Snapdragon Stadium: positive impacts of a new college stadium

[WestCoastWildcat]

I took a tour yesterday of the new Snapdragon Stadium in Mission Valley, home of the San Diego State Aztecs. It is a beautiful facility that seats 35,000+, maxing out at around 40,000. The old Qualcomm Stadium site was acquired by the Cal State system from the city of San Diego after a referendum passed by popular vote. The construction costs are being financed by revenue bonds. The stadium has lots of open corridors and you can walk around the entire structure. It features great views of the surrounding hills and the surrounding Mission River valley. I think he architects did a great job in design and incorporating local attributes into the design. For example, one upper deck is a long pier like structure that juts out towards the playing field. We were able to go inside some of the luxury suites which were very appealing. Besides the Aztecs football games, Snapdragon will host the recently newly minted MLS San Diego FC as well as women professional soccer, men’s professional rugby, concerts, motorcycle and monster truck events. The project cleared off the old Qualcomm Stadium and moved the new stadium to a higher elevated site which is less impacted by flooding in the river valley. There is also a lot of green park open space and the site will also include apartments and other research labs and offices for SDSU. The stadium cost over $300M and is Gold LEED certified. I believe there are so many positive attributes of this stadium as a public investment. The old Qualcomm site had become an eyesore and the city was not properly maintaining the stadium. SDSU is very mindful of the impact of events on the surrounding community and there a design features built into the lighting and sound systems to help mitigate impacts. The San Diego Trolley helps mitigate the traffic impact- about half of the attendees to Aztec football games take the trolley. This is a multi-year project, the stadium was the first structure to be constructed along with clearing then site for parks and open space. Apartments and other university labs and offices will be built on site in upcoming years. My hope that the new proposed stadium project for NU will move forward and the stadium can host events in addition to football games with measures in place to mitigate the impact. I think a new stadium will be a win for both the university and for the community.

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Mention of the Trolley brought memories of our game with Utah in the Holiday Bowl. The new smaller stadium should serve the area well but somehow comparing its uses potential to a newly designed Ryan Field fall short in at least one respect. I can just see the locals near Central Street thrilled and excited about Monster Truck Events.

 

[WestCoastWildcat]

Mention of the Trolley brought memories of our game with Utah in the Holiday Bowl. The new smaller stadium should serve the area well but somehow comparing its uses potential to a newly designed Ryan Field fall short in at least one respect. I can just see the locals near Central Street thrilled and excited about Monster Truck Events.

Alaska- Well maybe not monster trucks but I think concerts and other sporting events would be feasible and reasonable additions to college football. (My first event at Snapdragon may be an upcoming Brandi Carlile/Pink concert so it will be interesting to experience the venue as a concert site.) I think the proposed NU stadium will be much more of an enclosed structure and potentially have more light and sound mitigation compare to the open air concept of Snapdragon Stadium. I still think a new NU stadium would be a positive addition to the community at-large though I totally appreciate the concerns of the residents nearby. There needs to be some kind of balance that recognizes the need for NU to upgrade the current stadium to keep their facilities up to par with others in the BigTen. Incoming PAC12 schools like Oregon have high quality facilities for all sports which only underscores the need for NU to improve our current stadium.

 

[Overly_Invested_Cat]

Is it smack dab in the middle of a residential neighborhood with next to no parking? The Ryan Field venue as a concert destination just doesn’t make any sense. A parade of 52 semi trucks to set up a concert, plus hundreds of shuttles from on campus parking to the stadium will fundamentally change the neighborhoods surrounding the stadium. Wilmette has already voted against the proposed concerts due to noise pollution. I’d love a new stadium, but I’m strongly against Northwestern’s rezoning request.

 

[techtim72]

An additional six times (Right?) a year for a stadium substantially reduced in capacity? All to financially enable a replacement for a crumbling, ugly edifice? Sounds like something 99% of the US would vote for in a heartbeat.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

An additional six times (Right?) a year for a stadium substantially reduced in capacity? All to financially enable a replacement for a crumbling, ugly edifice? Sounds like something 99% of the US would vote for in a heartbeat.

