Bobby Dodd Renovation in the NE Stands

[bikeseat]

The Edge always felt like a bunker. Seeing these demo photos, it probably was one of the safest places in Atlanta in case of a nuclear attack...

Interesting thing to note, the Edge was actually two buildings combined into one. There were elevators and stairs in the building that would take you to different "2nd floors" if my memory still serves correct. Long story short, the thing needed to be erased years ago

 

[Gold1]

Would be cool if they provided some more details and maybe some updates on the project. So far we have 4 pictures

It’s GT, we both know we are going to get the bare minimum

 

[stinger78]

Would be cool if they provided some more details and maybe some updates on the project. So far we have 4 pictures

Now we know why we sold all our home games this season.

 

[GTJake]

My first impression without having details about all the improvements, is that GT is serious about their commitment to the new era of college football ... this all looks good to me !!

 

[Ramble1885]

Good progress. Too bad we can't just remove all the upper sections of the NEZ stands entirely. Leave that lower bit that effectively bowls in the north, east and south and call it a day.

I gotta disagree. The views from the upper north are spectacular and I want our capacity to stay over 50k.

 

[stinger78]

I gotta disagree. The views from the upper north are spectacular and I want our capacity to stay over 50k.

How many folks wanting to remove the UN have ever sat there? They are good seats and a great angle to watch the game from.

 

[GTJake]

I gotta disagree. The views from the upper north are spectacular and I want our capacity to stay over 50k.

Stanford did something similar a few years ago, reducing their stadium capacity to around 50K, seems about right for us.

 

[AugustaSwarm]

How many folks wanting to remove the UN have ever sat there? They are good seats and a great angle to watch the game from.

Also, the views of the city skyline are unique from the UN. Great seats, great prices (except for the early season noon kicks...you'll cook even more in the UN)

 

[HelluvaPE]

Taken yesterday:

 

[TooTall]

How many folks wanting to remove the UN have ever sat there? They are good seats and a great angle to watch the game from.

I have sat there many times and have some great photos from there, yet it is the most empty spot of the stands. If any secton needs to be removed for the improvement of the overall stadium experience....its the UN.

 

[stinger78]

I have sat there many times and have some great photos from there, yet it is the most empty spot of the stands. If any secton needs to be removed for the improvement of the overall stadium experience....its the UN.

But why? What does leaving them there do to the experience? Every stadium has sections that only fill up for big games - even UGAg.

When we win, those stands tend to fill up. Yes, many are opposing fans, but many are also Tech fans. The UN was rocking with Tech fans during the earlier years of CPJ, say ‘08 to ‘14. I sat there.

IMHO, the key to game day experience is not removing seats, it’s winning.

 

[Gold1]

But why? What does leaving them there do to the experience? Every stadium has sections that only fill up for big games - even UGAg.

When we win, those stands tend to fill up. Yes, many are opposing fans, but many are also Tech fans. The UN was rocking with Tech fans during the earlier years of CPJ, say ‘08 to ‘14. I sat there.

IMHO, the key to game day experience is not removing seats, it’s winning.

In the Gailey era it was packed regularly. People wanting us to shrink our already small stadium are not serious people.

 

[JacketOff]

In the Gailey era it was packed regularly. People wanting us to shrink our already small stadium are not serious people.

Removing them just for the sake of making the capacity smaller is dumb. But if they were to do a renovation that turns most of the UN into a party deck/premium seating area, with the caveat that overall capacity is reduced then that’s a different story.

 

[stinger78]

Removing them just for the sake of making the capacity smaller is dumb. But if they were to do a renovation that turns most of the UN into a party deck/premium seating area, with the caveat that overall capacity is reduced then that’s a different story.

Yeah but…, they are just 20 years old and we haven’t even paid them off yet.

The UE, on the other hand, was built during Dodd’s era and, while offering great sight lines, it desperately needs to be updated. Removing that old monstrosity, raising it about 10’, and building a second level of boxes, and then replacing a slightly expanded deck over the top with new, expanded concourse would do wonders for those stands. For big games over there, it gets crazy claustrophobic.

 

[stinger 1957]

They need to raise 500 million and tear down all of west and east and do a modern entertainment version of stadiums today with multiple decks where more people are close to the field with good site lines and traffic flow is good. I see Baylor, NW, Kansas doing something of this nature. We need a new pressbox, that thing is something like 75 years old. Maybe doing the whole west side first and later doing the whole east side when you then will be able to move the east side towards the west 10 yds giving more room to do what needs to be done on the east. You then also might have a better idea what GT needs in capacity when you do the east.

