Jordan-Hare Stadium Renovation

[keesler 5,924]

29 minutes ago, IronMan70 said:

You can count me as one who would rather see some nice armchair seating instead of bench seating and an 87k seat capacity. If JH had a reduced capacity of 5000 fewer seats to make room for some nice armchair seating then so be it. Add in the NEZ improvements, exterior brick veneer work and you would really have a classy stadium. At that point, JH would become a jewel of the SEC. Makes more sense to me in light of the competition from TV.

BTW, football powerhouse Kentucky funded their improvements by floating a 25 year bond issue at low interest rates. That is the way most large capital projects are funded. All this talk about the big money boys funding this thing up front is just nonsense. They can just be a secondary guarantor behind Auburn on the quarterly interest bond payment. If they want to put some money up front on this project too, that's fine.

Thank you again for posting this IronMan.  You've been saying this for years and folks still babble on and on about funding from the fan base &  Boosters. 

With the $$ AU has guaranteed through the SECN & the SEC in general along with the concessions/beverage/shoe/clothing contracts, there's plenty of sustained guaranteed income along with donor contributions act as guarantor for funding a capital project.  There should be nothing holding AU back, money's been cheap for damn near 3 decades - financing has been favorable for a long while.

[meh130 1,043]

4 hours ago, logan adams said:

This is the same case with Jordan Hare. They aren’t at the exact same height. 

I found this on the web, and it is consistent with what I heard at Auburn as a student when the East upper deck was being built:

"The stadium is designed in such a way that the upper decks can be connected above either end zone stand, as are the decks at Tennessee and Georgia."

"The plan assembled during the Dye years had called for the eventual enclosure of each end of the stadium by connecting the Upper East and Upper West decks across the end zones.

http://football.ballparks.com/NCAA/Auburn/index.htm

At the time, Neyland and Sanford stadiums' enclosed endzone "horseshoe" layouts were popular,. Today this may not be wise today because of uneven settling of such heavy structures. Also, the desire to have large video screens makes unenclosed corners valuable space for screens.

[logan adams 333]

8 hours ago, meh130 said:

I found this on the web, and it is consistent with what I heard at Auburn as a student when the East upper deck was being built:

"The stadium is designed in such a way that the upper decks can be connected above either end zone stand, as are the decks at Tennessee and Georgia."

"The plan assembled during the Dye years had called for the eventual enclosure of each end of the stadium by connecting the Upper East and Upper West decks across the end zones.

http://football.ballparks.com/NCAA/Auburn/index.htm

At the time, Neyland and Sanford stadiums' enclosed endzone "horseshoe" layouts were popular,. Today this may not be wise today because of uneven settling of such heavy structures. Also, the desire to have large video screens makes unenclosed corners valuable space for screens.

I personally would rather have them exposed with screens instead of a complete horseshoe anyway. We don't need that many seats added anyway. The conceptual design they came out with a couple of years ago was perfect. But oh well.

[auburn4ever 1,266]

aias there any further talk about more renovation being done to Jordan-Hare? IMO, there still needs a lot of brick work done all the way around the outside of the stadium.

[SCTiger2011 1,277]

I don't have any concrete evidence other than anecdotal observation with my eyes at JHS so feel free to offer an educated rebuttal, but physical attendance even for big games seems to be down.  I would guess this is the case around the country, with ticket prices not being worth what our comfortable technologies give us.  JHS doesn't need added capacity, but it definitely needs a makeover on some of her structure.

[doc4aday 1,887]

I think we need to expand JHS to around 90,500 and address the north end zone by covering all of the open area with something more aesthetic.

[auburn4ever 1,266]

It would be nice if Auburn closed in the 3 remaining corners with seats. We've been at 87,451 since the late 1980s.

[LeaderKee4AU 36]

On 1/22/2019 at 5:39 PM, doc4aday said:

I think we need to expand JHS to around 90,500 and address the north end zone by covering all of the open area with something more aesthetic.

90,500’s a good number to be at.

Personally, I’d like to see JHS at 93,000-95,000.

On 1/22/2019 at 6:05 PM, auburn4ever said:

It would be nice if Auburn closed in the 3 remaining corners with seats. We've been at 87,451 since the late 1980s.

Actually, JHS has been at 87,451 since 2004.

[Zeek 16,616]

On 1/23/2019 at 7:30 PM, LeaderKee4AU said:

90,500’s a good number to be at.

Personally, I’d like to see JHS at 93,000-95,000.

Actually, JHS has been at 87,451 since 2004.

I’d rather be at 85,000 if it meant more room per seat, nicer overall aesthetic, and cup holders. That’s just me though. I really enjoyed Raymond James stadium. Having my own armrests, a seatback, a cup holder, and a comfortable amount of room regardless of how big my neighbor might be.