We are talking about Evanston and Wilmette here.

 

[NUCat320]

This is unrelated, but awesome.

Luton Town FC earned promotion to the Premier League this season, first time in the club’s history. Only 15 years ago, they had fallen to what is essentially a semi-pro tier.

Anyway, their stadium is 118-year-old Kenilworth Road, which required significant upgrades to meet EPL standards. These upgrades were so significant that their first EPL home match had to be rescheduled.

What didn’t change, however, is the visiting fans entrance. That continues to reside between two homes, and continues to require visiting fans to cross a short bridge over those homes’ backyards. It’s amazing.

Luton's Kenilworth Road… A Premier League stadium like no other

Kenilworth Road is set to host Premier League football for the first time and people who live by the stadium are excited - and concerned

theathletic.com

NIMBY!?!, this stadium is LIMBY. Literally in (my) backyard. (They’re Gardens over there, but LIMBG doesn’t work.)


Also, I seriously doubt any construction will increase Ryan Field traffic. Have you seen the bike rack renderings?


WCW, I love your dispatches from San Diego. Thanks.

 

[Hungry Jack]

I’ve been in some real uninspired stadiums in my time (Olympic Stadium, HH Metrodome, first Busch Stadium, Corel Center in Ottawa), but Qualcomm felt like the worst.

 

[Dugan15]

I’ve been in some real uninspired stadiums in my time (Olympic Stadium, HH Metrodome, first Busch Stadium, Corel Center in Ottawa), but Qualcomm felt like the worst.

Admittedly, the building was old then…not in its Charlie Joiner / Dan Fouts condition, but, that was a sad venue by the time we played there. (The weather didn’t help!)

 

[Hungry Jack]

Admittedly, the building was old then…not in its Charlie Joiner / Dan Fouts condition, but, that was a sad venue by the time we played there. (The weather didn’t help!)

Actually, it reminded me of the Nepstadion (People's Stadium) in Budapest, which a Soviet-era relic. I saw Bryan Adams there in 1992 when I lived in Hungary.

 

[hdhntr1]

I took a tour yesterday of the new Snapdragon Stadium in Mission Valley, home of the San Diego State Aztecs. It is a beautiful facility that seats 35,000+, maxing out at around 40,000. The old Qualcomm Stadium site was acquired by the Cal State system from the city of San Diego after a referendum passed by popular vote. The construction costs are being financed by revenue bonds. The stadium has lots of open corridors and you can walk around the entire structure. It features great views of the surrounding hills and the surrounding Mission River valley. I think he architects did a great job in design and incorporating local attributes into the design. For example, one upper deck is a long pier like structure that juts out towards the playing field. We were able to go inside some of the luxury suites which were very appealing. Besides the Aztecs football games, Snapdragon will host the recently newly minted MLS San Diego FC as well as women professional soccer, men’s professional rugby, concerts, motorcycle and monster truck events. The project cleared off the old Qualcomm Stadium and moved the new stadium to a higher elevated site which is less impacted by flooding in the river valley. There is also a lot of green park open space and the site will also include apartments and other research labs and offices for SDSU. The stadium cost over $300M and is Gold LEED certified. I believe there are so many positive attributes of this stadium as a public investment. The old Qualcomm site had become an eyesore and the city was not properly maintaining the stadium. SDSU is very mindful of the impact of events on the surrounding community and there a design features built into the lighting and sound systems to help mitigate impacts. The San Diego Trolley helps mitigate the traffic impact- about half of the attendees to Aztec football games take the trolley. This is a multi-year project, the stadium was the first structure to be constructed along with clearing then site for parks and open space. Apartments and other university labs and offices will be built on site in upcoming years. My hope that the new proposed stadium project for NU will move forward and the stadium can host events in addition to football games with measures in place to mitigate the impact. I think a new stadium will be a win for both the university and for the community.

