ODU plans $24.8 million renovation of Foreman Field

[EPJr]

http://media.hamptonroads.com/media/content/pilotonline/2007/09/0925formana500x250.jpg
A game-day building will house 24 luxury suites with 400 loge seats and 100 miniboxes. CLARK NEXSEN ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING RENDERINGS

By RICH RADFORD, The Virginian-Pilot
Foreman Field is about to get a $24.8 million face lift.

That's the price tag Old Dominion University put on the project Tuesday when it unveiled plans to upgrade the facility in preparation for the school's start of football in the fall of 2009.

S.B. Ballard Construction Co. of Virginia Beach, which also built Ted Constant Convocation Center, won the bid and will begin construction in December. The price tag is about $6 million less than the construction cost of the Constant Center.

Completion date is Aug. 15, 2009.

S.B. Ballard will work with Clark Nexsen Architecture and Engineering on the project, which will include something ODU officials believe is unique to Division I-AA football: a special area where the football team will host visiting high school recruits.

"I've been to the stadiums of a lot of the top-flight I-AA programs in the country and none of them have what we are about to build," ODU football coach Bobby Wilder said. "In the southeast corner of the game-day building, we will have a glassed-in room specifically designed to host recruits. It was the No. 1 thing I asked for in the design concept."

When it's completed, Foreman Field will seat about 20,000 for football, will house a visitors' locker room beneath the north end-zone stands and anchor the complex with the game-day building to which Wilder referred.

The yet unnamed game-day building will be the focal point of the project and will house 24 luxury suites with 400 loge seats and 100 mini boxes. Twelve of the boxes with have their own patios overlooking the plaza south of the complex. There will also be an 8,000-square-foot patio on the second level of the game-day building, and another 7,500-square-foot enclosed terrace will look directly out over the south end zone.

"I'm very happy to get this bid and I think this project has a lot of potential," said Steve Ballard of S.B. Ballard. "But right now, I'm about 40th on the list for one of those 24 luxury suites. I've got to figure out how I'm going to get a box."

The project will include a 727-space contiguous garage at the southwest corner of the stadium.

The current playing surface will be replaced with Astroturf GameDay Grass 3D and the field will be lowered approximately 18 inches, with the existing crown in the middle of the field to be removed.

Also, 3,000 premium seats will be installed in the existing stands, which are to undergo upgrading and structural repair under a separate contract that is expected to add about $1.4 million to the final stadium costs.

Renovation of the north end-zone stands, which will house visitors and game officials locker rooms, will also be handled under a separate contract expected to come in under $1 million.

With Foreman Field having been around since 1934, there will also be lead-based paint and asbestos abatement to deal with. That is expected to cost about $200,000.

"The S.B. Ballard proposal offered the best mix of cost and facility requirements," said Bob Fenning, ODU's vice president for administration and finance. "We had three excellent proposals from outstanding companies. My hat's off to the whole crew. It's a complicated project when you're getting a lot of input from so many different people in their wants and desires."

http://media.hamptonroads.com/media/content/pilotonline/2007/09/0925formanb500x250.jpg
The expanded facility will be ready for the start of football in fall 2009.

[citdog]

nice stadium. had a good time at the Oyster Bowl between The Citadel and the V@ginia Military Institute played there.

[TigerFan17]

Thoughts on how long it takes ODU to become competitive?

[th0m]

In the CAA? 3-5 years. By competitive, I'm thinking a playoff bid.

[Dane96]

Thoughts on how long they jump to FBS?! Sheez...that is what that stadium is telling me.

[Franks Tanks]

Is ODU a public university, and who is paying for this? Is there a general feeling that FCS is planning on being a quick stop for them on their way to FBS?

[Dane96]

Yes public...and I am sure this is paid for by school, state, and donations.

[Go...gate]

It looks great! xthumbsupx

[tarmac]

looks great just don't care for end zone seating myself, in paticular high dollar seats like suites

[MSUBear42]

Pretty

[BearsCountry]

That would look great in the south endzone of Plaster.

