think the more likely direction they'll go is to extend the sideline seating into the corners of the north end zone. Think new east side bleachers that wrap around all the way to the edge of the BAC, that would add way more seats than building a few rows of seating in the north end zone in front of the BAC without blocking its view of the field. I highly doubt their plan is to have the coaches' offices in the fancy new BAC eventually have a view of a bunch of concrete and metal on the back side of a seating structure.

Yeah, it definitely can't be what was pictured on the 2017 plan. But I feel like it will have to be something to complete the look of the stadium some day. They may opt to do north seats last, but in the grand scheme I can't see it being the plan to just leave all that space between the field and the complex open. And it may make sense to just do it as part of building the corners in. But they may opt to do something with the East stands before any of that. Maybe that would take on the NE corner also

I suppose the question is what's more important, adding as much seating as you can or making the stadium look as nice as possible? My guess is that they'll be more concerned about the former, since adding seating in front of the BAC would only be a few hundred extra seats as opposed to a few thousand like they could get by expanding the existing sideline seating into the corners.

[damnyoutuesday]

Complete speculation, but I'm gonna guess the walkway in the SE endzone will be a feature around the entire stadium, and the NW endzone will just be the walkway with field level suites underneath, kind of like the shipping containers now. Probably wouldn't require the scoreboard to move, but idk how much space there is between the board and the BAC

[kwcat]

Some thing I would like to see as we hope to continue years of playoff appearance and hosting is better drains on the field and possibly heat in some areas to eliminate the ice.
Snow is cool as far as I’m concerned with the moisture and ice buildup hinders both teams

[kennethnoisewater]

Probably has been discussed on earlier threads on the subject but was is the likelihood that the roof of the BAC was set up from a structures perspective to have seating built onto the top of it? The likely answer is it was not, but maybe someone knows.

Leon said specifically that the BAC was not engineered for seating on the roof. But it doesn't matter like AFCAT said--can't see over the scoreboard anyway.

Just because I am curious. Did Leon ever say why? I assume cost was a large decision factor.

I don't believe he did. I assume cost was too. Or maybe it's the span of the building and not enough support for that...and they sacrificed the seating for the layout of the interior. I can imagine you'd need quite a support system that comes up through the building to accommodate a couple thousand fans and concrete grandstands.

[RKMCMT]

I suppose the question is what's more important, adding as much seating as you can or making the stadium look as nice as possible? My guess is that they'll be more concerned about the former, since adding seating in front of the BAC would only be a few hundred extra seats as opposed to a few thousand like they could get by expanding the existing sideline seating into the corners.

I can't envision them actually running the corners into the side of the athletic complex. It would be strange to have corners that far away from the field. They pretty much have to build them to end in front of the complex.

And adding shorter stands to go in between corners wouldn't cost nearly as much as the full corner expansions will. Can't really compare them dollar for dollar.

[Pecos24]

I'd have to disagree that the program is being held back by not expanding the stadium, because the two most recent facilities projects (BAC and IPF) won't be used by fans but will continue to have a huge positive impact on the football program itself. My guess: Within the next 10 years we'll have a rebuild of the east side bleachers. North end zone seating won't happen because the BAC is just too close to the field and the amount of seats you can fit in there may not be worth the cost. As with any facilities improvement project, unless a massive donor drops out of the sky and funds the entire thing it won't happen nearly as quickly as we'd like it to.

Not held back as in no progress is being made. But selling zero new season tickets is a new threshold. Heck UM was still selling them this year and still even offering those desperation 3-game season packages.

Looking at what tickets are selling for aftermarket, even for these trash early warmup games... the program is going to be leaving a lot of money on the table every year.

What I'm afraid of is that if the demand is high enough season ticket prices will go up significantly and price some of us out. I guess no use worrying until it happens...

[AFCAT]

Complete speculation, but I'm gonna guess the walkway in the SE endzone will be a feature around the entire stadium, and the NW endzone will just be the walkway with field level suites underneath, kind of like the shipping containers now. Probably wouldn't require the scoreboard to move, but idk how much space there is between the board and the BAC

Yeah, I did a mock photo of that a few years ago when the BAC was being built. The walkway would extend around the entire stadium and would come us just below the BAC windows. A party area below, much like what's there now and only a couple rows of seating above the party area and a run out tunnel too.

[RKMCMT]

I'd have to disagree that the program is being held back by not expanding the stadium, because the two most recent facilities projects (BAC and IPF) won't be used by fans but will continue to have a huge positive impact on the football program itself. My guess: Within the next 10 years we'll have a rebuild of the east side bleachers. North end zone seating won't happen because the BAC is just too close to the field and the amount of seats you can fit in there may not be worth the cost. As with any facilities improvement project, unless a massive donor drops out of the sky and funds the entire thing it won't happen nearly as quickly as we'd like it to.

Not held back as in no progress is being made. But selling zero new season tickets is a new threshold. Heck UM was still selling them this year and still even offering those desperation 3-game season packages.

Looking at what tickets are selling for aftermarket, even for these trash early warmup games... the program is going to be leaving a lot of money on the table every year.

What I'm afraid of is that if the demand is high enough season ticket prices will go up significantly and price some of us out. I guess no use worrying until it happens...

And expansion is the only real long-term help for that. Not much chance the school sees what their tickets are going for aftermarket and decides not to take a bigger cut. Prices will rise and if supply of seats isn't increased, they will rise more (long term).