All nice but you have to remember that building in an area that has no freezing issues is generally a lot less expensive. And any project like this generally requires a lot of streams of revenue to make sense and many of those are not available in Evanston. That is a big problem 3 times the cost and basically no other sources of revenue is concerts quashed

 

[hdhntr1]

Alaska- Well maybe not monster trucks but I think concerts and other sporting events would be feasible and reasonable additions to college football. (My first event at Snapdragon may be an upcoming Brandi Carlile/Pink concert so it will be interesting to experience the venue as a concert site.) I think the proposed NU stadium will be much more of an enclosed structure and potentially have more light and sound mitigation compare to the open air concept of Snapdragon Stadium. I still think a new NU stadium would be a positive addition to the community at-large though I totally appreciate the concerns of the residents nearby. There needs to be some kind of balance that recognizes the need for NU to upgrade the current stadium to keep their facilities up to par with others in the BigTen. Incoming PAC12 schools like Oregon have high quality facilities for all sports which only underscores the need for NU to improve our current stadium.

At this point they (land use commission?) have nixed concerts and there really are not other sources at this point

 

[hdhntr1]

An additional six times (Right?) a year for a stadium substantially reduced in capacity? All to financially enable a replacement for a crumbling, ugly edifice? Sounds like something 99% of the US would vote for in a heartbeat.

Unfortunately that 99% is not in Evanston

 

[Overly_Invested_Cat]

I'm not sure about that 99% of Americans if the institution building the new stadium was as arrogant and non-collaborative as Northwestern has been. They have consistently been issuing very problematic sound, transportation, and economic development reports, trying to obscure real issues. Northwestern has a long and storied tradition of screwing over Evanston. Lack of trust drives lack of support.

 

[techtim72]

Sound - better but more continuous for concerts. Transportation - same. Economic development - better than the alternative but won't change anyone's life. Six more times in a year with 365 days. I know I am being a wise ass but at the end of the day overthinking what is fundamentally a decision that is based entirely on either one is against any change to their existence for whatever reason or not. Perfect storm of much ado about nothing for a community of privileged residents.

 

[WestCoastWildcat]

TechTim and others in this conversation. I wonder if there are some major differences in the stadium projects comparing San Diego State vs NU projects. One I failed to recognize that was pointed out was the weather factor which creates additional costs. Another factor may be public vs private institutions. There was a public vote to allow San Diego State (well technically the Cal State system) to negotiate to buy the former Qualcomm property from the city of San Diego. After protracted negotiations that included SDSU committing to other road and environmental improvements on the site and nearby which added on millions to the purchase price the property was finally deeded over to the university. So the total cost even before a shovel of dirt was turned over was at least $30M. The project cost of the building the stadium was over $300M. But the property already had significant transportation infrastructure with the trolley stop already on site The bottom line was there was significant public engagement and support for the new stadium and turning the site over to SDSU as the SDSU satellite campus including a 2/3 public vote in support of it. There are numerous events on-site (including monster truck events endearing to those like Alaska) but the university has ongoing connection to surrounding communities and neighbors to get feedback about traffic and noise. Mission Valley is more of a mix-use environment but significant number of residential units have been built post-Chargers with the advent of the trolley. I still think the new Snapdragon venue is a jewel and the site will further be developed during the years ahead. Maybe the site of college bowl game(s) and other major events once again? It’s also a great venue for professional soccer and pro rugby. It’s bringing in money to pay off the bonds issued to build it as well as employment for activities related to the stadium. Nice win for the community and the university.

 

[techtim72]

The neighborhood around the stadium in Evanston is quite happy with the environs. I suspect business owners wouldn't mind more stadium dates but I doubt they carry much weight plus at the end of the day what difference will six more events make anyway? So for many residents the stadium benefit is mostly to get a fancier mausoleum instead of a crumbling concrete box. No excitement in that. I don't know anything that was considered or discussed but if it was my project to sell, I would have incorporated elements that provide benefits year round to the neighborhood. An outdoor hockey rink, indoor lacrosse/soccer and a running track shielded from the weather come to mind as possibilities. If the architects had been challenged to creatively incorporate these type of elements I think some excitement could have been built up. Instead there is an open area for outdoor string quartet and wine gatherings. Blah. Make the place a neighborhood and University sports facility. Too late now.