[GeauxColonels]

Very impressive. Another fine facility.

[brownbear]

looks great just don't care for end zone seating myself, in paticular high dollar seats like suites

Yes, I agree with you, but I guess they figure the people in the boxes don't watch the game anyway

[griz8791]

looks great just don't care for end zone seating myself, in paticular high dollar seats like suites

It's all good until a field goal or PAT smashes up the good single malt.

[brownbear]

It's all good until a field goal or PAT smashes up the good single malt.

That's an interesting dilemna: Have a net to block the view or risk getting hit by football?

[walliver]

It's all good until a field goal or PAT smashes up the good single malt.

People who can afford a box, can afford an extra bottle.:D

Of course, wasting a single drop of single malt is a deadly sin.xnodx

[AppMan]

looks great just don't care for end zone seating myself, in paticular high dollar seats like suites

Premium end zone seating and suites are a hot design for stadiums these days. Check out Clemson's new end zone facility.

http://clemsontigers.cstv.com/school-bio/facilities-football.html

[henfan]

Thoughts on how long they jump to FBS?! Sheez...that is what that stadium is telling me.

Nope. ODU should be in the same ballpark as JMU & UD in terms of stadium facilities by the time they come on. FBS is out of the question.

BTW, UD's new pres is currently evaluating UD's FB stadium & other athletic facilities and is expected to roll out a plan by Spring 2008. Initial talk is of making The Tub a multi-purpose facility with an artificial surface, so that the LAX teams can also be featured there. They'll be looking at additional capacity & skyboxes to generate revenue.

CAA FB is growing in many ways.

[GannonFan]

Nope. ODU should be in the same ballpark as JMU & UD in terms of stadium facilities by the time they come on. FBS is out of the question.

BTW, UD's new pres is currently evaluating UD's FB stadium & other athletic facilities and is expected to roll out a plan by Spring 2008. Initial talk is of making The Tub a multi-purpose facility with an artificial surface, so that the LAX teams can also be featured there. They'll be looking at additional capacity & skyboxes to generate revenue.

CAA FB is growing in many ways.


Agreed, ODU won't be going FBS without the bulk of the CAA going along with them. All the moves for the past 10 years have been to bring an all-sport conference together that includes football and it's finally coming into being. Besides, in the East, there is nowhere to jump to with regards to FBS - the Big East and ACC aren't taking new members.

[MSUBear42]

Nooo joke.

[mcveyrl]

Agreed, ODU won't be going FBS without the bulk of the CAA going along with them. All the moves for the past 10 years have been to bring an all-sport conference together that includes football and it's finally coming into being. Besides, in the East, there is nowhere to jump to with regards to FBS - the Big East and ACC aren't taking new members.

I don't know...these ODU fans...they can get kind of crazy. I could see them sticking around for a little bit, but then getting restless that they weren't in FBS.

But, at the same time, I don't see them wanting to leaving the CAA, so that would create quite the pickle

[henfan]

I don't know...these ODU fans...they can get kind of crazy. I could see them sticking around for a little bit, but then getting restless that they weren't in FBS.

Fans can get as restless & crazy as they want. It's the administration that makes the decisions.

As GF suggested, even if ODU can fund a FB reclassifaction in 15-20 years, they'll going to have to have a conference affiliation locked up. These things don't happen in a vaccum.

[89Hen]

henfan and Gannon are on top of it as usual. ODU is a perfect fit for I-AA and no matter what they fans say, that's where they'll be. You may actually see quite a few express desire to move to I-A, but that will be because they are new fans and don't understand it. xpeacex

[mcveyrl]

Fans can get as restless & crazy as they want. It's the administration that makes the decisions.

As GF suggested, even if ODU can fund a FB reclassifaction in 15-20 years, they'll going to have to have a conference affiliation locked up. These things don't happen in a vaccum.

I could see the administration following the fans, but that's just my impression of ODU.

So did you see the second part of my quote where I didn't see them wanting to leave the CAA??? That was kind of my point. If they left, it's not going to be to the Big East or ACC, so they'd probably downgrade in basketball, which is the whole reasons for ODU's existence at present.

