Roos Field Renovation

[BLACKFALKIN1]

Ultimately the Gateway project was 10,000 new seats for $65 million. Who's bright idea was that?

Saluki Stadium was built for only 25 million

Great point!
Dana J Dykhouse Stadium was built for $65 Million
UCDavis Aggie Stadium was built for $30 Million
Bobcats Stadiums' endzone expansion only 9.9 Million
EWU' Roos Field 2004 & 2010 expansion/renovation 4.9 Million
New end zone seating, new stadium entrance, new FB locker rooms, new Pressbox & luxury seating & Red turf (2010)

Eastern needs to get creative with this new stadium. Eastern needs something nice but it doesn't need Husky Stadium's price tag

 

[BLACKFALKIN1]

It's definitely time to get some traction for a stadium expansion.

Maybe us fans can get something started. Any ideas?

 

[EWU98]

GO FUND ME!

 

[Black Falkin]

Ultimately the Gateway project was 10,000 new seats for $65 million. Who's bright idea was that?

Saluki Stadium was built for only 25 million

Great point!
Dana J Dykhouse Stadium was built for $65 Million
UCDavis Aggie Stadium was built for $30 Million
Bobcats Stadiums' endzone expansion only 9.9 Million
EWU' Roos Field 2004 & 2010 expansion/renovation 4.9 Million

Prairie View probably has the best lookin stadium of all these and it was cheaper than DJD Stadium.

60 million

 

[LDopaPDX]

How the hell does Prairie View get something like that done? They have no football tradition. Seriously, like zero.

It is discouraging to see all these other places getting things done, and no shovels in the ground in Cheney.

 

[Black Falkin]

How the hell does Prairie View get something like that done? They have no football tradition. Seriously, like zero.

It is discouraging to see all these other places getting things done, and no shovels in the ground in Cheney.

Not to rub it in, but it their FO building there houses all new coaches offices, wieght room, trainer areas, film rooms, & new football locker room.

 

[CalPolyvsEWU]

How the hell does Prairie View get something like that done? They have no football tradition. Seriously, like zero.

It is discouraging to see all these other places getting things done, and no shovels in the ground in Cheney.

It probably mostly has to do with:

Prairie View A&M
A. It's Texas - football is god in Texas, and ridiculous spending on stadia even at the high school level is the norm.. Keepin up with the Texas States..

B. Right to work state - Significantly lower construction costs one would assume.

C. 9,000,000 population within an hours drive.

EWU:
- Small population base (main thing holding EWU football back) - Building more dorms on campus is the solution, and housing around campus and increasing student enrollment.

600,000 within 15 miles. Cheney itself around 12,000 people.. tough to get support.

- Set goals too high: Instead of going for a "phased" expansion, starting with the largest capacity increase for the most bang first.

Montana State really did their endzone expansion right.. But sometimes less is more, or at least, building piece by piece with a plan is more, instead of going all out.

Cal Poly has the same problem.. Grandious plans that never seem to come to fruition because they are too much at one time, instead of building a stadium like Montana did piece by piece (yeah, their stadium is kind of funky/qwirky/ugly, but at least it's big and exists at 22,000).

Here was Cal Poly's "Gateway" 3-level stadium..

Too bad that never happened.

 

[ewueagle2010]

How the hell does Prairie View get something like that done? They have no football tradition. Seriously, like zero.

It is discouraging to see all these other places getting things done, and no shovels in the ground in Cheney.

It probably mostly has to do with:

Prairie View A&M
A. It's Texas - football is god in Texas, and ridiculous spending on stadia even at the high school level is the norm.. Keepin up with the Texas States..

B. Right to work state - Significantly lower construction costs one would assume.

C. 9,000,000 population within an hours drive.

EWU:
- Small population base (main thing holding EWU football back) - Building more dorms on campus is the solution, and housing around campus and increasing student enrollment.

600,000 within 15 miles. Cheney itself around 12,000 people.. tough to get support.

- Set goals too high: Instead of going for a "phased" expansion, starting with the largest capacity increase for the most bang first.

Montana State really did their endzone expansion right.. But sometimes less is more, or at least, building piece by piece with a plan is more, instead of going all out.

Cal Poly has the same problem.. Grandious plans that never seem to come to fruition because they are too much at one time, instead of building a stadium like Montana did piece by piece (yeah, their stadium is kind of funky/qwirky/ugly, but at least it's big and exists at 22,000).

Here was Cal Poly's "Gateway" 3-level stadium..

Too bad that never happened.

I agree with much of what you said, however, I have to say the lower population base is somewhat weak. I've heard it from people in our area as well. We have over 50,000 EWU alumni living in Spokane County, an enrollment of over 13,000 and regional population of around 700,000. Yes, Cheney is a "small" town comparatively speaking, but people will show up to games and that's been proven. We're averaging over 100% capacity for several years now and I think the biggest thing keeping people away is lack of good seating.

