SEZ wish list

[AirWalke]

I think if you design an enclosed endzone without changing capacity, at LEAST design it with expand-ability in mind. I know Rhoads has said he wants to play before sold-out crowds, but I think it's a loser's mentality that you can't possibly envision a 70,000 seat stadium at ISU selling out if you hope your team improves as well as you want it to in the future. I just don't want ISU to get to the point where if, say, we start selling out at 58,600 every game for a few seasons, and there's no room to grow.

I don't mind the current method of thought where the SEZ doesn't change seating capacity by much, but only if it's designed in such a way that allows an upper deck to be added later.

 

[Tri4Cy]

I think if you design an enclosed endzone without changing capacity, at LEAST design it with expand-ability in mind. I know Rhoads has said he wants to play before sold-out crowds, but I think it's a loser's mentality that you can't possibly envision a 70,000 seat stadium at ISU selling out if you hope your team improves as well as you want it to in the future. I just don't want ISU to get to the point where if, say, we start selling out at 58,600 every game for a few seasons, and there's no room to grow.

I don't mind the current method of thought where the SEZ doesn't change seating capacity by much, but only if it's designed in such a way that allows an upper deck to be added later.

They (Pollard) has mentioned numerous times that WHEN they do the expansion it was going to be done right. It is highly unlikely that there would be an upper deck in the first phase but by "done right" they want to ensure that the support/foundation are in place that an upper deck would be easily added in the future.

 

[Tornado man]

I think if you design an enclosed endzone without changing capacity, at LEAST design it with expand-ability in mind. I know Rhoads has said he wants to play before sold-out crowds, but I think it's a loser's mentality that you can't possibly envision a 70,000 seat stadium at ISU selling out if you hope your team improves as well as you want it to in the future. I just don't want ISU to get to the point where if, say, we start selling out at 58,600 every game for a few seasons, and there's no room to grow.

I don't think it's that - like other schools and pro teams, CPR and JP probably want to hold capacity down to insure that tickets are in demand; that fans will be reluctant to not renew season tix after down years, for fear of not getting back in during good years. But I agree - the capacity should increase 8-10,000 with this expansion. If we can take 25,000 or so down to Memphis for a 6-6 (at the time) team, we should have a 65,000 seat stadium at least...

 

[CysRage]

There are talks of maybe trying to do a sponsored party deck because the Big 12 is gonna vote on the alcohol thing soon. So there is actually a solid chance that a BWW Party Deck happens.

 

[CYCLNST8]

Pretty sure they're just as worried about the outer facade as they are the inner bowl. This would make an upper deck & additional suites a high probability. JP is obsessed with suites and for good reason: they are huge revenue generator$.

Some of you "empty seats" folks need to grow a pair. The band sits in the north endzone out of necessity. Being spread out like that creates a terrible phasing problem and is the reason they need three directors to keep an accurate tempo. Years ago they sat IN the student section. Then they got moved to the south endzone to make more seats available. Then they got bumped from there. If people are so worried about empty seats, move the band into the bleachers and close off the north hillsides. Problem solved. When empty seats are no longer a problem, the band gets bumped back to the field and the hillsides open back up.

Like others have said, you need to build to your largest crowds. Duh.

 

[CysRage]

Visitors' locker room under the stands, ending the awkward waiting game at halftime when we have to cross.

I hope this happens too but I think its somewhat funny how both the home and visiting lockerooms were in the Jake and if they built a new visiting lockeroom under the SEZ, then both lockerooms in the Jake would be vacant afterwards. Just another reason to demolish the Jake and put lots and lots of hot tubs.

 

[AirWalke]

I don't think it's that - like other schools and pro teams, CPR and JP probably want to hold capacity down to insure that tickets are in demand; that fans will be reluctant to not renew season tix after down years, for fear of not getting back in during good years. But I agree - the capacity should increase 8-10,000 with this expansion. If we can take 25,000 or so down to Memphis for a 6-6 (at the time) team, we should have a 65,000 seat stadium at least...

A great point, I had never really thought about that.

 

[MNCyGuy]

Aren't smaller stadiums the trend in college and pro teams right now? I don't think JP and Rhoads are really in the minority on this.

 

[CYCLNST8]

I agree 60-65,000 seats sounds about right. Reserve the hillsides for overflow only: "Cyclone update: the athletic department will be opening the hillsides to make more room available for this weekend's sellout game. First come first serve!"

