Bobby Dodd Renovation in the NE Stands

[awbuzz]

Sustained, consistent winning will fill the stands. We now have the elements at the top (prez, AD, coach) to get that done.

+1

 

[LT 1967]

Just to show some of the improvements other major universities plan for their football stadiums, see the article below concerning Penn State's 700-million-dollar renovation. The planned improvements seem to be about the same as others we see. More Premium seating, more comfortable seating, wider concourses, better food, Wi-Fi, etc.

I wish we could raise $400 to $500 million and 57Jacket and I could see our wish for a new stadium come true. Regretfully, we likely can't raise that much, and GT may not have the acreage they need.

MSN

 

[Ramble1885]

Just to show some of the improvements other major universities plan for their football stadiums, see the article below concerning Penn State's 700-million-dollar renovation. The planned improvements seem to be about the same as others we see. More Premium seating, more comfortable seating, wider concourses, better food, Wi-Fi, etc.

I wish we could raise $400 to $500 million and 57Jacket and I could see our wish for a new stadium come true. Regretfully, we likely can't raise that much, and GT may not have the acreage they need.

MSN

we are NOT getting a new stadium. that would be like the Sox leaving fenway.

 

[LT 1967]

we are NOT getting a new stadium. that would be like the Sox leaving fenway.

I hear You! I am one of the OLD guys on this site and the most likely to be clinging to the old days, old ways, and traditions. I have even said as much when I first joined the Swarm. I guess I am just seeing that we are living in a new world. Grant Field has been named after an automobile and we are paying 17-year-olds $800K per year. At his point, Georgia Tech needs to do everything possible to move into the New World.

That includes having the best facilities. I would be happy to see major renovations to Bobby Dodd stadium. Do we have room to extend concourses that match those of more modern stadiums which have room for food courts and other amenities. I was intrigued by one of our members who talked about Baylor's new stadium with more shallow decks which would allow more concourse space. However, Baylor's stadium is triple decked with seats that are likely closer to the field but higher. With my knees, I would definitely need to be in the lower deck!

Just an opinion my friend.

 

[Ramble1885]

I hear You! I am one of the OLD guys on this site and the most likely to be clinging to the old days, old ways, and traditions. I have even said as much when I first joined the Swarm. I guess I am just seeing that we are living in a new world. Grant Field has been named after an automobile and we are paying 17-year-olds $800K per year. At his point, Georgia Tech needs to do everything possible to move into the New World.

That includes having the best facilities. I would be happy to see major renovations to Bobby Dodd stadium. Do we have room to extend concourses that match those of more modern stadiums which have room for food courts and other amenities. I was intrigued by one of our members who talked about Baylor's new stadium with more shallow decks which would allow more concourse space. However, Baylor's stadium is triple decked with seats that are likely closer to the field but higher. With my knees, I would definitely need to be in the lower deck!

Just an opinion my friend.

I think our concourses are fine. East is a wee bit narrow but manageable and the west has plenty of space.

 

[Root4GT]

Just to show some of the improvements other major universities plan for their football stadiums, see the article below concerning Penn State's 700-million-dollar renovation. The planned improvements seem to be about the same as others we see. More Premium seating, more comfortable seating, wider concourses, better food, Wi-Fi, etc.

I wish we could raise $400 to $500 million and 57Jacket and I could see our wish for a new stadium come true. Regretfully, we likely can't raise that much, and GT may not have the acreage they need.

MSN

Penn State football game at home at night is a remarkable experience. However when the expanded the stadium there are parts of the concourse where it is near impossible to walk as they are so narrow and so full of people. I couldn’t see how that passed any building code.

 

[LT 1967]

Just to show some of the improvements other major universities plan for their football stadiums, see the article below concerning Penn State's 700-million-dollar renovation. The planned improvements seem to be about the same as others we see. More Premium seating, more comfortable seating, wider concourses, better food, Wi-Fi, etc.

I wish we could raise $400 to $500 million and 57Jacket and I could see our wish for a new stadium come true. Regretfully, we likely can't raise that much, and GT may not have the acreage they need.

MSN

I need to make a correction in my comments above. I mentioned 57Jacket as having an interest in a new stadium. I don't know his thoughts on that subject. It was stinger1957 who posted previously in this thread his ideas concerning a rebuilt Stadium with a triple deck structure similar to Baylor's new stadium. Sorry for the error.

 

[stinger78]

I think our concourses are fine. East is a wee bit narrow but manageable and the west has plenty of space.

Ever been in the UE when Clemson or UGAg is in town? It’s downright claustrophobic and falls far below the ability to service that size crowd.

 

[Ramble1885]

Ever been in the UE when Clemson or UGAg is in town? It’s downright claustrophobic and falls far below the ability to service that size crowd.

if there's a part that needs renovation it's the upper east. That part has been mostly unchanged since the 50's.