[BelgradeBobcat]

Complete speculation, but I'm gonna guess the walkway in the SE endzone will be a feature around the entire stadium, and the NW endzone will just be the walkway with field level suites underneath,

I've thought this too. Makes perfect sense.

[MSU01]

I suppose the question is what's more important, adding as much seating as you can or making the stadium look as nice as possible? My guess is that they'll be more concerned about the former, since adding seating in front of the BAC would only be a few hundred extra seats as opposed to a few thousand like they could get by expanding the existing sideline seating into the corners.

I can't envision them actually running the corners into the side of the athletic complex. It would be strange to have corners that far away from the field. They pretty much have to build them to end in front of the complex.

And adding shorter stands to go in between corners wouldn't cost nearly as much as the full corner expansions will. Can't really compare them dollar for dollar.

Right, the front of the stands would be well ahead of the BAC building but they'd extend back far enough to run alongside the edge of the building at an angle. Then put some field suites in front of the BAC and there you go, more seats and more suites helps out both the average fans and the big spenders. All way in the future though and none of us know what the plans really are if there are any at the current time!

[gtapp]

As has been stated many times, expansion will be very expensive and not add many seats.

[TomCat88]

As has been stated many times, expansion will be very expensive and not add many seats.

Stated by who?

[Catsrgrood]

As has been stated many times, expansion will be very expensive and not add many seats.

Huh?

[gtapp]

As has been stated many times, expansion will be very expensive and not add many seats.

Stated by who?

It has been discussed on here many times. A new East side will add zero seats and the North endzone maybe a couple thousand. Now if you add anither level to the East side that would help but be cost prohibative.

[Mtcatfan]

As has been stated many times, expansion will be very expensive and not add many seats.

Stated by who?

It has been discussed on here many times. A new East side will add zero seats and the North endzone maybe a couple thousand. Now if you add anither level to the East side that would help but be cost prohibative.

With the plan as designed it would not add seats. Why couldn’t they just tie the the east side into the SEZ and then go higher with it to add as many seats as needed? Of course cost is an issue but no reason not to be able to add seats. Luxury boxes above as well.

[AFCAT]

As has been stated many times, expansion will be very expensive and not add many seats.

Stated by who?

It has been discussed on here many times. A new East side will add zero seats and the North endzone maybe a couple thousand. Now if you add anither level to the East side that would help but be cost prohibative.

Yeah, the East side renovation, as envisioned in the 2017 master plan, didn’t add any seats and may have even had fewer seats. Of course, that’s what was envisioned in 2017. Who knows what they have planned now. If they want to expand seating, any future additions would have to include seating in the corners and end zone or have a different style East grandstand than what they had in the 2017 plans.

[TomCat88]

As has been stated many times, expansion will be very expensive and not add many seats.

Stated by who?

It has been discussed on here many times. A new East side will add zero seats and the North endzone maybe a couple thousand. Now if you add anither level to the East side that would help but be cost prohibative.

I think you mean a renovation might not add any seats and might be cost prohibitive. Or a bunch of people with next to no serious information think …

All they need to do to add seats is make the new East grandstand taller and longer. I have no idea why you think, after the last two projects, that a new east grandstand would be cost prohibitive. Relative to the BAC and IPF, a grandstand isn’t very complicated (read not relatively expensive). Grandstands require no HVAC, no insulation, significantly less electrical, less foundation work, less painting and drywall, …

[Otis Campbell]

It's already been designed, just have to update it with a football field, etc. Called the Volkshalle, designed by Albert Speer about eighty years ago. Should be adequate for today's needs, right RKMCMT?

[rfischer94]

I'd have to disagree that the program is being held back by not expanding the stadium, because the two most recent facilities projects (BAC and IPF) won't be used by fans but will continue to have a huge positive impact on the football program itself. My guess: Within the next 10 years we'll have a rebuild of the east side bleachers. North end zone seating won't happen because the BAC is just too close to the field and the amount of seats you can fit in there may not be worth the cost. As with any facilities improvement project, unless a massive donor drops out of the sky and funds the entire thing it won't happen nearly as quickly as we'd like it to.

Not held back as in no progress is being made. But selling zero new season tickets is a new threshold. Heck UM was still selling them this year and still even offering those desperation 3-game season packages.

Looking at what tickets are selling for aftermarket, even for these trash early warmup games... the program is going to be leaving a lot of money on the table every year.

What I'm afraid of is that if the demand is high enough season ticket prices will go up significantly and price some of us out. I guess no use worrying until it happens...

I worry about that too. I recently watched the 1984 semifinal game and could see that the football team brought the community together in a way that not much can. If ticket prices get too high, it could exclude people. That would suck.

[TomCat88]

For some reason a stadium that has any noticeable gaps with empty seats is considered bad. I can’t think of any other place where that’s the case. Highways, school buses, hotels, restaurants, laundromats, bars, coffee shops, grocery stores practically everything has times where it isn’t maxed out.

I think if MSU can get 30,000 for 2-3 games per year, it should have a stadium for 30,000. I get the part about “if you have 10,000 cheap seats, then you risk not selling some of the expensive seats” but it seems like the extra 10,000 for Gold Rush, homecoming and .5 Cat-Griz would offset that.