If we could get a higher number and improved seating count me in as well. Not against more people (should mean cheaper prices) but I don’t want to feel more crammed than I already do. “The Swamp” when full is miserable for this very reason. 

[auburn4ever 1,266]

Seems like it be SEC teams continue to add more seats. Every SEC team but Auburn that is. Auburn just seats on their hands and watch other SEC stadiums continue to grow.

[AU64 10,122]

8 hours ago, auburn4ever said:

Seems like it be SEC teams continue to add more seats. Every SEC team but Auburn that is. Auburn just seats on their hands and watch other SEC stadiums continue to grow.

Bama reduced seating a bit recently...as for AU....the seating meets the need of the program. Very few games that tickets are not readily available.

[WDE_OxPx_2010 5,287]

We should heed the warning that is Knoxville (and hopefully soon to be Bama) with a huge stadium that's empty didn't down years. 

[keesler 5,924]

On 1/27/2019 at 7:14 AM, AU64 said:

Bama reduced seating a bit recently...as for AU....the seating meets the need of the program. Very few games that tickets are not readily available.

When did Bama reduce seating?

Their future building plan for athletics was released last year, they plan another renovation of bds that will eventually reduce seating but they haven’t done anything yet.  

Their capital plan for the next decade is an enormous amount of $$ for athletic facilities ($600 million)  that are already top of the line as far as football goes.  They will be dumping a ton of $$ on that tomb they call a basketball arena, which is way over due for an upgrade.

[AU64 10,122]

4 minutes ago, keesler said:

When did Bama reduce seating?

Their future building plan for athletics was released last year, they plan another renovation of bds that will eventually reduce seating but they haven’t done anything yet.  

Their capital plan for the next decade is an enormous amount of $$ for facilities that are already top of the line as far as football. They will be dumping a ton of $$ on that tomb they call a basketball arena, which is way over due for an upgrade.

thought they had already started...but swapping gen admin seats for boxes according to what I read...

[keesler 5,924]

9 minutes ago, AU64 said:

thought they had already started...but swapping gen admin seats for boxes according to what I read...

Well, they plan to spend $600 million on athletic facilities over then next decade and already have plans pretty much inked out.  Their Admin and BOT have a plan and a vision in place to improve and get better, and their people put the plan in action, like many of our SEC brothers have been doing for some time now.

[abw0004 10,107]

1 hour ago, keesler said:

When did Bama reduce seating?

Their future building plan for athletics was released last year, they plan another renovation of bds that will eventually reduce seating but they haven’t done anything yet.  

Their capital plan for the next decade is an enormous amount of $$ for athletic facilities ($600 million)  that are already top of the line as far as football goes.  They will be dumping a ton of $$ on that tomb they call a basketball arena, which is way over due for an upgrade.

I am pretty sure 64 is correct.  They did reduce the seating for the tv’s.  I think a lot of stadiums are doing that.  You see that with the NBA too.  With how high quality resolution is now and networks like the SEC Network, many are choosing to stay home than sweat it out in the sun.  Most stadiums are going for quality over quantity.  Very apparent with the Falcons and Hawks stadiums.  It may be an unpopular opinion, but I think Auburn needs to invest in the fan experience more.  Good start with state of the art sound system and video board.  Right now they are redoing the suites.  

Edit: Not saying Auburn’s fan experience is poor, quite the contrary.  I think they lead the league in user experience with lots to do and never a dull moment for you to leave your seat.  But it could be our competitive advantage to keep innovating. 

[AuMarine 1,372]

10 hours ago, abw0004 said:

I am pretty sure 64 is correct.  They did reduce the seating for the tv’s.  I think a lot of stadiums are doing that.  You see that with the NBA too.  With how high quality resolution is now and networks like the SEC Network, many are choosing to stay home than sweat it out in the sun.  Most stadiums are going for quality over quantity.  Very apparent with the Falcons and Hawks stadiums.  It may be an unpopular opinion, but I think Auburn needs to invest in the fan experience more.  Good start with state of the art sound system and video board.  Right now they are redoing the suites.  

Edit: Not saying Auburn’s fan experience is poor, quite the contrary.  I think they lead the league in user experience with lots to do and never a dull moment for you to leave your seat.  But it could be our competitive advantage to keep innovating. 

I like the idea of innovating and making it a better experience for the fans. I have been a season ticket holder for a long time and the amount of money we donate to keep our seats is really on the ridiculous side. I am getting to the point now, that I would rather sit in my recliner and watch the game on the big screen as I think many people do. 

