New JMU Stadium Expansion Video

[TNDuke]

A new video of JMU's 'Phase 1' stadium expansion is posted at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuZQUkb49Vo xthumbsupx

The video was distributed to Duke Club members to spur interest in Club Level seating and combines images of the current facility with the new construction. Construction is set to begin after the 2009 season, with the complete phase open for the 2011 season.

Kudos to a fellow poster at http://www.jmusports.net for uploading the video to YouTube.

http://www.wildband.org/image1.jpg

http://www.wildband.org/image2.jpg

[BDKJMU]

Darn TN, you beat me too it by 10 min.

2k a yr for the right to buy a seat+:
-$500 a seat with 4 yr agreement before end of 2010
-$550 a seat with 4 yr agreement after end of 2010
-$625 a seat for year by year

So if I want to get 2 seats for 4 years I've got to commit 12k before the end of 2010. A little too rich for my blood.

But damn, that is going to be by far the sweetest club level in a all of I-AA. I doubt anyone else is going to have a combination stadium and club level like it. Thats what 62 million will bring you.
http://www.jmusports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=572261&SPID=45221&DB_OEM_ID=14400&ATCLID=204784514

[JSU02]

But damn, that is going to be by far the sweetest club level in a all of I-AA. I doubt anyone else is going to have a combination stadium and club level like it. Thats what 62 million will bring you.
http://www.jmusports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=572261&SPID=45221&DB_OEM_ID=14400&ATCLID=204784514

I think JSU is gonna be giving you a run for your money on that one. xsmiley_wix

[JMU2004]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuZQUkb49Vo

[JMU1992]

B-E-A-utiful

[dgreco]

excited to see the finished project in 2011

[89Hen]

Is this a joke? xeyebrowx xconfusedx

[Redbird Ray]

Why isn't anyone in the stadium club watching the game? xlolx

[Redbird Ray]

Does anyone know what the capacity will be when this is completed?

[89Hen]

Does anyone know what the capacity will be when this is completed?
2



as in 2 big

[DRDukes]

When Phase 1 is complete (the finished product in the video - west sideline and endzone) seating will be around 25,000. When we do the other side to match Phase 1 and add the upper deck above the endzone, I beleive total seating will increase to 55,000, but there is no timetable on when we will begin construction on the east sideline and endzone upper deck.

[93henfan]

Why isn't anyone in the stadium club watching the game? xlolx

I would, at any minute, expect the big, black beer truck driver to come through the club level, take back the High Life from the snobs and distribute it somewhere in the nosebleeds.

[93henfan]

I beleive total seating will increase to 55,000

Is VA Tech planning on dropping football?

[89Hen]

When Phase 1 is complete (the finished product in the video - west sideline and endzone) seating will be around 25,000.
Stop there. xnodx

[Redbird Ray]

I would, at any minute, expect the big, black beer truck driver to come through the club level, take back the High Life from the snobs and distribute it somewhere in the nosebleeds.

True Story- I actually met that guy one time at a White Sox game, ironically in the Comiskey Stadium Club. He didn't know a damn thing about baseball or the White Sox, but he seemed like a nice guy, similar to his character on the Highlife commercials.

[DSUrocks07]

Stop there. xnodx

Agreed xnodx

Just show the west sideline (I assume that will be the AWAY side, if not it should be) for televised games.

[ur2k]

Seems ambitious but looks pretty nice. Good luck!

What's the financing situation for this project? Just curious.

[Dukie95]

Seems ambitious but looks pretty nice. Good luck!

What's the financing situation for this project? Just curious.

It's done. It's officially starting immediately after our last home game this year - that's why we will not host any playoff games no matter what.

[ur2k]

It's done. It's officially starting immediately after our last home game this year - that's why we will not host any playoff games no matter what.

I knew their starting phase one after the season. I was more referring to how is it being paid for and are the other phases paid for already? Is the whole $62 million renovation a go?

[JMU2004]

the $62 million Phase 1 is a go.......funding is in place, and the contract was signed.

[bigred]

never gonna happen boys.

[JMU2004]

never gonna happen boys.

uh huh.........pray tell, why is that? Perhaps you know something our AD, Exec. VP, and President don't?

[89Hen]

Perhaps you know something our AD, Exec. VP, and President don't?
If they try to build a 55,000 seat stadium then I'd say yes.

[JMU2004]

If they try to build a 55,000 seat stadium then I'd say yes.

I agree...but the increase 25,500 is happening.

[89Hen]

I agree...but the increase 25,500 is happening.
And that's perfect. Looking forward to seeing it in person in a couple years. xthumbsupx

[Redbird Ray]

Sounds like the Admins at JMU have their eyes on Big East Football expansion with a 55,000 seater. Good for JMU!

[whitey]

I don't think everyone should be hung up on the max capacity subsequent phases could bring. Yes, in a couple years Bridgeforth will seat about 25k but its most likely going to stay that way for a long time.

[89Hen]

I don't think everyone should be hung up on the max capacity subsequent phases could bring.
They're the one drawing pictures.

