Stadium Cams Are Live!!!!!

[tbozeglav]

The second deck will be put in after the stuff underneath is finished (consessions, restrooms, etc.). As I understand, it was pre-formed and should simply be set into place when ready.

yeah, thats how they are normally done. Because of that, I am not too sure that they're going to be putting those in till maybe spring because of everything under them needed completed (at least to the point where they dont need to bring in large equipment)

[bigham78]

The second deck will be put in after the stuff underneath is finished (consessions, restrooms, etc.). As I understand, it was pre-formed and should simply be set into place when ready.

yeah, thats how they are normally done. Because of that, I am not too sure that they're going to be putting those in till maybe spring because of everything under them needed completed (at least to the point where they dont need to bring in large equipment)

They can set preformed in the winter. They did when they built Cleveland Stadium and I had those cams going then. It's concrete they don't like pouring when it's lower then 32 degrees.

[tbozeglav]

The second deck will be put in after the stuff underneath is finished (consessions, restrooms, etc.). As I understand, it was pre-formed and should simply be set into place when ready.

yeah, thats how they are normally done. Because of that, I am not too sure that they're going to be putting those in till maybe spring because of everything under them needed completed (at least to the point where they dont need to bring in large equipment)

They can set preformed in the winter. They did when they built Cleveland Stadium and I had those cams going then. It's concrete they don't like pouring when it's lower then 32 degrees.

Forgot about that...The yeah, I could see them putting the upper pieces in during the winter months... hopefully before a lot of the snow comes and buries the place

[K-Roo]

Wow.. anybody seen these old renderings before??NY Jets Stadium from 2004....

[BostonZip]

Wow.. anybody seen these old renderings before??That was the stadium concept proposed for the West Side of Manhattan at the Port Authority Bus Terminal site. NYC also thought it might help it land the 2012 Summer Olympics. In the end, the project died and the Jets opted to go in with the Giants on a new stadium at the Meadowlands complex in New Jersey that will open in 2010.

[g-mann17]

To bring this back to the top, and since we have an 18 day wait for another football game...I think that they will done with the majority of the steel on the press/loge tower this week. Which means the lighting framework would be next on the block.Also they are starting to get some where with the (assumed) restroom walls on the east side of the stadium. My guess is the forms for the upper stands should start going in sometime around the beginning of next year.

[ZZZips]

G-Mann17 said: "I think that they will done with the majority of the steel on the press/loge tower this week."You are correct. Welty and UA have scheduled the topping out ceremony for tomorrow (Tuesday 10/21/2008) at 2 PM.

[bigham78]

G-Mann17 said: "I think that they will done with the majority of the steel on the press/loge tower this week."You are correct. Welty and UA have scheduled the topping out ceremony for tomorrow (Tuesday 10/21/2008) at 2 PM.

I hope they can get that in today. Looks like rain in the CAMS with the black clouds.

[BostonZip]

Welty and UA have scheduled the topping out ceremony for tomorrow (Tuesday 10/21/2008) at 2 PM.

From the Akron News Now website:InfoCision Stadium Halfway CompleteAbout 100 people gathered at Union and Vine streets, on the University of Akron campus, to watch the hoisting of the highest steel beam on the new football stadium.Weighing just under one ton, the last white steel beam was lifted atop InfoCision Stadium and Summa Field. On one side of the beam, an American Flag blows in the wind; on the other side, a small tree sits, symbolizing growth.Tuesday's topping off ceremony represents the halfway point of the first ever on-campus stadium at The U of A, says Ted Curtis, Vice President of Capital Planning for the University.U of A President Dr. Luis Proenza says, "this complex around us, which is tremendous, is attracting student athletes and students of all walks of life."Work began on the stadium seven months ago and in 332 days, it will be time for opening kickoff. Curtis also noted the stadium is "on time and on budget."

[ZippyRulz]

From GoZips.com:Prior to the celebration, Akron's athletics director Mack Rhoades announced a $1 million gift towards the project from the FirstMerit Foundation, the charitable giving arm of FirstMerit Corporation. In turn, the stadium's fifth floor will now be called the FirstMerit Club Level, which includes 522 partially-covered chairback seats, 38 loge boxes, two lounge/bar areas and upscale concessions. Also, the now FirstMerit Club Level is where the University hopes to welcome conferences, meetings and receptions to truly make this facility a resource for this community.

