SEC Athletics Facilities Race

[jbcarol]

 Randy Rosetta @RandyRosetta  ·  4h 4 hours ago

#LSU will go forward with game against Alcorn State on Tuesday despite damage at Alex Box Stadium http://s.nola.com/4WrpwqB  via @nolanews

With tornadic activity threatening all over the metro area, the LSU campus and its cutting-edge baseball stadium were not spared.

Both foul poles succumbed to the weather, which included torrential rains and winds that whipped into the 50-60 mph range at times under blackened skies. The batter's eye in center field also absorbed some damage, as did the infield tarp, a section of the right-field bleachers and the number near the press box/luxury suites area commemorating longtime coach Skip Bertman.

All of that damage created some visible blemishes, but not enough to keep the No. 1-ranked Tigers from entertaining Alcorn State at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday as planned. 

LSU coach Paul Mainieri said he got the go-ahead from the university administration Monday afternoon after classes were cancelled in the wake of the storm.

"It was dark and nasty, and when I came out to the field and noticed something different about our field," Mainieri said.

Different as is in the foul poles down for the count.

Both were dismantled by a maintenance crew and will not be replaced by permanent structures until next week before LSU entertains Missouri starting on May 8.

In the meantime, modified temporary foul poles can be put in place. Part of the batter's eye will likely be removed until it can be replaced. And a new tarp is on the way.

"It was quite an eventful morning out here at The Box," Mainieri said. "But everything can be repaired. I'm grateful that nobody was injured. It's not going to deter us too much."

[NoNC4Tubs]

Kyle Field better than Jerry World, says chancellor

A&M has invested serious money ($485 million) to give Kyle Field a nice facelift over the course of the past two years. When all is completed, Kyle Field will be better than a pair of NFL stadiums in the state of Texas, AT&T Stadium and NRG Stadium. Well, according to Texas A&M chancellor John Sharp at least.

Its obvious that he has NEVER been to Jerry World...........

[NoNC4Tubs]

Brandon Marcello @bmarcello  ·  21h 21 hours ago

Auburn upgrades locker room with new look. Check out the photos: http://ow.ly/M1HoA 

Once a dump, always a dump.

The second pic shows a Crimson ceiling.

The last pic looks like something you would find in an Outhouse.

The exposed conduit and ductwork looks very utilitarian. However, the stadium (with the exposed steel and weathered concrete) has the utilitarian look as well, so I guess it matches...........

[jbcarol]

Seth Emerson @SethEmerson  ·  5h 5 hours ago
From last night: The likely site for Georgia's proposed indoor facility has moved, to Mark Richt's liking. http://www.macon.com/2015/04/28/3718611/indoor-facility-now-likely-to.html ...

[jbcarol]

Jim McElwain @CoachMcElwain  ·  Apr 28

Got this gem in my inbox this morning. Gators are #MakingProgress. #ItsGreatUF

[mizzouman]

Kyle Field better than Jerry World, says chancellor

A&M has invested serious money ($485 million) to give Kyle Field a nice facelift over the course of the past two years. When all is completed, Kyle Field will be better than a pair of NFL stadiums in the state of Texas, AT&T Stadium and NRG Stadium. Well, according to Texas A&M chancellor John Sharp at least.

Cost per wins....no so great at A&M.

[jbcarol]

 Texas Tribune @TexasTribune  ·  6h 6 hours ago

Without stadium home, bats invade @TAMU buildings | @MWatkinsTrib has the story: http://trib.it/1QU4Edf 

[jbcarol]

Georgia Bulldog Indoor Practice Facility update

One of the biggest pieces of business is building an indoor football practice facility coaches and fans have been clamoring for for years.

McGarity says they won't have to wait much longer.

"It'll be a reality here soon. We are working very hard behind the scenes with our architects and our engineers to focus in on an area that's adjacent to the Butts-Mehre building," McGarity says. "It'll happen and we hope to get started right after this football season."

McGarity hopes to have something to present at the university board meetings later this month.