Either do it in two parts or all at one time whatever seems to work best.

Personally I have to keep in mind that going forward it is going to be more about TV than game attendance, at least it seems that way to me. In order to have butts in the seats you're going to need to make it attractive and desirable for people to want to come to the games in person.

Just my thoughts, but if we're going bigtime in CFB and I believe GT is heading that way we need to do it in a bigtime way, just takes a lot of money, there is a lot of $ in the ATL and it is going to need to be an ATL thing IMO, we've lost our fan base and need to find a new one along with the remainder of the old. In the greatest era of GTFB, the fifties, there were a lot of non GT people that came on board as fans. That needs to be and can be done again. Certainly it's more than money, winning being the biggest single factor. We seem to have a team of people all pulling in that same direction. It is gaining momentum it seems. GO JACKETS!!

 

[Schlandy]

They need to raise 500 million and tear down all of west and east and do a modern entertainment version of stadiums today with multiple decks where more people are close to the field with good site lines and traffic flow is good. I see Baylor, NW, Kansas doing something of this nature. We need a new pressbox, that thing is something like 75 years old. Maybe doing the whole west side first and later doing the whole east side when you then will be able to move the east side towards the west 10 yds giving more room to do what needs to be done on the east. You then also might have a better idea what GT needs in capacity when you do the east.

Either do it in two parts or all at one time whatever seems to work best.

Personally I have to keep in mind that going forward it is going to be more about TV than game attendance, at least it seems that way to me. In order to have butts in the seats you're going to need to make it attractive and desirable for people to want to come to the games in person.

Just my thoughts, but if we're going bigtime in CFB and I believe GT is heading that way we need to do it in a bigtime way, just takes a lot of money, there is a lot of $ in the ATL and it is going to need to be an ATL thing IMO, we've lost our fan base and need to find a new one along with the remainder of the old. In the greatest era of GTFB, the fifties, there were a lot of non GT people that came on board as fans. That needs to be and can be done again. Certainly it's more than money, winning being the biggest single factor. We seem to have a team of people all pulling in that same direction. It is gaining momentum it seems. GO JACKETS!!

I don't see this happening, but I wish it could. I also know the long term plan is to keep the stadium around. Building the new fanning center is definitely a step that makes it look like they are committed to the old layout in general. We do need new press boxes/more premium seating, Concourse improvement, bathrooms. Spitballing, but remove the part of the North stands in the NW corner, it looks dumb and is never full, add new premium seats/press box to top of east stands to more closely match height of West. Freshen up south end zone eventually, bow in mid levels in the north. It for me.

No matter what, the place needs ALOT of work

 

[TooTall]

But why? What does leaving them there do to the experience? Every stadium has sections that only fill up for big games - even UGAg.

When we win, those stands tend to fill up. Yes, many are opposing fans, but many are also Tech fans. The UN was rocking with Tech fans during the earlier years of CPJ, say ‘08 to ‘14. I sat there.

IMHO, the key to game day experience is not removing seats, it’s winning.

I wasn't saying they need too tear it down just to tear it down. But as many have pointed out, if adding a beer garden/standing room plaza/more suites will improve the overall appeal of the stadium, then the UN is where to start.
I fully agree with those saying a full rebuild is needed in the next decade or so. Who really cares about the "historic west stands" if they are never seen? The added concourse on that level would be a great addition.

 

[jpw67]

I gotta disagree. The views from the upper north are spectacular and I want our capacity to stay over 50k.

To each his own. Current attendance trends across all sports likely don't support that direction, but time will tell in Tech's case. At any rate, my view is we should strive for the most modern stadium we can afford, with the best amenities. We should not be going for the largest stadium we can shoehorn into that property.

 

[jpw67]

I don't see this happening, but I wish it could. I also know the long term plan is to keep the stadium around. Building the new fanning center is definitely a step that makes it look like they are committed to the old layout in general. We do need new press boxes/more premium seating, Concourse improvement, bathrooms. Spitballing, but remove the part of the North stands in the NW corner, it looks dumb and is never full, add new premium seats/press box to top of east stands to more closely match height of West. Freshen up south end zone eventually, bow in mid levels in the north. It for me.

No matter what, the place needs ALOT of work

Totally agree with this.

 

[g0lftime]

Put the tv cameras on the east side so they look at the west stands and toward our bench. It doesn't look good when the cameras show all those empty east seats because fans are inside to escape the sun.