 

[ISUCubswin]

It would be cool if it was part bleachers, part toilets. So while I'm watching the game, I can just take a dump at my seat and not miss a beat.

 

[Clonehomer]

I like the pedestrian bridge idea over University. There's too many pedestrian/car accidents that happen after games, especially now that a good portion are at night.

Behind the stands in the SEZ, I would like to see some sort of courtyard or area to be able to stand and see the game. Minnesota did this and it looks pretty nice.

Can we also get rid of the carnival style concessions? The new main concessions look nice on the outer rim of the concourse, but the ones on the inside that sell the specialty type food look kinda thrown together. Why not just take this opportunity to make the SEZ have a lot more of those types of food and eliminate the extra booths on the East and West side. Also, get real cash registers with card scanners at each line. Hell if McDonalds can take my money in less than 5 seconds, why does it take the concession area 20 minutes to run card?

 

[Erik4Cy]

I agree we don't need it to be 70K plus (YET.) But the stadium should be at least in the 60-65K range. There have been quite a few sold out games over the last few years that they could've benefitted from getting another 10K people into JTS. I kind of take the Field of Dreams stance in that if we build it, they will come. Have faith in the loyalty of Cyclone nation. If we can put 30K in a frozen 4 degrees game in November against big 12 bottom feeder Kansas when our team was 1-9 going in. We can definitely get 65K in during a decent or better season against Texas, Iowa, UNI, OU, etc.

I really would like to see it all bowled in, not just a lower bowl. Real restrooms are a must. BWW party deck/beer sales is a little bit of a dream, but would be very happy if something like that comes to be.

And a pedestrian bridge or tunnel never really crossed my mind, but it is BRILLIANT and would help gameday traffic and help people get to the game faster.

 

[NoJantzesLeft]

I want a lot of seats with a big tarp over all of them that says IOWA STATE

 

[DBQR4CY]

In the stadium:
1) The lower bowls connected in the SEZ. Seating increased to no more than 62K with the ability to expand later.
A) Move the student section into the lower bowl.
B) Move the visitors to where the student section is now. This opens more seats on the east side and expands seating on the west side since the visitor section isn't that big.
C) Leave the band where it is and tell them to be louder than the visiting band at all times.
2) Move visitors locker room to the SEZ.
3) Add a two story box complex on top of the new SEZ bowl.
4) A real concourse with a pair of bathrooms and a pair of concessions.

Outside the stadium:
1) More entrances to parking and a pathway over University for people coming and going from the stadium.
2) A courtyard expansion tied in with the Gardens
3) The exterior of the SEZ expansion to have either an atrium like Green Bay has or for it to match the building on Central Campus.
3A) If they did build an atrium like Green Bay has it could house a restaurant that overlooks the stadium year round and have fill it with ISU athletics history. However, an atrium like this might be better for the NEZ later on down the road.

Also, there is no need for beer sales at the games. People can drink as much as they want before, after, and at half time outside the stadium. People are already loud enough and we dont need to increase the A**hole count because people can't tell when they've had enough. Remember, less drinking idiots means more families will come to games which helps create the next generation of ISU fans.

 

[mikem]

HAS TO HAS TO HAS TO be able to add seating when needed.

It will take a bit as we need to train the fans to attend in a whole new situation, and costs, etc. But once that happens, and our fans come through again, we will need to at least have the option to increase seating.

I don't mind making the tickets hard to come by, but there could be a chance to increase revenue, and you have to take that.

 

[drlove]

CU used to sell beer in the Club Level and suites, but not in the regular seats. They stopped doing that back in about 1996. The beer was stopped at basketball games (except for the club room) in about 2005.

 

[isuno1fan]

JTS will never seat 70k.

65k is a stretch.

Nothing wrong with a 60-62k stadium with pent up demand for tickets.

 

[tube1]

Just make it seat 1 more than Kinnick seats. That would rile up some Hok feathers.

 

[ZB4CY]

3 words. Swim Up Bar.

 

[CyFan61]

JTS will never seat 70k.

65k is a stretch.

Nothing wrong with a 60-62k stadium with pent up demand for tickets.

Yes, I think people are missing this. I want to see a ticket for an ISU game in high demand because it's been sold out for weeks. Don't build to where you are filling the stadium once a year... Build to where you're filling it for basically every game, and once a year the ticket is the hot item for fans to search for.