[jbcarol]

Brandon Marcello @bmarcello  ·  3h 3 hours ago

Progress made on support structure for college football's largest video board at Auburn (via @YouTube)

[NoNC4Tubs]

Brandon Marcello @bmarcello  ·  3h 3 hours ago

Progress made on support structure for college football's largest video board at Auburn (via @YouTube)

Cheatin' Goobers in oversize HD............

[Inhogswetrust]

Cheatin' Goobers in oversize HD............

I wonder if it will have a working elevator in it?

[NaturalStateReb]

I wonder if it will have a working elevator in it?

In the elevator's defense, it was carrying Jim Cheney.

[Buck Brewer]

Jim McElwain @CoachMcElwain  ·  Apr 28

Got this gem in my inbox this morning. Gators are #MakingProgress. #ItsGreatUF

Someone tweet them congrats on joining 7A NWA high schools with an indoor practice facility #decadebehind

[Inhogswetrust]

In the elevator's defense, it was carrying Jim Cheney.

But wasn't it going down? I could understand if it had to go up...........................

[jbcarol]

Spanish Announce Table:

Brent Zwerneman @BrentZwerneman  ·  5h 5 hours ago

Listening to recent John Sharp presser - I didn't mention this before: He said Spanish radio at Kyle Field will have own booth for 1st time.

[jbcarol]

Someone tweet them congrats on joining 7A NWA high schools with an indoor practice facility #decadebehind

A&M Aggies got good use out of the Highland Park High School Scots indoor practice facility on New Year's Eve afternoon, preparing for Friday's Cotton Bowl Classic matchup against the University of Oklahoma, while high school students were on Winter Break.

[jbcarol]

 Brent Zwerneman @BrentZwerneman  ·  14h 14 hours ago

West Side construction of Kyle Field as of Friday, May 8:

[jbcarol]

The SEC is in the middle of negotiations on a 10-year deal to play the conference championship game at the new Falcons stadium being constructed in Atlanta...


newstadium.atlantafalcons.com

Tom Haynes @TomHaynesFox5  ·  May 7

On a story downtown, and noticed how fast the new @AtlantaFalcons stadium is going up.

[jbcarol]

 Matt Jones @KySportsRadio  ·  May 15

Tennessee fans react (not well) to UK's checkerboard end zones http://bit.ly/1d34P6M  #BBN

The new CWS field will feature checkerboard end zones, a homage to Kentucky's horseracing tradition and Triple Crown winner Secretariat, and that has Vol Nation fuming.

[JansterZ71]

Once a dump, always a dump.

The second pic shows a Crimson ceiling.

The last pic looks like something you would find in an Outhouse.

The exposed conduit and ductwork looks very utilitarian. However, the stadium (with the exposed steel and weathered concrete) has the utilitarian look as well, so I guess it matches...........

Yea those are just the practice field locker rooms.  The actual Stadium locker rooms are better.  Having said that I agree with the stadium.  Looks like a dang erector set.  Can't wait for the National Championship money to be put to use with the new north end zone expansion/ remodel they are doing. 

[Inhogswetrust]

Matt Jones @KySportsRadio  ·  May 15

Tennessee fans react (not well) to UK's checkerboard end zones http://bit.ly/1d34P6M  #BBN

HAHA! I especially liked this comment:

A Vol: Maybe they should just go with Kentucky Copycats.

[jbcarol]

Brent Zwerneman @BrentZwerneman  ·  15h 15 hours ago

The kiddos and their parents always, always appreciate Spencer's Corner in right field of Olsen Field:

Brent Zwerneman @BrentZwerneman  ·  6h 6 hours ago

Will the name 'Blue Bell Park" stick on Texas A&M's baseball stadium? Multi-millions (so far) say yes: http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2015/05/despite-controversy-blue-bell-name-will-remain-on-texas-ams-baseball-stadium ...

COLLEGE STATION – Many Texas A&M fans typically would have been against sticking a corporate name on one of the campus's two most revered stadiums, but five years ago "Blue Bell Park" had a sweet ring to it, and few objected.

Blue Bell ice cream owned one of the most wholesome images in the country until a couple of months ago, and understandably so. Blue Bell was born and raised in the countryside in Brenham, and for more than a century kept Texans' bellies full (and later, many other parts of the country, too).