[mcveyrl]

henfan and Gannon are on top of it as usual. ODU is a perfect fit for I-AA and no matter what they fans say, that's where they'll be. You may actually see quite a few express desire to move to I-A, but that will be because they are new fans and don't understand it. xpeacex

ALERT: This is shooting entirely from the hip with my impressions of watching both the below schools...

If you look at the demographics (both city and school) I think ODU's a lot more like South Florida than your traditional I-AA schools.

The difference, of course, is the guaranteed conference affiliation. I think that, more than anything, will keep them in I-AA. If a Big East spot opens up (which is a big IF) I think they're gone before JMU or any other CAA team.

[GannonFan]

ALERT: This is shooting entirely from the hip with my impressions of watching both the below schools...

If you look at the demographics (both city and school) I think ODU's a lot more like South Florida than your traditional I-AA schools.

The difference, of course, is the guaranteed conference affiliation. I think that, more than anything, will keep them in I-AA. If a Big East spot opens up (which is a big IF) I think they're gone before JMU or any other CAA team.

Of course, the other main difference between USF and ODU is that ODU is not in anyway in the state of Florida. That was kinda a biggie when it came to the Big East trying to figure out who to replace Miami after they left for the ACC.

[Dane96]

henfan and Gannon are on top of it as usual. ODU is a perfect fit for I-AA and no matter what they fans say, that's where they'll be. You may actually see quite a few express desire to move to I-A, but that will be because they are new fans and don't understand it. xpeacex

What if I told you that I know they contacted the Big East already? Would that change your view?

Personally, I think they stay FCS but...

[mcveyrl]

Of course, the other main difference between USF and ODU is that ODU is not in anyway in the state of Florida. That was kinda a biggie when it came to the Big East trying to figure out who to replace Miami after they left for the ACC.

You don't think the Big East wants another presence in Virginia after Va. Tech left?

[aceinthehole]

Of course, the other main difference between USF and ODU is that ODU is not in anyway in the state of Florida. That was kinda a biggie when it came to the Big East trying to figure out who to replace Miami after they left for the ACC.

Yes, plus UCF and USF are in the top-10 nationally in enrollment.

Both schools have more students than Penn State and are in football hotbed of Florida. There is NO COMPARISON to any other I-AA school.

[Dane96]

Ummm...yes, you are correct, yes the BE wants to be in VA...hotbed of football...good media market.

ECU vs. ODU- An upgraded ODU gets the nod...when expansion eventually occurs. UCF is in a pickle-- only an hour from USF...not sure USF wants them around. Memphis...only would be basketball related.

ODU's overall sports profile would be a VERY good fit for all sports in the BE.

[89Hen]

What if I told you that I know they contacted the Big East already? Would that change your view?
No. :p

[henfan]

What if I told you that I know they contacted the Big East already? Would that change your view?

Who hasn't? Seriously.

[mcveyrl]

Who hasn't? Seriously.

That's the truth. I think everybody thought it was going to be kind of a cupcake BCS league...

Whoops...reverse skate.

[Dane96]

I agree...but...it is a vacuum market for the BE. Nice size media area. Fertile recruiting. Fantastic all-sport school. Great facilities. And, they are at 21k students...and growing.

This...would not shock me down the road. Again, the only other school I would think could make the jump (with current football) is JMU. Delaware has no interest...and believe me...UMASS isn't getting a dime from the state for such a pipe dream.

Memphis, UCF, ECU, and ODU are the future choices of any BE expansion. ODU and UCF, in no particular order, would be tops.

[mcveyrl]

I agree...but...it is a vacuum market for the BE. Nice size media area. Fertile recruiting. Fantastic all-sport school. Great facilities. And, they are at 21k students...and growing.

This...would not shock me down the road. Again, the only other school I would think could make the jump (with current football) is JMU. Delaware has no interest...and believe me...UMASS isn't getting a dime from the state for such a pipe dream.

