Bobby Dodd Renovation in the NE Stands

[Goldstrike]

Miami's stadium was 75% full and the loudest football stadium I've ever heard. Awning over the west stands would be a huge competitive advantage and put butts in the seats. Hesitate to put one over the east stands as others have mentioned re: skyline.

Upper East season ticket holders would want an awning too. Would help at high noon games, i would think.

 

[HurricaneJacket]

Upper East season ticket holders would want an awning too. Would help at high noon games, i would think.

Yes just make it retractable

 

[roadkill]

Yes just make it retractable

I think we've found where the $250M is going.

 

[Towaliga]

Upper East season ticket holders would want an awning too. Would help at high noon games, i would think.

As long as it doesn’t cover the lower east club seats. The guys who have those seats usually sell/give those seats to fans of our opponents (especially those dressed in Walmart issued red and black), and I don’t want the nadlickers etal to be too comfortable.

 

[stinger 1957]

When the last stadium rebuild was being done someone involved with the project and planning of it all spoke to lunch bunch and at that time said the next major rebuild of BDS would be a complete rebuild of the west, press boxes and all, connecting it to the north. That has been a while now so who knows if that is still the plan.

If we're getting out of the ACC and end up in the "BIG" then I would like to see us do the plan and wait on the Wardlaw and East to see what actually happens with the crowds in a new National conference. I'm one that believes it will increase the crowds substantially if we're a competitive program. Included in my thinking is some attendance by "BIG" people living in ATL. Some have actually said they would come to BDS if GT were in the BIG.

250 million for stadiums today does not go a long way, they seem to be doing a lot of ammenities with them today, making them entertainment centers sort of. Some that know more about this might want to comment. In our case if we were doing the west, building new press boxes, suites, upper deck, bars/food etc could eat up 250 mil pretty quick I'm guessing.

Frankly I hope we're doing something like this, the new Fannin center and money raised for new stands etc shows we're serious about our comittment to bigtime CFB for our entry into a new National conference.

 

[ThatGuy]

To give an idea of how far a dollar goes, here’s what Nebraska is doing to their (admittedly much larger) stadium for $450M.

$450 million Memorial Stadium renovation aims to enhance Nebraska fan, student experience

Though fans will be disrupted in the 2025 season, Memorial Stadium's $450 million renovation aims to make Nebraska "the best place to watch a college football game." Here's all we

huskerextra.com

I’m pretty sure $250MM doesn’t go as far as it once did. But it still could give us some nice new amenities, if it really comes to pass.

 

[Ramble1885]

To give an idea of how far a dollar goes, here’s what Nebraska is doing to their (admittedly much larger) stadium for $450M.

$450 million Memorial Stadium renovation aims to enhance Nebraska fan, student experience

Though fans will be disrupted in the 2025 season, Memorial Stadium's $450 million renovation aims to make Nebraska "the best place to watch a college football game." Here's all we

huskerextra.com

I’m pretty sure $250MM doesn’t go as far as it once did. But it still could give us some nice new amenities, if it really comes to pass.

I think our stadium is fine as is and the renovation will really make it look nicer. The edge center always looked off. The 80's concrete architecture became dated really quickly and the Fanning center will fit the aesthetic of the rest of the stadium.

Given the shape of the stadium and limited space there's only so much you can do. The 2003 renovations, while the north end zone might have been too big, added luxury suites and the club levels. For the stadium's age, BDS is in really good shape amenities wise.

 

[Ramble1885]

RIP to the old grey lady

 

[Buzztheirazz]

Thank god. Time to move on

 

[boger2337]

So, I was thinking about the stadium over the weekend.

I REALLY hope GT does a "chophouse" type seating eventually. Give me the high top tables with the drink chiller and wireless phone charger. I'd pay a decent chunk of change for season tickets there.

 

[brian22]

Following up on my original post about the $250 million renovation. That won’t be considered until after the new Edge Center is built. My guy misunderstood.

 

[g0lftime]

Following up on my original post about the $250 million renovation. That won’t be considered until after the new Edge Center is built. My guy misunderstood.

There is some sort of stadium upgrade coming but will have to be after Fanning(sp?). My guess is more boxes and would hope seat backs in the lower west. A garden area with stand up tables (anybody else remember those in the lower level cafeteria in the administration bldg---that's where I always ate breakfast) would be a nice addition.

 

[Ramble1885]

Enjoy this image of what was simply known as Grant Field back in the Dodd era.

I wish I was alive to have seen the horseshoe when it was there. Apparently it was in really poor condition in the 80’s which is why they tore it down.

 

[stinger78]

Enjoy this image of what was simply known as Grant Field back in the Dodd era.

I wish I was alive to have seen the horseshoe when it was there. Apparently it was in really poor condition in the 80’s which is why they tore it down.
View attachment 16040

That’s prior to 1967 when the upper west was double decked.

 

[g0lftime]

Enjoy this image of what was simply known as Grant Field back in the Dodd era.

I wish I was alive to have seen the horseshoe when it was there. Apparently it was in really poor condition in the 80’s which is why they tore it down.
View attachment 16040

I ran on that cinder track for my track PE class in fall qtr1964. I also have a wooden seat cut from the horse shoe bleachers when it was changed. It's on the wall in my downstairs office. I have been to games that were sold out in the 60's. The upper east was already in place by fall 1964.

 

[stinger 1957]

Those seats in the south horseshoe were some of the worst I've ever encountered, they were so far from the field.
As far as room for new west and east it appears they could move the west back towards the "hill" and when I look at the new northwest it appears that is what might happen looking at how the end of the old and the new line up.
Today some of the newer stadiums seem to do triple decks with suites, press boxes etc hung in between which keeps them closer to the field and better vision. That would mean the backside or west side of the west would not move any further west than present possibly. That would give more space to eventually build new east by being able to move the whole new east a little to the west. The upper west for me was always too far back from the field for good game viewing, while the upper east from the tunnels to the rail were some of the best viewing for me, I know the sun thing really bothers a lot of people. One of the things in those triple deck arrangements that I like is you're covered with some of the seats. I'm guessing they would come at a premium price.

 

[Ramble1885]

there she goes.

 

[FlatsLander]

there she goes.

Not sure I've ever seen a building demolition via excavator lol. Also, the guy with the water hose is going to need some better pressure.

 

[stinger78]

Enjoy this image of what was simply known as Grant Field back in the Dodd era.

I wish I was alive to have seen the horseshoe when it was there. Apparently it was in really poor condition in the 80’s which is why they tore it down.



View attachment 16040

A couple of other things I notice:
First, the field is worn in the middle, so it’s midseason, yet the large oak trees are still casting a big late-afternoon shadow in the SE corner, so it’ll not late season. Maybe early October-ish?
Second, the stands are packed, but the S stands are not full of red or any other dark color, so it’s not dominated by an opposing team, bit there is still an almost sellout crowd there.

This is GA Tech football near its pinnacle of popularity. The UE was added in 1962 and the UW after the 1967 season. So this photo was taken between those dates.

One can now see why the expansion occurred and why Dodd was so confident about the future. Who knew what the next 5 years, or 50 years, held?

 

[Northeast Stinger]

I still recall from childhood attending a game that claimed 61,000 in attendance this was when Tech was at its largest capacity and included standing fans.

Perhaps a false memory but wonder why I’ve had this memory for so many decades.