The Aggies' baseball home for the last three years, after the initial announcement of a large gift from Blue Bell in 2010, has been known as Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park, with the "ice cream" part of that name prominently displayed on the outside and behind home plate of one of the finest college baseball venues in the land.

So, with the recent announcement of massive layoffs and furloughs at Blue Bell following its first recall and with its plants now closed for the time being because of listeria, will the name continue to stick to the stadium? The former Olsen Field and football's Kyle Field are the two most beloved sporting venues on campus.

The answer is yes – likely as long as Blue Bell is still around.

"There have not been any discussions regarding the renaming of Blue Bell Park," said Jason Cook, A&M's senior associate athletic director. "Blue Bell continues to be in good standing with the parameters outlined in the 2010 gift agreement that named the stadium."

Cook declined to discuss those parameters, primarily because the gift was through the 12th Man Foundation, the fundraising arm of A&M athletics.

Blue Bell and the Kruse family that founded and still runs Blue Bell, made an initial pledge of $7 million toward a $24 million renovation, according to university press releases from 2010. Blue Bell paid about half of that up front, with a pledge for the remaining $3.5 million to be paid over 10 year...

A&M's baseball field, Blue Bell Park., will not be seeing its name change anytime soon, according to the university. (Brent Zwerneman/Houston Chronicle)

[jbcarol]

 Tyler Thompson @MrsTylerKSR  ·  20h 20 hours ago

The Commonwealth Stadium renovations get real when you examine the new stadium map: http://kentuckysportsradio.com/football-2/check-out-the-new-commonwealth-stadium-map/ ...

Click to enlarge

[jbcarol]

 GoGamecocks.com @gogamecocks  ·  14h 14 hours ago

USC athletics keeping up in facilities race (+ video) http://scne.ws/9tdPQG  #thestate #gg

Bulldozers and shovels have been as common on the South Carolina campus the past five years as palmetto trees and "Beat Clemson" stickers.

USC is on schedule to have some of its new facilities completed by the first home football game and is hoping to have another wave of upgrades completed within two years.

"We're never going to stop trying to get better," athletics director Ray Tanner said last week while updating Gamecocks' facilities. "We owe that to our student-athletes."

FOOTBALL INDOOR PRACTICE FACILITY

The structure is on schedule to be completed by Aug. 1, when the team reports for fall camp.

SPRINGS-BROOKS PLAZA

The area around Williams-Brice Stadium already has a lot of new trees, concrete and brick. It has over a month after the team reports to be completed because the Sept. 3 football season opener will be played in Charlotte.

"It is (on schedule), and when I say to be completed on time, I'm saying Sept. 12," chief operating officer Kevin O'Connell said.

Also, basketball office and facilities upgrades are in the works.

[jbcarol]

 Athens Banner-Herald @onlineathens  ·  23h 23 hours ago

Indoor football field coming soon to UGA | Online Athens http://onlineathens.com/breaking-news/2015-05-21/indoor-football-field-coming-soon-uga ...

Mark RichtVerified account ‏@MarkRicht

Very excited about our new indoor facility! Without a doubt it will be the best in America!!
6:29 AM - 22 May 2015

ST. SIMONS ISLAND | Finally, the timetable and location for Georgia's indoor athletic facility is confirmed public knowledge.

A long-time figment of speculation and debate, athletics director Greg McGarity announced at Thursday's athletic board of directors meeting the building will be adjacent to Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall, parallel to Rutherford Street.

Construction could begin as early as January.

"We're expecting to have a construction management team in place by mid-July," McGarity said. "Once the group has been identified and on board it will take them about six weeks to gather information to be able to give us a cost projection. Now that the site has been identified we would hope to have some cost projections by August 1."

Previous estimates were in the $30 million range. The topic has been a sticking point of the fan base as well as opposing football coaches who have used Georgia's lack of a full field indoor facility to recruit against the Bulldogs.

When Florida occupies it's brand new indoor facility this summer, Georgia will be the only Southeastern Conference school without one.

