Georgia Southern Stadium Expansion Vote

[ButlerGSU]

:)

[fc97]

http://news.georgiasouthern.edu/vote/

you know, i never understood this. raise student fees to pay for things they may or may not use, like a football stadium. instead, why not raise ticket prices so that everyone that uses the stadium pays for the expansion?

[eaglewraith]

you know, i never understood this. raise student fees to pay for things they may or may not use, like a football stadium. instead, why not raise ticket prices so that everyone that uses the stadium pays for the expansion?

Because this seating will be for students ONLY. There's a campaign to raise private funds to fund further expansion on the other side of the stadium, so it's not just students getting involved. Also ticket prices are tricky business at our level, and you run the risk of scaring people off.

I paid a fee for the student gym there that I never got to use (at least not in the state it is in now). I'm fine with it though because it was a good addition to the school.

[ASUG8]

Are there any renderings yet of the proposal?

[Dane96]

Someone want to explain this to me?!?! The fees are PER semester. The FBS fee cites only 16,000 students would be paying the fee (presumeably, like most schools, GSU won't charge the graduate students...and will waive the fee for certain undergrads in a limited fashion).

So...16,000 X $50= $800,000 dollars raised by this fee.

The cost of expansion, per the download, is $8.9 million. Why go through this exercise? If the answer is to stave off the "why the eff did you build this we need academic investment"...well that argument will always be there vote or otherwise. If the answer is to help fund the project this too is moot; the student contribution would be under 10% of the total cost. That's chump change...heck that's probably about what the contingengy change order fund would hold.

Why risk the chance of this being voted down? Neither reason from above would have me put this to a vote.

Am I missing something here?! Can the BOT not act to raise student fees w/o the vote? If so...why go the student fee route when the project is not even remotely heavily funded by the students.

WHOLE LOT OF RISK FOR NOT A LOT OF REWARD!!!!

[ASUMountaineer]

Someone want to explain this to me?!?! The fees are PER semester. The FBS fee cites only 16,000 students would be paying the fee (presumeably, like most schools, GSU won't charge the graduate students...and will waive the fee for certain undergrads in a limited fashion).

So...16,000 X $50= $800,000 dollars raised by this fee.

The cost of expansion, per the download, is $8.9 million. Why go through this exercise? If the answer is to stave off the "why the eff did you build this we need academic investment"...well that argument will always be there vote or otherwise. If the answer is to help fund the project this too is moot; the student contribution would be under 10% of the total cost. That's chump change...heck that's probably about what the contingengy change order fund would hold.

Why risk the chance of this being voted down? Neither reason from above would have me put this to a vote.

Am I missing something here?! Can the BOT not act to raise student fees w/o the vote? If so...why go the student fee route when the project is not even remotely heavily funded by the students.

WHOLE LOT OF RISK FOR NOT A LOT OF REWARD!!!!

Georgia Southern Stadium Expansion Vote

There's your answer. xawesomex

[ASUG8]

My feeling is that this is a fee that is going to happen regardless, and putting a "vote" out there makes it seem like the students actually had a say in it.

[GSUwinsagain]

Someone want to explain this to me?!?! The fees are PER semester. The FBS fee cites only 16,000 students would be paying the fee (presumeably, like most schools, GSU won't charge the graduate students...and will waive the fee for certain undergrads in a limited fashion).

So...16,000 X $50= $800,000 dollars raised by this fee.

The cost of expansion, per the download, is $8.9 million. Why go through this exercise? If the answer is to stave off the "why the eff did you build this we need academic investment"...well that argument will always be there vote or otherwise. If the answer is to help fund the project this too is moot; the student contribution would be under 10% of the total cost. That's chump change...heck that's probably about what the contingengy change order fund would hold.

Why risk the chance of this being voted down? Neither reason from above would have me put this to a vote.

Am I missing something here?! Can the BOT not act to raise student fees w/o the vote? If so...why go the student fee route when the project is not even remotely heavily funded by the students.

WHOLE LOT OF RISK FOR NOT A LOT OF REWARD!!!!

GSU will borrow the money to build it now and use the extra fee to pay for it over time. When it is paid off the extra fee goes away.
Seems pretty simple to me.

[Gringer1]

The fee would last for several years, thereby covering the cost. Here's your rendering http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/405241_10100590673612471_499795255_n.jpg

[TheEagleWay]

My feeling is that this is a fee that is going to happen regardless, and putting a "vote" out there makes it seem like the students actually had a say in it.

