Engineers Examine Cardinal Stadium While LU Studies Possible Return of Football

[Guest abovetherim]

An employee of an engineering firm, with blueprints in hand, checked out Cardinal Stadium Wednesday morning to look at what it would take to get the stadium ready for the return of football.

Regents with the Texas State University System got the ball rolling last week when they voted to set aside $12 million for Cardinal Stadium renovations.

Here's what else it would take for football to return to Lamar for the first time since 1989: private donations, likely in the millions, although administrators won't be specific; student approval of an athletic fee of up to $8.75 per semester hour; and approval from the Texas State University board of regents.

Administrators say it's possible students will get to vote in January and regents perhaps a month after that.

LU President Dr. Jimmy Simmons believes a football program could attract thousands of new students to the campus.

Students have the opportunity to reinstate a Texas tradition.

"I like the idea of a football team," said Trey Gaspard, an LU freshman. "It'll bring in more students to campus."

Regents dropped the ball on the sport nearly 20 years ago. During the past few years, administrators have been studying what it would take to resurrect the sport.

"It would be a boost in morale for the campus and the community, give an opportunity to surrounding areas with football teams," said Joshua Pullin, an LU sophomore."

Pullin and others at Lamar believe the team would be able to attract some of the top local high school players from the region, but not all students agree with the return of football.

"I just think a lot of people are opposed to it because they do come here because it's cheaper and it's close to home," said Jesse Raposa, an LU sophomore."

Student fees would help pay for the return of football.

I"m already paying $170 for a library fee and $2 for a study abroad program," said Trey Gaspard. "I personally haven't set foot in the library."

Some feel the money would be well spent, but they all understand the money would pull in more students, meaning more money for Lamar.

"2000 more students would increase our budget about $6 million," said LU Athletic Director Billy Tubbs.

Tubbs says the increase would more than pay for football.

"Though I don't like it, I think it would bring a lot more people to the school," said Tyler Emerson, an LU sophomore.

"You can't move forward on football without total support of the student body," said Tubbs.

If everything falls into place and regents approve the return of football, recruiting could begin as early as 2009. Tubbs says the team might play its first games in 2010.

http://www.kfdm.com/news/football_23681___article.html/students_return.html

[Guest coachacola]

So what will $12 million buy?  PNG is spending a little over $10 million on their 12K seat stadium next year and they are getting field turf, a 3 story press box w/elevator, new track, some new seats, new concessions, toilets, new entry, etc.

Lamar needs a lot of the same things plus a new video scoreboard.  No horseshoe or luxury boxes in this renovation.  Basically it'll be a nice SLC-sized stadium.  And they plan on spending $5 million on a field house. 

I was at Sammy State's stadium last week to watch a HS football game.  The field turf and video scoreboard was nice, otherwise it was a glorified HS stadium.  If Lamar spends their money wisely on Cardinal Stadium is should be the largest and possibly the nicest stadium in the SLC.

[LamarJunior]

Abtr, this article sounds a lot like what you've been saying.

[Guest coachacola]

Here's the video:  http://www.kfdm.com/video/index.php?bcpid=1138292619&bclid=1137896012&bctid=1326441457

[Guest abovetherim]

That is hilarious, LamarJunior got some air-time on TV. He wasn't interviewed but he is the hispanic kid wearing a dark sweater and sitting next to a young lady. That did not look like Katy, LJ.

That is great I'll show my wife tomorrow and she can call call her sister. Heck, I'm calling LJ right now!

[Guest abovetherim]

Hey, what do you know, I made the video      

#43 on the fumble recovery clip

Thank you very much, that video made the rounds and I appreciate you posting it on here. Again, thanks!!!

[UNLV]

So what will $12 million buy?  PNG is spending a little over $10 million on their 12K seat stadium next year and they are getting field turf, a 3 story press box w/elevator, new track, some new seats, new concessions, toilets, new entry, etc.

Lamar needs a lot of the same things plus a new video scoreboard.  No horseshoe or luxury boxes in this renovation.  Basically it'll be a nice SLC-sized stadium.  And they plan on spending $5 million on a field house. 

I was at Sammy State's stadium last week to watch a HS football game.  The field turf and video scoreboard was nice, otherwise it was a glorified HS stadium.  If Lamar spends their money wisely on Cardinal Stadium is should be the largest and possibly the nicest stadium in the SLC.

LU surely needs to do more than dressing up that old stadium. It needs to go bowl or at least horseshoe.

[Guest coachacola]

LU surely needs to do more than dressing up that old stadium. It needs to go bowl or at least horseshoe.

Watching that video clip where they pan the stadium, I imagined a horseshoe shape and it sure would look nice.  But what would be the cost of that?  Another $10 or $15 million?  Someone would need to be awfully generous and optimistic about attendance to donate that kind of money.

[weslinder]

Are those new couches on the second floor of the Set?  Wow!  Is nothing sacred?  Generations of Lamar students had slept on the old ones.

[UNLV]

Watching that video clip where they pan the stadium, I imagined a horseshoe shape and it sure would look nice.  But what would be the cost of that?  Another $10 or $15 million?  Someone would need to be awfully generous and optimistic about attendance to donate that kind of money.

Yeah, I would say and extra $10 million would get us a horseshoe. Add $3 million to that for a bowl, although the Montagne side of the bowl

would be much smaller. Maybe this is what it will take to get the community to attend games.

[LamarJunior]

Weslinder, those are new couches in the students center. They are really comfortable.

Abtr, that was me and Carla. We're good friends and Katy is friends with her as well. I knew the news crew was there but not what they were there for and I did not know know they filmed us.