[ZZZips]

Two pictures of the white steel beam being lifted into position at this afternoon's ceremony. American flag was on one end. The traditional spruce tree on the other end.

[g-mann17]

Reading the full speaches from the ceremony two things really hit home to me.First, it's great to see that we are only about 4 million away from the projected private contributions needed for the stadium. By the time the gates and North Endzone building are named we should meet or exceed the private contributions (hopefully we exceed).Second, is the number of season tickets, and therefore the attendance, that have already happened for next season. All 16 loges, with 16 seats each... 256 in attendance31 of 38 loges. Which I believe seat 4...124 in attendance819 Priority reserved...819 in attendance445 reserved...445 in attendance108 faculty/staff...108 in attendanceNow this is the big one. 500 family packages. This is a 4 ticket package. so you are talking 2000 in attendanceThat is already 3752 in attendance. You factor in the minimum 1500 students that always show up. We already have 5000+ or 1/6 of the stadium full for the entirity of next year.Hopefully the AK-Rowdies are pushing recruiting so that endzone berm is full of white shirts and thundersticks for next year. And hopefully we can win out to really get momentum building to meet the Athletic Departments goal of 8000 season ticket packages sold.

[ZachTheZip]

I woke up this morning, and when I opened the newspaper, the first thing I saw was an enormous picture of the Info! Pics of the stadium take up more than half the front page! I find that amazing, given all the crazy stuff happening right now. It may not be "sports" coverage, but I'll take a gigantic front-page story about UA over an article on the sports page any day.

[ksu sucks]

I woke up this morning, and when I opened the newspaper, the first thing I saw was an enormous picture of the Info! Pics of the stadium take up more than half the front page! I find that amazing, given all the crazy stuff happening right now. It may not be "sports" coverage, but I'll take a gigantic front-page story about UA over an article on the sports page any day.

I think as the campus keeps expanding, and as football games are played on campus, ABJ will be somewhat forced to cover it, because the city will be talking about it.Not to mention the front of the ABJ sports page from a couple days ago was covering the mens soccer game win over UM.

[ZachTheZip]

I woke up this morning, and when I opened the newspaper, the first thing I saw was an enormous picture of the Info! Pics of the stadium take up more than half the front page! I find that amazing, given all the crazy stuff happening right now. It may not be "sports" coverage, but I'll take a gigantic front-page story about UA over an article on the sports page any day.

I think as the campus keeps expanding, and as football games are played on campus, ABJ will be somewhat forced to cover it, because the city will be talking about it.Not to mention the front of the ABJ sports page from a couple days ago was covering the mens soccer game win over UM.

Now that I think of it, the best thing the stadium will be used for that gets us coverage will be High School football games. Unfortunately HS football is king here, and college ball is an afterthought, but that might change when all those people who perpetually live in HS football land (you know the ones, still wearing their 40 year old Letterman's jacket from Buchtel or Garfield and hanging around practices) will be forced to come to UA's campus. This will be the greatest draw we could possibly have for getting people to see the new look of Akron's campus.

[bigham78]

I woke up this morning, and when I opened the newspaper, the first thing I saw was an enormous picture of the Info! Pics of the stadium take up more than half the front page! I find that amazing, given all the crazy stuff happening right now. It may not be "sports" coverage, but I'll take a gigantic front-page story about UA over an article on the sports page any day.

I think as the campus keeps expanding, and as football games are played on campus, ABJ will be somewhat forced to cover it, because the city will be talking about it.Not to mention the front of the ABJ sports page from a couple days ago was covering the mens soccer game win over UM.

Now that I think of it, the best thing the stadium will be used for that gets us coverage will be High School football games. Unfortunately HS football is king here, and college ball is an afterthought, but that might change when all those people who perpetually live in HS football land (you know the ones, still wearing their 40 year old Letterman's jacket from Buchtel or Garfield and hanging around practices) will be forced to come to UA's campus. This will be the greatest draw we could possibly have for getting people to see the new look of Akron's campus.

I'm one of the older guys here and I can tell the ABJ coverage of the ZIPS used to far better in 1970's. ABJ reporters used to honorary HC for the Spring football game and the Fall basketball scrimages. The coverage was good when I moved out of Akron in the early 1980's. It's gone downhill since that time and it's not HS football. OSU get the best coverage out of the ABJ IMO, these days. They already have pictures up of the OSU lost to Penn St less then a half hour since the game ended on the website.Akron City Series football coverages sucks these days unless your Garfield HS. I'm always writing the ABJ sports editor letting them know there more the One HS in Akron.