Nope, the stadium seat expansion lives and dies on the student vote. I am not aware of any way these fees can be forced.

The endzone building is being paid for by private funding only and is not effected by the vote.

[Dane96]

Ok...so the student fee will pay for the principle (800k per year X let's say 20 years)...and the school pays the interest.

That sounds more reasonable. Thanks for the answer.

[TheEagleWay]

WHOLE LOT OF RISK FOR NOT A LOT OF REWARD!!!!

No, this is high risk/high reward. This expansion has A LOT riding on it.

[Tribal]

Idunno, I like the grass seating arrangement on the sides. Some people go to concerts and sit on the lawn because they want to stretch out, allow their kids to play, drink unauthorized beverages, etc. If GSU wants to increase stadium capacity because they want to move to a FBS conference, then I can understand this move.

[TheEagleWay]

If GSU wants to increase stadium capacity because they want to move to a FBS conference, then I can understand this move.

This is all apart of the move to get ourselves in the best positions possible for an invite.


http://youtu.be/3esx_JPDca0

[eaglewraith]

Idunno, I like the grass seating arrangement on the sides. Some people go to concerts and sit on the lawn because they want to stretch out, allow their kids to play, drink unauthorized beverages, etc. If GSU wants to increase stadium capacity because they want to move to a FBS conference, then I can understand this move.

You really don't want to get started on the grass hills conversation.....

[eaglewraith]

Can the BOT not act to raise student fees w/o the vote? If so...why go the student fee route when the project is not even remotely heavily funded by the students.

WHOLE LOT OF RISK FOR NOT A LOT OF REWARD!!!!

I know you got another answer on this but I wanted to provide some more information.

This fee will finance this entire expansion, detailed as Phase 1a (partial) and Phase 1b from our feasibility study. It will be completely student fee funded, as it benefits seating for students as well as for other non-football related functions (graduation/commencement, yearly concerts, etc). The other part of Phase 1a will be privately funded for further seating expansion.

Also, the BoR will not levy a fee on the students for something like this without it going before the students for a vote. The BoR is ready to approve it pending the outcome of the student vote. I would expect a bond to be issued to begin construction ASAP. The fee will then pay off the bond. Looking at the 20 year sunset, the fee should more than pay off the expansion.

[Dane96]

Yeah...this makes sense. You absolutely cannot levy a fee like this without going to the students.

Now that I know this will be an on-going fee-- I read the FBS fee will be 20 years until expiration so I must assume the same for the expansion--then this makes sense from a risk-reward standpoint.

At first I couldn't understand why 800k would be worth the risk.

It is an interesting concept...and frankly....one I hope we use in Albany down the line. We could build out our entire stadium in seating alone with a similar fee. Not stealing the thunder from GSU, but I would hope we could build the same soldout atmosphere in Albany by entering the CAA...and then we could go the student fee route to get to that magical 24k seat number.

VERY INTRIGUING!!!

Good luck.

[slostang]

Nope, the stadium seat expansion lives and dies on the student vote. I am not aware of any way these fees can be forced.

The endzone building is being paid for by private funding only and is not effected by the vote.
At the state schools in California the university president can raise fees. If they put it on the ballot and it fails he can raise them because he can say it is in the best interest of the school. Of course this would cause a ***** storm politically so they would prefer it passes by a vote of the students.

[Eaglesrus]

At the state schools in California the university president can raise fees. If they put it on the ballot and it fails he can raise them because he can say it is in the best interest of the school. Of course this would cause a ***** storm politically so they would prefer it passes by a vote of the students.

Yeah, that's not the case in Georgia. I believe that the Board of Regents, that governs all of the state schools in GA, could raise fees as you say the school president can in California, but that's not going to happen, at least not unless it's for the benefit of the University of Georgia.

[eaglewraith]

Yeah...this makes sense. You absolutely cannot levy a fee like this without going to the students.

Now that I know this will be an on-going fee-- I read the FBS fee will be 20 years until expiration so I must assume the same for the expansion--then this makes sense from a risk-reward standpoint.

At first I couldn't understand why 800k would be worth the risk.

It is an interesting concept...and frankly....one I hope we use in Albany down the line. We could build out our entire stadium in seating alone with a similar fee. Not stealing the thunder from GSU, but I would hope we could build the same soldout atmosphere in Albany by entering the CAA...and then we could go the student fee route to get to that magical 24k seat number.