[keesler 5,924]

12 hours ago, abw0004 said:

I am pretty sure 64 is correct.  They did reduce the seating for the tv’s.  I think a lot of stadiums are doing that.  You see that with the NBA too.  With how high quality resolution is now and networks like the SEC Network, many are choosing to stay home than sweat it out in the sun.  Most stadiums are going for quality over quantity.  Very apparent with the Falcons and Hawks stadiums.  It may be an unpopular opinion, but I think Auburn needs to invest in the fan experience more.  Good start with state of the art sound system and video board.  Right now they are redoing the suites.  

Edit: Not saying Auburn’s fan experience is poor, quite the contrary.  I think they lead the league in user experience with lots to do and never a dull moment for you to leave your seat.  But it could be our competitive advantage to keep innovating. 

They have not commenced construction on their stadium and will not until after the end of the '19 season.

Six months ago uat announced their plan to pump $600 million into their athletic facilities within the next 10 years.  Pouring $250 million into a stadium that was expanded and renovated only 8 yrs ago.  It will reduce seating to add TVs plus another upgrade to boxes/suites, player locker rooms and another huge upgrade to the football only complex.  Another $125mm for the basketball coliseum (long over-due the place is a dump), then spread the remainder out over all women's facilities, and other men's sports, etc.   

The renderings are complete, the plans for the initial phase are done and funding for phase one is in place.  It's a long term vision and plan that ensures they'll stay firmly at the top of the heap relative to the rest of the country in athletic facilities and they'll continue to feed that "fan experience" everyone loves to use now.  

I've often accused Auburn of doing things in a piece-mill fashion, but I suppose uat can be accused of the same since they are doing it in 3 phases over 10 yrs. Ha!

 

[James Howell 80]

Not sure what to do but in the end if renovations entail adding a significant #of seats I would want to see that done in conjunction with city of auburn, state of alabama to widen roads and streets, hopefully remote parking etc to try to cut down on congestion and reduce traffic jams especially after the game.

[LKEEL75 2,566]

34 minutes ago, James Howell said:

Not sure what to do but in the end if renovations entail adding a significant #of seats I would want to see that done in conjunction with city of auburn, state of alabama to widen roads and streets, hopefully remote parking etc to try to cut down on congestion and reduce traffic jams especially after the game.

I completely agree.  Alleviating some of the congestion and making a better game day experience for those leaving right after the game would be a great thing as well.

 

[auburn4ever 1,266]

No matter if it's been the late 80s or in 2004 since we added more seats, it's long enough. Other SEC schools have added more seats since 2004.

[WarTiger 3,896]

On 1/29/2019 at 2:35 PM, auburn4ever said:

No matter if it's been the late 80s or in 2004 since we added more seats, it's long enough. Other SEC schools have added more seats since 2004.

You've been on this same train now for YEARS and its been explained to you OVER and OVER again that there's no financial reason to increase the seating capacity when many of the seats we currently have are empty for most games.   The last thing that matters in this expansion/renovation is what other schools are doing.  It would be financially stupid to increase seating capacity just for the sake of saying we have more seats.   Adding seats would be a Colossally STUPID thing to do.   The need ISN'T THERE.

[abw0004 10,107]

On 1/29/2019 at 3:35 PM, auburn4ever said:

No matter if it's been the late 80s or in 2004 since we added more seats, it's long enough. Other SEC schools have added more seats since 2004.

Actually stadiums are starting to reduce seating now.  Going for quality over quantity. 

[AUTigerTime 186]

On 1/29/2019 at 6:21 AM, AuMarine said:

I like the idea of innovating and making it a better experience for the fans. I have been a season ticket holder for a long time and the amount of money we donate to keep our seats is really on the ridiculous side. I am getting to the point now, that I would rather sit in my recliner and watch the game on the big screen as I think many people do. 

Maybe if they reduced the prices to a "non-ridiculous" level, more people would come. Or if they added more seats, they could reduce the prices.

It's about supply and demand. There's apparently enough demand that they can keep those prices sky high.

[logan adams 333]

On 2/3/2019 at 2:33 PM, WarTiger said:

You've been on this same train now for YEARS and its been explained to you OVER and OVER again that there's no financial reason to increase the seating capacity when many of the seats we currently have are empty for most games.   The last thing that matters in this expansion/renovation is what other schools are doing.  It would be financially stupid to increase seating capacity just for the sake of saying we have more seats.   Adding seats would be a Colossally STUPID thing to do.   The need ISN'T THERE.

The arms race is real. I agree with you for the most part in adding capacity, but I do not in renovations. Jordan Hare NEEDS a facelift, and in-part of that is because of literally everyone else in the SEC is doing it. These types of things can draw or push away recruits. Auburn has some catching up to do and it's pretty obvious.