Memphis, UCF, ECU, and ODU are the future choices of any BE expansion. ODU and UCF, in no particular order, would be tops.

I don't think the media market issue can be ignored (since at its core it's about money). Fans in Hampton Roads (the area has over 1.5 million people) are NUTS about sports. Every time a pro sports team wants to relocate or a league is expanding, Norfolk is usually in the Top 5 (except football, because there's not a stadium big enough).


And, for some unknown reasonxrotatehx xrotatehx , they LOVE ODU sports. On top of that, it would only be the third I-A team in the state and would definitely be in the biggest metropolitan area (these are advantages that USF does not have in Florida).

[mcveyrl]

This thread has seriously digressed (and I'm one of the main culprits). We know this is a moot issue for at least four years...

[henfan]

Delaware has no interest...

I'd be careful about casting Delaware in any particular light. I don't think pursuing BEC membership is a burning desire as we correspond today. However, UD's new CEO has been on the job for 3 months and hasn't begun to formulate a plan for the university, much less athletics. I'd agree that major college athletics is unlikely (and certainly fine by me), but UD has far more institutional resources than any of the schools mentioned. If athletics becomes part of Harker's priority, the sky's the limit.

[Dane96]

No offense meant Henfan...and I agree it is a CURRENT landscape issue...that could change!

[TigerFan17]

Guh...UD vs. Big East basketball = 0 win season.

IMHO, since ODU won't even field a team until 2009, and definitely won't be ready for FBS for another few years at the very soonest, say, 2011, 2012....this topic is really useless. 2012, being 5 years from now, will be different. For all we know Towson could win 3 straight NC's from 2010-2012, get the support of the Baltimore media market, get funding for added seats and then 'hey-oh' we're in the Big East.

Now, if you're saying to yourself... "Towson...hah! Yah right!" then good. You should be. Just as you should be saying that about ODU at this point. Remember, lots of seats, a potential market and good football grounds do not guarantee good teams, even at the I-A level. Ask an Eastern Michigan fan. Better yet, find an Eastern Michigan fan.


Regardless...a classy facility thats going to be a fine addition to the CAA!! I know you guys can't wait to get down there for a game just as much as myself!

[youwouldno]

There is no chance whatsoever that the state government will allow another program to move to the FBS. UVA already sucks most of the time and VT is their only other in-state competition. And the Virginia legislature is absolutely dominated by UVA alums.

[Dane96]

You do know that UVA's state support is less than that of ODU? Right? The state funding of ODU is much...much higher.

In fact, you can argue that UVA is as close to "private" as it gets, even more so than Delaware.

[youwouldno]

You do know that UVA's state support is less than that of ODU? Right? The state funding of ODU is much...much higher.

In fact, you can argue that UVA is as close to "private" as it gets, even more so than Delaware.

Um, yeah, I know that. But that has nothing to do with my point-- UVA has high tuition (by public standards) and a high degree of autonomy because they WANTED that. UVA gets whatever it wants. And that means there won't be another FBS program in the state anytime soon.

[89Hen]

Um, yeah, I know that. But that has nothing to do with my point-- UVA has high tuition (by public standards) and a high degree of autonomy because they WANTED that. UVA gets whatever it wants. And that means there won't be another FBS program in the state anytime soon.
FWIW...

In-state tuition:
Penn State - $12,844
Maryland - $7,969
Virginia - $7,845
Delaware - $7,340
Old Dominion - $6,528

[mcveyrl]

Um, yeah, I know that. But that has nothing to do with my point-- UVA has high tuition (by public standards) and a high degree of autonomy because they WANTED that. UVA gets whatever it wants. And that means there won't be another FBS program in the state anytime soon.

Does the legislature decide who moves up and who doesn't??

[GannonFan]

Does the legislature decide who moves up and who doesn't??