The two Montana universities have done it correctly with their stadiums and building it in phases, but their populations are also MUCH smaller than what EWU has to work with. Now, we have a lot more options for events in our area, but we should still be able to draw upwards of 15,000 to games. I hate to say it, but I simply think our administration is just in over their heads with this project. I've made excuses for them for several years now and I know there are challenges for a school like Eastern to get something done, but it's possible. I don't think you'll find many fans who don't understand the need for an expansion and for it to get done ASAP!

 

[CalPolyvsEWU]

I actually think the GoFundMe idea was a really good one.. Encourage making donations public.

Doesn't EWU have any major benefactors?

 

[scottywashere11]

Jim Allen is discussing the GWP and stadium renovation stuff on the spokesman review chat right now. It's all small talk, but he did mention that he is writing an article about it...

"Regarding the stadium, I working on a long-term story that I'll calling "What now?" I would like to talk to some fans - my phone line is always open at (509) 459--5437".

Those who feel inclined should certainly give him a phone call.

 

[clawman1]

Thank you Jim
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/dec/02/history-of-roos-field-and-list-of-big-sky-football/
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/dec/02/as-debate-about-roos-field-continues-other-facilit/
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/dec/02/what-next-for-roos-field/

 

[Obzerver]

Jim, you are the best!! (Red Zone famous)

 

[FormerEag]

This is awesome. Jim has done a great job of advocating for the EWU program in the region. No other writer has worked so hard to cover the eags, at least in the last 15 years. It's really frustrating to feel like the administration isn't committed to the success of the athletic department. Hopefully these articles pit a little pressure on the brass.

 

[wrrolling]

This is great work by Jim. This is the type of thing that gets things moving or at least pressures them to give us an answer.

 

[clawman1]

Something that baffles me about this entire topic is how athletics seems to be ignored as a vehicle to grow enrollment and the University as a whole. Universities all over the country have capitalized on successful athletic programs for recognition and an identity yet Eastern does not take advantage of the gift laying in front of them knows as "The Inferno".

 

[dcmeagfan]

Its time to quit talking about renovation and actually get something going. So typical of the Athletic Department and other departments at Eastern talk talk talk instead of actually getting something going.

 

[scottywashere11]

Something that baffles me about this entire topic is how athletics seems to be ignored as a vehicle to grow enrollment and the University as a whole. Universities all over the country have capitalized on successful athletic programs for recognition and an identity yet Eastern does not take advantage of the gift laying in front of them knows as "The Inferno".

No kidding. As soon as eastern breaks away from that "commuter school" or "glorified community college" identity, kids in the Spokane area will often opt to enroll into UI, WSU, or Montana. However, if this next decade brought a new identity to EWU through athletics, we would have a much better reputaion instantaneously. EWU beating WSU was a nice sample of that. We received so much love from the media. We have 450,000 spokanites fifteen miles away. That is a huge market to capitalize on. Although our fan base has grown, we have yet to actually capture the market. Spokane's college football market is still run by WSU. This could really elevate the university altogether.

 

[wrrolling]

Something that baffles me about this entire topic is how athletics seems to be ignored as a vehicle to grow enrollment and the University as a whole. Universities all over the country have capitalized on successful athletic programs for recognition and an identity yet Eastern does not take advantage of the gift laying in front of them knows as "The Inferno".

You have to be somewhat careful about this idea. The university is growing and you can make the case that this is due to investment in the buildings and facilities that have been made. The UM pours money into their athletics program and look at where they are. The enrollment is cratering, they are in constant mode of faculty layoffs, they just fired their president, oh and by the way their football program is not so hot.

While I agree that athletics is the "front porch" to the university, it is also not a magic elixir for success. That being said it would appear we are leaving some long term revenue and growth on the table at the moment.

 

[nwray1]

It's interesting that in the past the Associated Students recommended and put to a vote of students the question as to whether to "tax themselves" ie add a mandatory fee for both the Rec Center and the PUB renovation. Rec Center came to $26 million, fees of $65 per quarter. PUB will come to $35 million, fees of $65 quarter. Is there no desire to put a Roos Field expansion to a similar vote?

 

[FormerEag]

It's interesting that in the past the Associated Students recommended and put to a vote of students the question as to whether to "tax themselves" ie add a mandatory fee for both the Rec Center and the PUB renovation. Rec Center came to $26 million, fees of $65 per quarter. PUB will come to $35 million, fees of $65 quarter. Is there no desire to put a Roos Field expansion to a similar vote?

Honestly, I think the EWU administration and faculty would rather it not even be a debate. I've said it before, Washington Street might as well be the Berlin Wall.