[BDKJMU]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuZQUkb49Vo

Come on 2004, the Youtube video was already posted in the 1st post. No reason to post it again.xrolleyesx

[BDKJMU]

When Phase 1 is complete (the finished product in the video - west sideline and endzone) seating will be around 25,000. When we do the other side to match Phase 1 and add the upper deck above the endzone, I beleive total seating will increase to 55,000, but there is no timetable on when we will begin construction on the east sideline and endzone upper deck.

42k, and I don't expect to see that for a decade (or whenever JMU moves up)

[danefan]

I think the video makes the decks look bigger than they really will be. Something about the angles or the drawing fo the seats.

Its nice for sure, but I don't think it will end up looking as HUGE as the video makes it look.

25,000 is a perfect size, IMO for a top notch FCS school. Sell that out for a few years and then if the Big East opens up JMU has the foundational facility built and ready to go.

[BDKJMU]

I agree...but the increase 25,500 is happening.

24,500.

[BDKJMU]

Darn TN, you beat me too it by 10 min.

2k a yr for the right to buy a seat+:
-$500 a seat with 4 yr agreement before end of 2010
-$550 a seat with 4 yr agreement after end of 2010
-$625 a seat for year by year

So if I want to get 2 seats for 4 years I've got to commit 12k before the end of 2010. A little too rich for my blood.

But damn, that is going to be by far the sweetest club level in a all of I-AA. I doubt anyone else is going to have a combination stadium and club level like it. Thats what 62 million will bring you.
http://www.jmusports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=572261&SPID=45221&DB_OEM_ID=14400&ATCLID=204784514

Forgot to mention that the annual gift is 80% tax deductible (as it goes to fund schollies). If so, out of the 2k to Duke Club donation, $1600 would be tax deductible, which I figure would save me about $400 in taxes. So I said 12k over 4 yrs. More like 10k+. Still might be a little to rich for my blood once I add in travel costs.

For tax purposes, it would have been better if they said a minimum 3k contribution and then just threw in 2 seats.

[Skjellyfetti]

http://www.wildband.org/image1.jpg

http://www.wildband.org/image2.jpg

That looks a whole lot bigger than ~25k capacity. Is that the ~50k stadium?

[Dukie95]

That's the 25k stadium. The 50k stadium designs show an upper deck on both sides.

[Waco Kid]

Sweet!

Don't let the small time thinkers out here tell you that you can't make it happen JMU fans. Take care of your program and don't worry about the naysayers.

[89Hen]

I think the video makes the decks look bigger than they really will be. Something about the angles or the drawing fo the seats.

Its nice for sure, but I don't think it will end up looking as HUGE as the video makes it look.


That's the 25k stadium. The 50k stadium designs show an upper deck on both sides.
I thought somebody came up with the observation that the people (dots for people) weren't drawn to scale. After watching the video again and paying attention that there will only be 1k+ seats occupying that large section between the 30's, I think the physical structure may be 25k, but because of the way they drew it, it looks like 50k.

IF this drawing with an upper deck and full endzone really is 25k, then this is awesome. xthumbsupx

[mcveyrl]

Yea, the drawings with one side double decked and the end zone are the 25K drawings. It's my understanding that's the finish line right now. If things happen in the future, then the design is such that it's easier for the other side to be double decked and it will be at around 50K, but that's a long, long way off.

Also, I didn't think the original renderings had the stands extending as far along the sides.

[MplsBison]

That looks a whole lot bigger than ~25k capacity. Is that the ~50k stadium?

Look at the difference in height between the new seating and that brown building behind the other side seating. In the top pic, it looks like the new seating is only a bit taller than that building. But in the bottom pic, the new seating towers over that building, maybe twice as tall.


Obviously there is a scale issue with the renderings.


I think in the end, for 25k seating, it would nearly be that tall, probably a lot closer to the top pic.

[JmuSkinsfan]

The new west side of the stadium is going to be 13 stories high. No exaggeration there. That's taller than Lane Stadium at VaTech

[89Hen]

Yikes, an mpls sighting. Hey, I read that JMU was going to put real grass in the new stadium. xthumbsupx

[JmuSkinsfan]

I believe the renderings are more accurate in the second picture. Godwin is probably 3-4 stories tall (the brick building). In the long-term plans, Godwin is going to be demolished to accomodate the final phases.

I didn't realize they were rounding out the stadium with this phase. That's pretty sweet! I'm going to love it when driving down 81 South all you'll see is the massive 13 story side of the stadium staring drivers in the face as they turn that bend

[MplsBison]

The new west side of the stadium is going to be 13 stories high. No exaggeration there. That's taller than Lane Stadium at VaTech

I see. That's very impressive!

[MplsBison]

Yikes, an mpls sighting. Hey, I read that JMU was going to put real grass in the new stadium. xthumbsupx

Yeah they banned from from April to Sept.

[GeauxColonels]

Wow, impressive. Good luck getting it built. If you've already got the funds to move forward, even better. Looks like they started the fund-raising at the right time. I can't imagine they would have been able to do that as effectively in the current environment.

[JMUDuke2002]

Wow, impressive. Good luck getting it built. If you've already got the funds to move forward, even better. Looks like they started the fund-raising at the right time. I can't imagine they would have been able to do that as effectively in the current environment.

The money is already there to start. The bids are in and the contract is signed. Construction starts in november.