Athletic Facilities

[Green Cookie Monster]

If this is going to be erectror-set Hornet stadium #2 and be all modular why not just build/replace on campus in the footprint existing? Replacement is only going to be 22,000 seats, not the 25,000 promised, which is the exact size of what exists today. I'd be ok to keep the track if it meant a new concrete/steel permanent structure.

Or, since the existing soccer stadium at Cal Expo is modular and temporary and soon to be without a tenant, why not add on to that facility?

Not sure of the rabid necessity of having Cal Expo involved at all. $171M for temporary modular construction just screams added pork to the project. Did the brain trust at Cal Expo find a gullible sucker to fund their continued existence?

Guess the whole Populous thing was just a farse? Another 'look at me moment' to falsely placate the PACx.

The ground up, permanent South Dakota State football stadium was $65M, albeit construction costs are lower in SD and this was less than 5 yrs ago at 18,000 seats, the $171M sounds absurd for a temporary scaffold stadium with double wide locker rooms.

 

[SDHornet]

Given the comments about this new path, I think it's clear that most folks are significantly overestimating how far the dollar goes on a construction project, especially here in CA as compared to other states. Yes a more permanent stadium would be preferred by everyone but the steel tariffs literally make that route 50% more expensive. So whatever estimates Dr. Wood had for price and capacity at the initial stadium announcement a year ago, add 50% to that cost to get the same scope or reduce the scope 50% to keep the same budget. Something was going to give. For those that struggle with math, that would be about a 12.5k capacity stadium at the same budget. Since FBS is the goal, a 12.5 capacity stadium is a total non-starter.

If the financing hurdles are cleared to move forward with the CE build, there's nothing that lends me to believe the CE stadium will be an equal or lesser experience/environment than current HS. The CE grandstand already has permanent shitters and concessions which qualifies it as a better atmosphere/environment as is. Pumping $171M into the grandstand and adjacent areas can only make it better.

 

[Green Cookie Monster]

Given the comments about this new path, I think it's clear that most folks are significantly overestimating how far the dollar goes on a construction project, especially here in CA as compared to other states. Yes a more permanent stadium would be preferred by everyone but the steel tariffs literally make that route 50% more expensive. So whatever estimates Dr. Wood had for price and capacity at the initial stadium announcement a year ago, add 50% to that cost to get the same scope or reduce the scope 50% to keep the same budget. Something was going to give. For those that struggle with math, that would be about a 12.5k capacity stadium at the same budget. Since FBS is the goal, a 12.5 capacity stadium is a total non-starter.

If the financing hurdles are cleared to move forward with the CE build, there's nothing that lends me to believe the CE stadium will be an equal or lesser experience/environment than current HS. The CE grandstand already has permanent shitters and concessions which qualifies it as a better atmosphere/environment as is. Pumping $171M into the grandstand and adjacent areas can only make it better.

Limit the amount of steel used. Prefer to have concrete anyway.
If they are only able to utilize 5,000 seats of the existing grandstand, that means the remaining seats in the grandstand are useless. How will this be anything other than a franken eyesore? Demo the seats beyond the endzones?

Why not expand the existing soccer stadium at CE? Already have 12,000 seats in place and shitters and concessions as u point out. $171M will buy alot of metal scaffolding.

 

[SDHornet]

Reinforced concrete stands would contain steel...lots and lots of steel...