Still sounding preliminary, but movement. I can’t believe this is happening NOW as opposed to, you know, months and months ago:
WGN report: temporary Lakefront football facility moving forward?
- Thread starter NJcatsfan
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If it is one or two games, I will want to go to at least one of them just because of the different experience. It may be nice for the early games with the cool breeze coming off the lake. However, anything late in the season may be too cold.
Do we know about how many STH there are? Could all STH get a seat in this arrangement?
Do we know about how many STH there are? Could all STH get a seat in this arrangement?
Hey Athletic Dept...if you want my money, here's how to get it: put together some video documentation of this sh*t show behind the scenes. Charge me $1,000 to watch it - I'll bring my credit card and a tub of popcorn.
I predict neighbors will materialize out of nowhere and will protest at zoning hearings.
This response to that tweet is classic. I mean, if I was going to make an attempt at a joke response, it would be hard to beat this -- but I really think this person is serious:
"My bet is, they waited to push through the new stadium first, then while we're all reeling from being doublecrossed by our mayor and council, slide this through. And I bet it won't be temporary. And yes, another rock concert venue."
The water treatment plant next door is fine, it is the temporary bleachers and porta potties that are objectionable. Actually I think this is a golden opportunity to launch a swan paddle boat concession on the pond.
Rittenberg gets comment from Braun. Seems optimistic but far from a sure thing
I hear that the Evanston People's Coalition for Migratory Waterfowl Justice is gearing up for a big fight.
The Christian Women’s Temperance Union is getting ready to unload!
Okay...honestly...as a longtime season ticket holder and donor, I actually find myself getting genuinely angry the Athletic Dept. hasn't issued any official statements about this and let social media and the N Club and so on carry the whole thing - even a passing statement from Braun(?!)
The depths of unprofessionalism we're reaching here are unacceptable.
My friends know I'm a Northwestern fan - they see these mentions and ask me, the fact that I have nothing to say back or in some cases they're breaking the news to me is...embarrassing.
The depths of unprofessionalism we're reaching here are unacceptable.
My friends know I'm a Northwestern fan - they see these mentions and ask me, the fact that I have nothing to say back or in some cases they're breaking the news to me is...embarrassing.
I reiterate my suggestion that the temporary stadium be located at Ryan Field. There used to be a fully functional stadium there. Perhaps it could be further renovated after the season and become the long term home of the team.
I’m not a rocket surgeon… but wouldn’t that delay construction and lead to a number of safety hazards for fans?
It’s a design challenge but when you have unlimited resources it should not be impossible. It may delay the final completion of the “New Ryan Field” to the ‘27 season but I suspect construction could be phased in a manner such to accommodate this vision.
Remember the Chicago Olympics plan for a temporary stadium in Washington Park for the opening/closing ceremonies and track and field events? It was to be deconstructed in a way such to leave a fuctional structure.
At least it should have been planned this way if the powers that be had had any foresight. The idea of playing on the lakefront is beyond silly and evidence of a leadership grasping at straws.
No. NU isn't constructing a Lego set. It is difficult to even begin to comment on why this doesn't work. Maybe the presence of two or three enormous Manitowoc cranes on the playing surface might be a problem. Or construction of underground parking and facilities.
If the underground portion of the project is not finished by September sufficient to place on top of it a set of temporary bleachers, I suspect we’re looking to play the ‘27 season on the road, too. I suspect the cranes could be removed in a manner similar to how they were placed there.
The point is this could have been part of the construction plan all along, to facilitate at least a ‘24 season at the location, if not pehaps ‘25. Now we look like complete idiots. The faux criticism of Ryan Field was it was “a high school stadium.” So we are now going to build one on the lakefront to play in?
I started to write a reply but I truly don't know what your plan is and responding to it was giving me a headache so I gave up. Whatever your idea, my best guess is it either couldn't have been accomplished, would have delayed the completion by a year with a massive cost increase, wouldn't fit in the current footprint and/or would have resulted in an inferior stadium in comparison to what NU is currently building.
The best I can offer is for you to monitor the project closely to get a sense of its scale and complexity plus the sequence and duration of activities. Then come back and give us your thoughts.
PS There were many who suggested constructing half of the stadium at a time. The University of Kansas is sort of doing that now by improving only half the stadium out of financial necessity while incorporating elements of the old stadium. They are still losing a season of using the stadium with this approach. I suppose NU could have built a stadium half at a time - many other stadiums have done this - but then the design would likely have been significantly different (Think simple stadiums rather than enclosed with roof.) - and the overall duration and cost would have both increased.
The best I can offer is for you to monitor the project closely to get a sense of its scale and complexity plus the sequence and duration of activities. Then come back and give us your thoughts.
PS There were many who suggested constructing half of the stadium at a time. The University of Kansas is sort of doing that now by improving only half the stadium out of financial necessity while incorporating elements of the old stadium. They are still losing a season of using the stadium with this approach. I suppose NU could have built a stadium half at a time - many other stadiums have done this - but then the design would likely have been significantly different (Think simple stadiums rather than enclosed with roof.) - and the overall duration and cost would have both increased.
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Sorry if this has been discussed, but does anybody with knowledge of temporary seating construction have a ballpark of what this would cost? $3 million? $10 million?
Question for anyone who feels like answering it...given that modular stadiums aren't some space-aged mythical invention and they are a viable solution in general...let's assume for whatever reason we can't put one on the lake...
Where else COULD we put one? Between the Cities of Evanston and Chicago, can we not find another viable site within these two metropolitan boundaries?
NASCAR turned half of downtown into a racetrack. Lollapalooza turns Grant Park into a concert venue for 100,000 people. If Derrick Gragg and Michael Schill can't get this done for Northwestern, then for the love of god I would hope the conference that commanded a BILLION dollars for its tv rights should be able to do it for them.
Where else COULD we put one? Between the Cities of Evanston and Chicago, can we not find another viable site within these two metropolitan boundaries?
NASCAR turned half of downtown into a racetrack. Lollapalooza turns Grant Park into a concert venue for 100,000 people. If Derrick Gragg and Michael Schill can't get this done for Northwestern, then for the love of god I would hope the conference that commanded a BILLION dollars for its tv rights should be able to do it for them.
I hope the conference that commanded a BILLION dollars does not punt on NU. I doubt it, but they must be thinking "what the hell is wrong with this crew"....
The Chicago Dogs independent baseball team plays a Hail Mary over 294 away from the B1G headquarters.
Yes! This is your best post in a longtime.
Let’s knock down 600 Lincoln plus the houses to the north, and build some temporary stands there.
Our team can get dressed at Randy Walker’s old house (RIP). It’s a short walking distance from there.
I don’t care where the visitors get dressed.
Loyola Academy, right off the Edens with parking across the expressway in the mall lot.
LA is looking to upgrade their stadium.
If we wanted to do something with Loyola, then their satellite facilities in Glenview would have made much more sense: https://www.goramblers.org/athletics/theodore-g-munz-sj-campus#
But, again, that would have required forethought and creativity.
I don't personally love feeding into the narrative that "I've been to high school stadiums better than Northwestern," but also...Plans B through S aren't sounding much more promising...
Lakefront football is happening. Gragg is fully committed to making it happen (for better or worse). A chance for him to save face some. Would be a major accomplishment for he and his team.
Would be a more convincing point if you dropped the Gragg reference and replaced his name with university or athletic department
If the university or athletic department can pull off building stands and hosting September games at a lakefront facility is still questionable.
Number of issues would require resolution beyond getting city and neighbors on board. Haven’t even heard mention what team would use for practice facilities as construction would likely take place through summer and facilities remain in place through September.
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