No, but I imagine if you want state assistance with financing resulting from a move then you'd better have them in agreement with your decision to reclassify. xthumbsupx

[mcveyrl]

No, but I imagine if you want state assistance with financing resulting from a move then you'd better have them in agreement with your decision to reclassify. xthumbsupx

They've built (after the football field is done) two of the finer sports facilities in the state in the last 7 years. Where are they getting this funding (totalling just under 50 million dollars)?

BTW, UVa's new basketball arena (which IS the nicest facility in the state, IMO) was almost completely privately funded. As some have pointed out, they don't need the state.

[BearsCountry]

If you could merge ECU's fb program into ODU the Big East would have been pouncing on them IMO.

[Dane96]

FWIW...

In-state tuition:
Penn State - $12,844
Maryland - $7,969
Virginia - $7,845
Delaware - $7,340
Old Dominion - $6,528

Never said it wasnt a state school...or the price was different. But the amount of FUNDING that ODU gets compared to that of UVA is much different. UVA considers itself semi-private...and the funding reflects that.

[Dane96]

They've built (after the football field is done) two of the finer sports facilities in the state in the last 7 years. Where are they getting this funding (totalling just under 50 million dollars)?

BTW, UVa's new basketball arena (which IS the nicest facility in the state, IMO) was almost completely privately funded. As some have pointed out, they don't need the state.

In fact, it is precisely why they dont take a ton of money from the state. They keep a slither of independence from State politics. Further, it was a HUGE deal when the Commonwealth had to step in and loan money to UVA to finish the JPJ Center. It was a massive bailout at the end...and the legislature was not all that happy with the decision.

[youwouldno]

Yes, UVA likes to have a degree of independence. They don't really want to be a "public" school at all because they don't want to take too many in-state students or otherwise serve the best interests of the state of VA.

My only point is that ODU isn't going FBS. Now, in the magical land where they could raise private money to do it, that would be a possibility. But ODU is still a commuter school in large part and the notion they could be in the Big East is just ridiculous.

[appfan2008]

should be a nice building... would rather be on the fifty up high if I am gonna pay big money!... if i had big money:)

[Kill'em]

That is odd that they would have high-priced seating/boxes in the endzone. I can understand Clemson's doing it. It was the only place left to put them. Still, ODU's expansion looks great.

[89Hen]

That is odd that they would have high-priced seating/boxes in the endzone. I can understand Clemson's doing it. It was the only place left to put them. Still, ODU's expansion looks great.
The sides are taco shaped like the old Tampa Bay Bucs stadium so they would have had to tear down a whole side to put them there. If the sides were flat, they could have conceivably done one like Weber State did (one of the best additions, at least in picutres).

http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/oldd/genrel/school-bio/oldd-foreman-field.jpg

http://www.weber.edu/WSUImages/wsutoday/ImagesofWSU/skybox.jpg

[BDKJMU]

The sides are taco shaped like the old Tampa Bay Bucs stadium so they would have had to tear down a whole side to put them there. If the sides were flat, they could have conceivably done one like Weber State did (one of the best additions, at least in picutres).

http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/oldd/genrel/school-bio/oldd-foreman-field.jpg

http://www.weber.edu/WSUImages/wsutoday/ImagesofWSU/skybox.jpg

Bottom line, endzone skyboxes aren't going to command as much $ as boxes between the 20s would. If I was a super wealthy alum/fan I wouldn't fork over big $ for an endzone skybox. Who wants to have to watch every game from the endzone, even a skybox? Heck, I'd just buy a bunch of chairback seats between the 40s.

[89Hen]

Bottom line, endzone skyboxes aren't going to command as much $ as boxes between the 20s would. If I was a super wealthy alum/fan I wouldn't fork over big $ for an endzone skybox.
You would if you wanted to be in a skybox and that's all that was available. I agree they're not as desirable but FWIW, I know people who prefer to sit in the endzones. xnodx

BTW, if Delaware puts in skyboxes without building a new stadium... they'll be in the endzone too.

[mcveyrl]

You would if you wanted to be in a skybox and that's all that was available. I agree they're not as desirable but FWIW, I know people who prefer to sit in the endzones. xnodx

I agree. The draw is the skybox and not the view.