Past attempts to get this done failed. A planned location was initially presented to and agreed upon by the board of directors in 1999. It never materialized. An addition to the Butts-Mehre building in 2011 included indoor practice turf, but the space was too small for full-team practices.

The new building, according to McGarity will be 140 yards long, 80 wide and 65 feet high.

The location and proposed building, "has ultimately been where our football coach (Mark Richt) has wanted us to land," president Jere Morehead said. "This proposal is not only what the athletic board wanted, but also what the coaching staff favors and it's also going to be the plan that can get us there the fastest. The other ideas would have involved a significant amount of dislocation and approvals that are going to be no longer required."

The construction will alter the current outdoor practice fields, but McGarity anticipates there being a 100-yard outdoor field, at least another 90-yarder and two more partial fields once everything is completed.

"With this setup, there will be none better as far as exterior surfaces and interior playing surfaces," he said...

[jbcarol]

 Fletcher Page @FletcherPage  ·  May 21

Here's the IPF rendering... The gray thing is the IPF thing.

[jbcarol]

 Andy Staples @Andy_Staples  ·  30m 30 minutes ago

McElwain asked to compare Florida's facilities to Alabama's. His answer was -- what's the word? -- diplomatic.

[jbcarol]

Andy Staples @Andy_Staples  ·  30m 30 minutes ago

McElwain asked to compare Florida's facilities to Alabama's. His answer was -- what's the word? -- diplomatic.

Robbie Andreu @RobbieAndreu  ·  5h 5 hours ago

Foley said there are numerous facility upgrades that are being considered moving forward.

[jbcarol]

Ball Coach: The Gamecocks' indoor facility is expected to be done "by the end of September"

"You don't really have to have one in the South, but since everybody has got one, you probably need to have one now," he said. "The weather is pretty good in the South, but occasionally you need one."

[jbcarol]

Kevin Brockway ‏@gatorhoops 8h8 hours ago

Why the O'Dome renovation was put off a year - via @GainesvilleSun http://www.gainesville.com/article/20150516/ARTICLES/150519748/0/search ...


The Gainesville Sun

When the design-development agreement for the O'Connell Center expansion and renovation project was signed in October, the University of Florida's first choice for construction manager estimated the job would cost $42 million.

Three months later, UF officials experienced sticker shock when Charles Perry Partners Inc. submitted a budget of $64 million — well over the $50 million UF had budgeted for the massive overhaul of its 35-year-old multipurpose building and basketball arena.

After several weeks of negotiations in an attempt to scale back the project to a manageable budget, UF did the rare thing — it fired Gainesville-based CPPI and went with its second choice, the Birmingham, Alabama, construction company Brasfield & Gorrie.

"We couldn't afford this price and are hoping to get a better price," said Miles Albertson, director of major projects & special programs for UF Planning, Design, & Construction.

The decision has delayed the project by a year in the hopes that the new contract manager can come up with a lower budget.

[Hogfaniam]

Kevin Brockway ‏@gatorhoops 8h8 hours ago

Why the O'Dome renovation was put off a year - via @GainesvilleSun http://www.gainesville.com/article/20150516/ARTICLES/150519748/0/search ...


The Gainesville Sun

Frankly, a freakin fugly facility

[jbcarol]

We the media were allowed inside the new Commonwealth Stadium to watch the first pieces of the new field turf be installed in the under-renovation facility. It wasn't the most exciting things we've ever seen, but we did get to see the progress being made in the construction process.

[Inhogswetrust]

Frankly, a freakin fugly facility

I've been in it...........it is ugly both outside and inside.

[Hogfaniam]

We the media were allowed inside the new Commonwealth Stadium to watch the first pieces of the new field turf be installed in the under-renovation facility. It wasn't the most exciting things we've ever seen, but we did get to see the progress being made in the construction process.

More interesting than watching it grow....