It was pretty cool to watch. I say football will be returning to Lamar. There isn't 100 percent approval around campus by the students but most of all the people I know are going to vote for the student fee.   

[smith]

They said they are approved to ask for $8.+ for an athletic fee.  Does anybody know if they are going to ask for the whole amount this year?  Or, would they ask for something like $5 first?

[Guest abovetherim]

This what I'd do if I was the administration. With the expectation of 2,000-3,000 new students I would lower one of the other fees like the library fee but Lamar will get $5 million - $6 million in federal aid which would reduce the lose they. Then I'd ask for the full amount of $8.75. This will show the students that they are willing to work with the students, build some trust and give the student a break in student fees.  To me, this would be a win-win stituation for the students and Lamar University. 

[LamarJunior]

Abtr, just a thought here about what you just stated. If they did decrease the library fee to let's say $5 per semester credit hour; the additional 2,000-3,000 students paying $5 per semester credit hour would off set some of the loss revenue for the library. Plus, like you mentioned there is the additional funding Lamar would receive for the new enrollment numbers.

I see it more than a win-win for Lamar and the students but the community as well. That is a few thousand more students spending money in SE Texas for food, gas, entertainment and etc. This doesn't touch to money brought into the community from athletic teams and their fan's traveling to Beaumont. Then you can add lodging revenue as well as the above mentioned food, gas, and entertainment for those individuals visiting SE Texas.

I see it as a win-win for the students and Lamar but also the city of Beaumont. 

[Guest abovetherim]

Good points there LJ. Now just spread the word around campus. Anyone know how if there is a way to do a economic study on how the addition of 3,000 students and added sports teams: football, softball and soccer would impact Beaumont? I know I've read where the summer softball tournaments held in Beaumont have about a $3 million dollar impact and the tournament is only a week long. I think there may be 3 different tournaments over the summer. I would think the impact of additional students, football, softball and soccer would have a much larger impact.

Just wondering if there were any thought to how all of this would impact SE Texas from a economic standpoint?

[TheSportsDoctor]

The economic impact of 2,000-3,000 students who buy everything from food supplies to beer. Handing out at the local night clubs and other entertainment venues spending either their money or their parents. The addition of football, soccer and softball would give a boost to local tourism. There would be several million dollars generated for the local economy yearly. 

[NewCardinal]

The administration can just relax the students will pass the referendum! Out of every 5 people around campus I talk with 4 support the return of football.

[smith]

Athletic Fee Adjustment:  Looks like they sweetened the deal.

http://lamar.edu/newsevents/news/207_5895.htm

[Guest abovetherim]

I'm going to post this on a seperate thread later. Thanks for posting this smith. That is a sweet deal for the students who are upperclassmen like one of my nephews. However, he told me he was staying around Beaumont for his MBA. Kid makes me proud!

Did you notice they mentioned "construction would begin on a football complex". They didn't say they would start renovating Cardinal Stadium. Interesting?

[Guest abovetherim]

From the website anygivensaturday.com

UTSA says new sports complex would have $193 million impact in San Antonio

San Antonio Business Journal - by W. Scott Bailey

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), which hopes to get $50 million in Bexar County venue tax revenues to help build a $60 million athletic complex, has completed a new study to support its effort.

Based on the findings in that study, UTSA officials say the proposed multi-sport complex is estimated to generate an economic impact totaling $193 million during the three-year construction period and the initial five years of operations.

The report was developed as a joint effort between the UTSA Institute for Economic Development and the Tourism Management Program in the College of Business. A study oversight committee of representatives from the hotel and rental car industries and the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau also contributed to the analysis.

http://charlotte.bizjournals.com/san...3/daily17.html

[Guest coachacola]

Your link didn't work for me.  Here's another link to the article: http://www.goutsa.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=13100&ATCLID=1349438

UTSA officials made a request to the Amateur Athletics Committee in September for $50 million to build the 60-acre Competitive Athletics Complex that would include NCAA-quality stadiums for baseball, softball, soccer, track and tennis. The institute's study estimates the complex could be fully operational in September 2012. If the university decides to pursue Division I football, a football practice facility also would be part of the complex.

I guess Lamar is looking to build something similar by Vincent-Beck field for softball and soccer at a much lower price.

[Guest abovetherim]

I think you're correct there coachacola. I'd personally like to see an athletic complex with a stadium for track/soccer, softball and baseball. Then a field-house large enough to house all the teams and the visiting teams as well. I think they could have a very nice facility without spending the money for seperate facilities for each sport.

Eventually after the return of football, I hope they consider a basketball practice facility for the men's and women's teams.

[Guest coachacola]

Lamar's master plan shows a practice facility added to the Montagne Center.  Hopefully after all these other renovations are done they'll spend a lot of money on the Montagne Center for new seats, video scoreboard and practice facility.  I'm for them removing some seats and putting in some luxury boxes.

[westendfirst]

Lamar's master plan shows a practice facility added to the Montagne Center.  Hopefully after all these other renovations are done they'll spend a lot of money on the Montagne Center for new seats, video scoreboard and practice facility.  I'm for them removing some seats and putting in some luxury boxes.

I would prefer they level Cardinal stadium and do some renovations to the Monatagne.  Maybe they could add on to it for a practice facility???  However, if they were to level Cardinal Stadium I would imagine it would cost too much money.  Also, I'm not sure where they could build a new stadium.  But it would be nice to have that space by the Montagne for extra parking and it would be nice to have a nice, new, up to date football stadium built close by.  (Am I totally lost in fantasy land hoping for this???)

[Guest abovetherim]

Agree with you there, other college recruiters will use the refineries against Lamar. It would be best to build in a different location but like you, I'm not sure the funding is there. However, that would be the best case for success of the program.