[vmd9]

I was in the JAR and i saw a seating diagram of the info and it showed students behind the endzone, but also on either side of the end zone in the bleacher sections, both lower and upper decks...idk if anyone else has seen this or maybe i misunderstood the diagram but it seemed like they had way too much seating reserved for students...

[tbozeglav]

Yes, you are correct.Thats the latest seating diagram for the Info via GoZips.comI can understand what you say about that being a lot of space for students, but what you have to remember is this stadium is going to be within WALKING distance of nearly all students. All those who live on campus will be able to walk to the stadium, PLUS all those who live south of campus in their own house can walk. Throw in the fact that the University will set up some gameday roo express routes to make it easier for those who live a little further away to get to the game without having to drive or walk, and you'd be surprised how many students we get to come to the game.I dont see us filling up the south endzone berm this year... at all. Thats all overflow student seating. The main student sections will be, like you mentioned, the southern parts of the stadium. Keep in mind that the band will take up nearly an entire section themselves and probably will be sitting in the east stands so that they're facing the main home crowd.It's doable. If you build it, they will come.

[ZachTheZip]

I think the students would actually prefer to be on the grass hill in the endzone.I'm glad we aren't putting the family section right next to the visitor's section and that we have reserved seating on both sides of the field. We learned a lot from the way the seating was set up in the RB, apparently.

[vmd9]

i can almost guarantee that student section will never fill up...unless we somehow make it in the big east and are playing good teams all the time

[Quickzips]

I almost hate to get into this debate again, but those of you expecting massive student turnouts just because of this new stadium are delusional. If anything is going to help student turnout it will be the increased presence of the Rowdies and a winning team. This stadium is by no means "within walking distance of nearly all students." Remember, this is still largely a commuter school. On campus housing has increased in the last few years, but we still don't have more than maybe 30% of our students on campus. I can almost guarantee you that at least half of that 30% is still going to go home on the weekends as opposed to staying on campus and going to the games. I would love nothing more than to be proven wrong on this one, but I really think we need to temper our expectations when it comes to the effect this stadium is going to have on student support.

[ksu sucks]

I almost hate to get into this debate again, but those of you expecting massive student turnouts just because of this new stadium are delusional. If anything is going to help student turnout it will be the increased presence of the Rowdies and a winning team. This stadium is by no means "within walking distance of nearly all students." Remember, this is still largely a commuter school. On campus housing has increased in the last few years, but we still don't have more than maybe 30% of our students on campus. I can almost guarantee you that at least half of that 30% is still going to go home on the weekends as opposed to staying on campus and going to the games. I would love nothing more than to be proven wrong on this one, but I really think we need to temper our expectations when it comes to the effect this stadium is going to have on student support.

You do realize that of the 1200 AK Rowdies, 90% are now freshman. Most of these kids will be coming back next year. You add to that another monster freshman class in '09, and you have yourself a very large student section. Maybe we won't fill the whole designated area, but I think you guys are underestimating the student turnout as well.

[vmd9]

the thing that really makes me mad is that akron students care way more about that school is columbus??? like i understand you in live in ohio...big deal you don't go there, you go to AKRON...root for AKRON. so ya i see the student section filling up if for some reason we play that other school., and our student section will be all red.

[Valpo Zip]

I agree with you that only 30% of our student body is living on campus with another 15% living in private properties within walking distance from campus. That puts us at 45% which is around 11,500 students. If half of those show up at a free of charge Div I football game in their backyard, we are talking about 5000-6000 students per game. That's almost 4 times of what we have right now.

[tbozeglav]

To those of you who refuse to have faith in the student section growing to fill those sections, I have this to say:When the Info opens next year and we get students to mostly fill the bleacher stands, I will be laughing at every one of you who thought it wasn't possible. If you don't have faith in something happening, then it'll never happen. Do you honestly think the average student on or near campus is going to pass up a FREE D1-A college football game in a BEAUTIFUL new stadium that blows any other stadium in the area out of the water? The ROWDIES started as a 50-person group, We're now at over 1200 and if every one shows up, we can fill one side of the JAR alone. Have some damn faith in the school and its students