Plus, there's plenty of businesses in that area that will buy one. The Norfolk Tides (AAA Team) sell out their boxes and they're okay. I'll bet these are much nicer

I bet ODU gets pretty good money for I-AA skyboxes.

[slostang]

Bottom line, endzone skyboxes aren't going to command as much $ as boxes between the 20s would. If I was a super wealthy alum/fan I wouldn't fork over big $ for an endzone skybox. Who wants to have to watch every game from the endzone, even a skybox? Heck, I'd just buy a bunch of chairback seats between the 40s.

The problem with endzone seating is that the seats that are close to the field are to low to get a great view and the seats that are usually high enough are too far from the field. The skyboxes in the endzone at ODU look like they are both close to the field and high enough to get a great view. The new parking structure also looks very close so I would imagine the VIP parking is real close to the stadium's skyboxes which is also a plus. I do not think they will have any trouble selling them.

The stadium looks great and will be a great addition to FCS football. Good luck.

[rokamortis]

I heard that they can't/won't touch the original stadium because it would be too expensive to bring it to ADA compliance, which they would have to do if they made any renovations to it. So they are just going to build a separate expansion and bypass the problem.

[slostang]

I heard that they can't/won't touch the original stadium because it would be too expensive to bring it to ADA compliance, which they would have to do if they made any renovations to it. So they are just going to build a separate expansion and bypass the problem.

That is smart.

[blur2005]

Um, yeah, I know that. But that has nothing to do with my point-- UVA has high tuition (by public standards) and a high degree of autonomy because they WANTED that. UVA gets whatever it wants. And that means there won't be another FBS program in the state anytime soon.
Tuition is fairly high for out-of-staters but not for in-state students, being one myself. But it's not close to private schools like Richmond.

Also, we're not THAT bad at football...:D

And of course UVA grads dominate the state legislature - we produce lots of impressive people, especially ones that go UVA Law.

[BigApp]

a 20,000 seat stadium? xlolx being rather ambitious right out the gate!

[BigApp]

http://www.weber.edu/WSUImages/wsutoday/ImagesofWSU/skybox.jpg

now THAT'S a packed house! xthumbsupx

[mcveyrl]

a 20,000 seat stadium? xlolx being rather ambitious right out the gate!

My gues is that by the third or fourth year, they'll fill it. They love their ODU Sports over there, they average almost 7,000 for basketball, granted that's for a team that's doing well, but I think ODU will be a quality team in 3-4 years.

[BearsCountry]

a 20,000 seat stadium? xlolx being rather ambitious right out the gate!

It was already on campus, sitting there.

[henfan]

I heard that they can't/won't touch the original stadium because it would be too expensive to bring it to ADA compliance, which they would have to do if they made any renovations to it. So they are just going to build a separate expansion and bypass the problem.

Yup. Delaware faces the same issues with its Eisenhower Era edifice. Nothing that couldn't be overcome with a little architectural creativity.

[Monarch Nation]

My gues is that by the third or fourth year, they'll fill it. They love their ODU Sports over there, they average almost 7,000 for basketball, granted that's for a team that's doing well, but I think ODU will be a quality team in 3-4 years.

I believe I read that all of the luxury boxes are already sold. Season tickets will go on sale in Spring of 2008 for the 2009 season. Donations are up and as I've said elsewhere, my checkbook is already feeling the effect of ODU football.

I expect us to be like any other football start-up; we are going to take our lumps. I've said that numerous times. But I also believe the fan support will be there and very forgiving for a few years until we can get the ball rolling.

[henfan]

I expect us to be like any other football start-up; we are going to take our lumps.

No, you guys will not be like any other FB start up. ODU is light years ahead of several other schools at the same point. I'd expect your team to complete for conference titles in 4-5 years.

[TigerFan17]

Yah, start up football teams don't usually land smack dab in the middle of a 20,000 seat stadium with a CAA conference affiliation. I'd say you're on the fast track to success.

[BearsCountry]

Wichita State please take notes from Old Dominion. You are very very similar.