VERY INTRIGUING!!!

Good luck.

The FBS fee ($75) has no sunset, so it would never go away. However it will only be assessed IF we get an invite and move up. So it potentially wouldn't even affect the current crop of students. That will provide somewhere around 2.4 million a year.

The Expansion fee ($25) has a 20 year sunset, so it would go into effect in the 2013-2014 academic year.

[Tuscon]

Not really understanding why so many on here bash Georgia State for using student fees to fund athletics, but when GS does it, it's a good idea. Our 2012-2013 Athletic fee maxes out at $263 for a semester(Source (http://www.gsu.edu/enrollment/images/Student_Accounts/FY13_Non-Guarenteed_Undergrad.pdf)) while this appears to put GS at $264(Source (http://services.georgiasouthern.edu/bursar/tuitionandfees/TuitionFeeRates/01Undergraduate.pdf)) for the same period.

[TheEagleWay]

Also, we had DayOne 2012 event for Freshman at Our House and it was a HUGE turn-out.

http://www.gsufans.com/tsc/showthread.php?20837-DayOne-2012-Commercial/page3

I believe this vote was also discussed and got a positive reaction from the students.

[TheEagleWay]

Posters that have hit the campus.
Sorry for the size, having issues posting it on my phone.

[eaglewraith]

Not really understanding why so many on here bash Georgia State for using student fees to fund athletics, but when GS does it, it's a good idea. Our 2012-2013 Athletic fee maxes out at $263 for a semester(Source (http://www.gsu.edu/enrollment/images/Student_Accounts/FY13_Non-Guarenteed_Undergrad.pdf)) while this appears to put GS at $264(Source (http://services.georgiasouthern.edu/bursar/tuitionandfees/TuitionFeeRates/01Undergraduate.pdf)) for the same period.

Probably because it would only be $254.

The $10 fee is a sustainability fee not related to Athletics. Also, there's a termination on the $25 fee, so it won't permanently be collected. The expansion fee makes a ton of sense in that it will benefit the students directly.

[Tuscon]

Probably because it would only be $254.

The $10 fee is a sustainability fee not related to Athletics. Also, there's a termination on the $25 fee, so it won't permanently be collected. The expansion fee makes a ton of sense in that it will benefit the students directly.

Gotcha, I didn't look close enough at that $10. It still puts your Athletic fees at only $9 less than our maximum fee. I'm not trying to talk smack as the biggest argument against you guys moving to the FBS is funds and this is attempting to fix that. It just seems silly to hear so many on here bash Georgia State for funding our fledgeling program on student fees only to have one of the biggest opponents of our program attempt to hike their fees up to similar levels.

[TheEagleWay]

Probably because it would only be $254.

The $10 fee is a sustainability fee not related to Athletics. Also, there's a termination on the $25 fee, so it won't permanently be collected. The expansion fee makes a ton of sense in that it will benefit the students directly.

It will be interesting to see what they do with that possible overage. More seats?

I would imagine bowling(I'm really not sure how it would look) the Bishop Field House.

[pleahy1]

Bishop is around to stay. They've been talking about connecting the two locker rooms in Bishop to make one visiting team locker room and having the home team locker rooms in the football operations center when its built. Bishop was designed with seats in mind, just look at that tiny little stair case they have on the front. seats will fit nicely in front of it coming up to where the windows are.

[KeeperoftheCreek]

Gotcha, I didn't look close enough at that $10. It still puts your Athletic fees at only $9 less than our maximum fee. I'm not trying to talk smack as the biggest argument against you guys moving to the FBS is funds and this is attempting to fix that. It just seems silly to hear so many on here bash Georgia State for funding our fledgeling program on student fees only to have one of the biggest opponents of our program attempt to hike their fees up to similar levels.

Yeah I here you there. We at Georgia Southern and other schools bashed State for charging the students for football but now Southern is doing it. I think it was more or less because there was never shown to be student interest in football at State. Both of us absolutely needed funds to make things happen and State aggressively went out and made the funds happen while we sat back. Now our administration and PTB have found a way to charge students in a politically sensitive way on what has been a touchy issue for our anti-FBS fans.

I am a grad student right now and I am happy to vote "YES" for both the expansion and athletic operations fee. The feeling around campus is that both will pass. Also, as alumni I am extremely happy about Georgia Southern taking initiative and finally being aggressive in athletic growth since we have been focusing so much on academic growth over the last decade.