[jbcarol]

Gamecock Football ‏@GamecockFB May 28

Recent aerial views of @GamecockFB indoor facility construction! #Gamecocks #HereSC

[jbcarol]

UKSTOOPSTROOPS ‏@ukstoopstroops  19h19 hours ago
END ZONE looking good!  #TheNewCWS #ALLIN #BBN

[jbcarol]

AL.com sports ‏@aldotcomSports 38m38 minutes ago

Auburn 'back to drawing board' on $145 million stadium renovation http://ow.ly/NM2Oy

The possibility of starting major renovations in the north end zone in December 2015 appears to be off the table after discussions hit a snag in the design phase in recent weeks, athletics director Jay Jacobs told AL.com last week.

"The only hangup are my expectations and my demand for excellence," Jacobs said.

The potential $145 million project includes massive renovations that include new multiple levels, premium seating, club-level seating on two levels, a terrace, bench seating at field level, new amenities, a wider concourse and a new home locker room and recruiting lounge for the Tigers.

Auburn's major renovation is not expected to result in a drastic seating increase for the 87,451-seat stadium, however. Auburn may also move the press box from the west side of the stadium to the northwestern corner, which would provide more club seating between the 20-yard lines.

Construction is underway on a $13.9 million video scoreboard in the south end zone of Jordan-Hare Stadium. The board will be the largest in college football and is expected to be operational in August.

[NoNC4Tubs]

Expanding the cow pasture on the Plains may not ever happen.

There is an underground stream of some type that runs under the stadium and may cost as much to put a fioundation in as any structure above it.

[jbcarol]

AJC UGA ‏@ChipTowersAJC 1h1 hour ago

See exactly where #UGA's new Indoor Athletic Facility is going to be. http://on-ajc.com/1AJt7xb 

Drilling technicians and hydro engineers retrieve soil samples from deep beneath UGA's Woodruff Practice Fields in the area where a new multi-million dollar indoor facility will be built in 2016.

[jbcarol]

Mitch Barnhart ‏@UKMitchBarnhart  7h7 hours ago
Enjoying the view from up high in #TheNewCWS for a photo shoot today. I can't wait for Sept. 5.

[NoNC4Tubs]

Mitch Barnhart ‏@UKMitchBarnhart  7h7 hours ago
Enjoying the view from up high in #TheNewCWS for a photo shoot today. I can't wait for Sept. 5.

What? No Bluegrass?

Obviously Artificial Turf.........

[jbcarol]

The checkerboard isn't really popping.

[jbcarol]

Jim McElwain ‏@CoachMcElwain 7h7 hours ago

Shoutout to the crew working hard to build the new @GatorZoneFB Indoor Practice Facility! Great work. #GoGators

[jbcarol]

Dave Matter ‏@Dave_Matter 4h4 hours ago

Mizzou will also look at facility improvements to Taylor Stadium, not to increase capacity but to make more fan-friendly


http://www.mutigers.com/facilities/fac-taylor-field-bb.html

[jbcarol]

Brandon Marcello ‏@bmarcello  25m25 minutes ago
Auburn looking into $15 million in softball upgrades http://ow.ly/NWAtk 

[jbcarol]

AU_Facilities ‏@AU_Facilities

The structural steel for the video portion of the Jordan-Hare video board was officially topped-off today #WarEagle
11:04 AM - 10 Jun 2015

[Inhogswetrust]

AU_Facilities ‏@AU_Facilities

The structural steel for the video portion of the Jordan-Hare video board was officially topped-off today #WarEagle
11:04 AM - 10 Jun 2015

I bet it doesn't have a working elevator....................

[NaturalStateReb]

AU_Facilities ‏@AU_Facilities

The structural steel for the video portion of the Jordan-Hare video board was officially topped-off today #WarEagle
11:04 AM - 10 Jun 2015

Now they'll finally be able to watch Hee Haw on the scale it truly deserves.

[kingoftherapids]

its been like a month and a half before they updated us on bball center... i figured we would be getting updates at least twice a month just for recruiting purposes

[jbcarol]

Antonya English ‏@TBTimes_Gators Jun 9

Foley said UAA "totally committed" to completing the O'Dome renovation and funding not a major issue. #Gators

#Gators indoor practice facility will cost an additional $2 million, which will be obtained through private donation. Total of $17 million