New Robins Stadium Pictures

[bostonspider]

Richmond has updated pictures of the construction progress at Robins Stadium on their website.

http://www.richmondspiders.com/view.gal?id=54377

It is coming along nicely. I can't wait to make it back next season for a game.

[KAUMASS]

What's UR's attendence figures for the last few years? Is this stadium being built with expansion planned into it? Stadium looks great, but 9-10 k capacity on campus seems low to me.

[bluehenbillk]

I'm sure I missed this conversation but is that track going to stay around the field??

[bostonspider]

Well it is questionable what UR's true attendance figures are. In a time when most schools seem to inflate their attendance figures, UR has been accused of undercounting. The last two games have been reported to have drawn around 7500. There is a question if UR has been under reporting to assure their wealthy influential neighbors that crowds will not be too much of an issue in Robins Stadium. I am not 100% what UR is actually drawing. The new stadium is designed to be about the same size as the on-campus Robins Center Arena. Unfortunately the track is staying as this will be the new multi-purpose home of the Football, Soccer, Lacrosse and Track Teams.

[ur2k]

To make a long story short. UR had to apply for a special use permit from the City of Richmond to build the stadium on campus. UR sits in a very rich neighborhood. To appease the neighborhood/city council the stadium will seat (8700) approx the same amount as the basketball arena since there is historic precedent that the neighborhood, campus and roads can handle that amount of traffic.

So the options were 1) try and build 12-15,000 seat stadium, fight it out and perhaps not get the stadium approved. 2) Stay off campus in our current craphole 3) Accommodate the concerns, work behind the scenes for years and plan for and build a 8700 seat stadium.

We feel its too small but hopefully after demonstrating that the impact on the neighborhood is minimal, we can expand a few years down the road.

But the important part is that football is coming to campus next year. A packed stadium will be much more of a home field advantage (and keeps many of our local fan bases out of the stadium - see JMU xrotatehx)

And the track is staying b/c its a multi-purpose stadium for soccer, track, etc.

[MplsBison]

Are there any plans for an end-zone facility with locker rooms, offices, etc?

[ur2k]

Are there any plans for an end-zone facility with locker rooms, offices, etc?

From what I've heard, I believe the plan is to leave the offices, main locker rooms in the Robins Center (b-ball arena) which is adjacent to the stadium and have a game-day locker room incorporated into the stadium.

[EmeryZach]

I like the idea of the small stadium. Richmond is going to have a huge crowd advantage at the game.

I hate when I see empty seats at UMass. It fills up a lot for the first half, but then all the students disappear back to the tailgating for the second half.

[danefan]

I like the idea of the small stadium. Richmond is going to have a huge crowd advantage at the game.

I hate when I see empty seats at UMass. It fills up a lot for the first half, but then all the students disappear back to the tailgating for the second half.

I agree. Build it at 7500-10000 and fill it every game for 5 years. If you can do that, than I say its worth expanding it.

Albany is going down the same path right now. The grandeous plans for a 15,000 seater have been put on hold in favor of a modest 7,000 seat renovation to our current field. If we can fill it consistently, a larger stadium could come in 5 years.

[blur2005]

But the important part is that football is coming to campus next year. A packed stadium will be much more of a home field advantage (and keeps many of our local fan bases out of the stadium - see JMU xrotatehx)
You don't like having a split crowd for the JMU-Richmond games? Purple and gold meshes so nicely with blue and red. :D

[URMite]

I'm sure I missed this conversation but is that track going to stay around the field??

The track is staying at present.

The current plans appear to be 6700 permanent seats & 2000 temporary seats. I have the feeling that when UR decides to build a track elsewhere, they will also look into the possibility of adding 3300 seats at that time.

[URMite]

You don't like having a split crowd for the JMU-Richmond games? Purple and gold meshes so nicely with blue and red. :D

We like it almost as much as I think W&M/VMI - and especially JMU including the MRD will like having a total visitor capacity of 500. :D

Now if we can just get the season ticket holder total up enough to make sure it stays that way. xsmiley_wix