 

[AUFC]

LE is mostly manageable now since they slid Gate 9 out and turned Techwood Dr into an expanded concourse. I sat UE for Ole Miss and it was pretty bad then so I can only imagine what the Clemson/Dwags games are like up there.

I’m still a Gate 3 loyalist - I’m sure there’s some bias but I think the entry from the Old Campus is one of the most serene stadium entrances I’ve experienced.

 

[whitegoldsphinx]

LE is mostly manageable now since they slid Gate 9 out and turned Techwood Dr into an expanded concourse. I sat UE for Ole Miss and it was pretty bad then so I can only imagine what the Clemson/Dwags games are like up there.

I’m still a Gate 3 loyalist - I’m sure there’s some bias but I think the entry from the Old Campus is one of the most serene stadium entrances I’ve experienced.

Another actual Gate 3 man! Love it!

 

[Ramble1885]

LE is mostly manageable now since they slid Gate 9 out and turned Techwood Dr into an expanded concourse. I sat UE for Ole Miss and it was pretty bad then so I can only imagine what the Clemson/Dwags games are like up there.

I’m still a Gate 3 loyalist - I’m sure there’s some bias but I think the entry from the Old Campus is one of the most serene stadium entrances I’ve experienced.

Gate 3 is VERY pretty.

Gate 9 is my gate and I love it because it has the old facade from pre-renovation.

 

[AUFC]

Wow the horseshoe configuration pre-Wardlaw is jarring.

Last season, my tickets were in 111. I love the switchback ramp in the NW corner and have a newish tradition of snagging a photo from it at the opening game every season.

 

[Ramble1885]

Wow the horseshoe configuration pre-Wardlaw is jarring.

Last season, my tickets were in 111. I love the switchback ramp in the NW corner and have a newish tradition of snagging a photo from it at the opening game every season.

View attachment 16584

that ramp (and the other ramp on the SW side) have been there a LONG LONG time.

 

[Ramble1885]

unrelated to this renovation but I found a RARE photo of the 2001-2003 renovation.

 

[awbuzz]

unrelated to this renovation but I found a RARE photo of the 2001-2003 renovation.
View attachment 16588

Glad you gave the dates! When i first saw th picture my thoughts were "they have a LOT of clean up to be done by early AM on 8/31!

 

[stinger78]

Wow the horseshoe configuration pre-Wardlaw is jarring.

Last season, my tickets were in 111. I love the switchback ramp in the NW corner and have a newish tradition of snagging a photo from it at the opening game every season.

View attachment 16584

Jarring in what way? I sat there a couple of times, and the *front* of the old south stands were a good 25 yards behind the *back* of the south EZ. If you sat on the back row of the old south stands you were 40+ yards from the back of the south EZ - almost on N Ave. They were way away from the action. Horrible seats.

That said, my dad - a letterwinner - had season seats for many years in the 50's-early 60's. By the allocation system at the time, he never got out of the SW corner. His brother - an Atlanta attorney and UGAg graduate and huge bulldwag fan - had seats in the lower west and would go and pull for Tech's opponent. After years, my dad finally gave up and never gave another dollar to Tech athletics.

 

[AUFC]

Jarring in what way? I sat there a couple of times, and the *front* of the old south stands were a good 25 yards behind the *back* of the south EZ. If you sat on the back row of the old south stands you were 40+ yards from the back of the south EZ - almost on N Ave. They were way away from the action. Horrible seats.

I’ve just never seen seats in the SW corner. Never even knew that existed and have only ever known a Bobby Dodd where there was no connection between the South and West stands so it shocked me a bit. There’s too much order in the layout because Bobby Dodd to me has always been our asymmetric ode to the early days of college football.

 

[stinger78]

I’ve just never seen seats in the SW corner. Never even knew that existed and have only ever known a Bobby Dodd where there was no connection between the South and West stands so it shocked me a bit. There’s too much order in the layout because Bobby Dodd to me has always been our asymmetric ode to the early days of college football.

BDS used to be very symmetric and beautiful. The only lack of symmetry was the east stands being lower than the west, and thus, with the press boxes, the UW is much higher than the UE. Since the demolition of the south, the reconfiguring of the east, and the new UN the stadium has become very asymmetrical. Kind of sad, really.

 

[LongforDodd]

I’ve just never seen seats in the SW corner. Never even knew that existed and have only ever known a Bobby Dodd where there was no connection between the South and West stands so it shocked me a bit. There’s too much order in the layout because Bobby Dodd to me has always been our asymmetric ode to the early days of college football.

SW corner? That's where the auburn guys in about '69 would buy whole trays of Cokes from me, knock all the lids off, take the tray from me and slosh about half the coke out of each cup and fill them back up with bourbon. Good times!!