Another reason for the improvement might be that they will end up moving more activities to the MWL open space as the AD is taking over some of the area they currently use east of University Ave for more parking and RV/camping amenities in the near future.
Campustown Redevelopment
- Thread starter Haverhill
- Start date
Another reason for the improvement might be that they will end up moving more activities to the MWL open space as the AD is taking over some of the area they currently use east of University Ave for more parking and RV/camping amenities in the near future.
If there is only 6 months of use available, then why not extend it as much as possible?
They won't directly mention it in that document, but it also adds usage hours for Special Olympics, Iowa Games, and opens the door for Ames/ISU to bid on more summer sporting events.
The university didn't cut its own budget, nor does it get to unilaterally decide to raise tuition. That's the Legislature and Regents, respectively.
I agree, we should have good sec services but the $2.1mil can be spent on better rec options. Not irrigation and lighting. What percentage of students would want their tuition dollars going to that/ever get any "use" of that?
That's my point. When times are tough, should we really be using $2.1 million on drainage and lighting on fields?
Lighting means that those facilities can be used more hours per day. Irrigation helps the fields stay in better condition.
And that number is fairly small when extrapolated over the number who may eventually use that (and compared to the *annual* budget of well over 1 billion). I mean, state gym was what, 50 million? This is one of iowa state's few open areas available for outdoor rec, especially if Athletics expands over the road.
And if it will bring in opportunities for the university to offset that cost with other income as @theshadow notes, all the better.
The annual budget is 1,400,000,000 of which 30% comes from tuition.
To put that into perspective, the average Iowa household would be spending $27 light their back yard.
With car loans, mortgages, rising property taxes should a household really spend $27 on lighting their back yard?
To put that into perspective, the average Iowa household would be spending $27 light their back yard.
With car loans, mortgages, rising property taxes should a household really spend $27 on lighting their back yard?
Last edited:
And that's just one year's tuition, when this project will have benefit over multiple years.
Rec services has a budget and can spend their money how they see fit. I'm guessing some of this money is coming from the AD in exchange for taking over those fields across from the stadium. This is NOT part of a tuition increase as student fees are set and negotiated.
Ok, but if the field is lighted, in good shape, and has some baseball diamonds and some sand volleyball courts, don't you think that it would see a lot more use? I mean, every single amenity that the university provides started with a vision and an investment.
Still waiting for a thank you for voting and paying for the new Lied center. Damn ungrateful kids!
Not really sure because about a half mile down the road from these MWL fields, all that already exists. And right next to MWL fields are the massive intramural fields with lights as well.
It will make a lot more sense when the IM fields next to Trice are taken out for more parking lost in the improvements made to Trice/Reiman, just a guess though.
Some of those will go away to athletics.
Also, there are 10,000 more students now than 10 years ago. There's a need for more facilities than there were then.
That's a bad argument, though. It's the same as "No one uses that vacant lot so we shouldn't put a playground there". or "Everyone walks in the street so there is no need for a sidewalk."
It's not close to that at all. You act like this field is unusable without this being done to it, which is not the case.
The old soccer field and the adjacent practice field are the only lighted areas. And they only have lights because they were used for varsity teams. That total area is still less than 1/2 the size of the MWL fields.
Except for much of the time it is due to A) darkness, B) improper drainage C) field conditions deteriorating
This improves all of those things.
#1 This is to help address the expansion of the parking lots at JTS. Rec services was willing to part with the land as long as athletics gave them X amount of space that was lighted so they could do intramurals longer into the night (instead of just a 5:20 and 6:20 flag football/softball game, it could go to 9:20). So yes, for what Rec Services needs, those fields are unusable without lights. Additionally, by lowering the number of fields available for use, you need additional maintenance help (irrigation) because each field is going to see more action than it otherwise would have.
#2 This is a drop in the bucket for Rec Services spending.
#3 I don't know who has looked at the fields at Lied that the soccer team used to be on but they look like absolute **** and require a ton of maintenance because they're used too much.
#4 Parking should be a somewhat hilarious **** show for this.
#2 This is a drop in the bucket for Rec Services spending.
#3 I don't know who has looked at the fields at Lied that the soccer team used to be on but they look like absolute **** and require a ton of maintenance because they're used too much.
#4 Parking should be a somewhat hilarious **** show for this.
There is a barcade coming to Main Street. I know this is not campustown but this seems to have become the thread for things like this. If anyone wants to link the old Ames businesses thread id be happy to repost but I couldn't find it. Anyway Ames trib article
http://www.amestrib.com/news/20170811/time-out-to-bring-barcade-to-downtown-ames
http://www.amestrib.com/news/20170811/time-out-to-bring-barcade-to-downtown-ames
Another food option coming to Campustown:
http://www.amestrib.com/news/20170818/freddy8217s-steakburgers-to-open-in-campustown-this-fall
https://freddysusa.com/
http://www.amestrib.com/news/20170818/freddy8217s-steakburgers-to-open-in-campustown-this-fall
https://freddysusa.com/
