JTS Improvements - Want More

[IcSyU]

Looking at Google maps, I sure see a lot of open space west of the CC starting line, looks nice and flat, if not a few earthmovers in there and it soon will be. But I guess the CC meets just run back and forth along those fields. No they start there running west, and then turn north towards college creek. So really there is plenty of room to the west and the ne to build intermural fields. Like you said, there is already 2 intermural football fields out there, the baseball field and a softball field, but we cannot use those open spaces to the west of the CC starting line. Instead they must play soccer and softball to the east of JTS, what a crock of crap.

So raising ticket prices to keep demand low is your plan, that goes in the face of everything Pollard has done to make JTS a family and cheap environment value. But he will do it, just to keep those intermural fields for the students.

The only thing keeping those fields now is that the Rec. Services has them over a barrel and Pollard does not want to spend the money from the atheletic department to pay for moving them to the West. If he would offer to pay for the building of the new fields, Rec. Services would be all over the idea, or should be. A win for both parties, new intermural fields for the students, by the intermural football fields, baseball and softball fields, which would not interfere with the CC course at all, and more parking for the people helping to pay the bill for ISU atheletics.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.0155299,-93.6538871,955m/data=!3m1!1e3

You really whiffed on the "don't touch the CC course" part.

Also, it just so happens that area isn't flat. If you actually think Jamie is going to tear up his CC course you're out of your mind. That's never getting leveled. Iowa State would never host anything NCAA or Big 12 if they just flattened the course (that isn't important to us but I'm certain it's a priority to the AD). The course also quite literally goes back to Arbor Street so it isn't just back and forth through the fields.

And ticket prices are likely to be raised because compared to our peers our tickets are cheap. We have the 3rd largest stadium but not the 3rd largest budget. My guess is our basketball revenue beats anyone not named Kansas but our football revenue is lagging behind everyone else. How do you fix that? Quit giving away tickets via things like minipacks and increase the value of each seat (aka raise prices).

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

You really whiffed on the "don't touch the CC course" part.

Also, it just so happens that area isn't flat. If you actually think Jamie is going to tear up his CC course you're out of your mind. That's never getting leveled. Iowa State would never host anything NCAA or Big 12 if they just flattened the course (that isn't important to us but I'm certain it's a priority to the AD). The course also quite literally goes back to Arbor Street so it isn't just back and forth through the fields.

And ticket prices are likely to be raised because compared to our peers our tickets are cheap. We have the 3rd largest stadium but not the 3rd largest budget. My guess is our basketball revenue beats anyone not named Kansas but our football revenue is lagging behind everyone else. How do you fix that? Quit giving away tickets via things like minipacks and increase the value of each seat (aka raise prices).

So you are saying that they just run that area west of the start and finish line back and forth? Would it really matter that much if they ran over a flatten area of the soccer fields to start the race, and then turned North, like they do now? Not on bit, and we both know it.

You are just making up excuses, the intermural football fields are already out that way, so is the baseball and softball fields. Creating soccer fields to the west of the start/finish line for CC would not cause any problems running the race.

ISU revenue will never be the same as some of the other conference schools, but as attendence grows, so will donations, just like they currently have. The key is to build a modern press box, with suites in them to sell at high dollars. Look at the South endzone, all those seats are sold out, at $750.00 a piece and another $1,000 dollars donation. Do the same thing Iowa did, with their press dox, but in seating and lounge areas and people and businesses will scoop them up.
Denotation levels are already increasing for parking, its going to continue to go up, there is money to be made there with more parking spaces east of the stadium. Without taking the intermural fields, ISU and parking will be boxed in for future development. Unless the university gets the ok to park to the east in some of the former business parking and shuttle people back and forth to the game. But how many people will want to tailgate and then shuttle to the game.

 

[jdcyclone19]

You miss the bigger point, what is wrong with moving the fields to the Towers by the cross country course? Is it, you played on those fields and therefore the next generation of students should also or what? The distance is too far away, ok for the basketball teams, but intermural teams can not drive or take the cyride a couple of miles away.

This decision has already been made, the university has already started to resurface the area into those fields, so when we are complaining about parking for FB games in five years, I hope you are here telling everyone about the importance of those intermural fields and why it would have been a horrible idea to have parking there instead.

I've had season tickets for over 10 years, I have seen what its like to be the ol Iowa State many times, that is now changing, we can either welcome that change, which I do. Or talk about the great old days, where you could arrive at the stadium 20 minutes before kickoff, walk right it, get our asses kicked and then get out of the lot in 20 minutes after reaching your car.

I prefer the way it is now, and hope for a brighter future.

"Is it, you played on those fields and therefore the next generation of students should also or what? "

Didn't miss the bigger point.I just provided facts and information for the way things are right now and counterpoints to your arguments, and you get bent out of shape.
Does Athletics own the land by the cross country course, does Rec Services? I don't know. If they could work something out, there is no issue, that just probably isn't in the cards right now due to the landscape. They wanted the intramural fields to be close to campus so students wouldn't have to travel that far. The University's main priority in the bigger picture is here to serve its students, is what I have been told.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

On a related issue, since the plans call for the large concrete wall along the walkway up to the stadium (like the south endzone), are they going to backfill that with dirt to make the grass hillsides less steep? I'll be interested in seeing how that looks when finished. I have to think that they will be looking at eventually putting in bleachers in those two corners. Ideally they could put the visitors section in that northeast corner next to the student section.

I'm guessing that they will need to do some dirt work on both hillsides. I can see them even terracing the hillsides and putting in steps for a more family friendly sitting area.

 

[jdcyclone19]

I'm guessing that they will need to do some dirt work on both hillsides. I can see them even terracing the hillsides and putting in steps for a more family friendly sitting area.

I could see them making the grading matching the rest of the stadium and appropriate for the potential addition of stadium seating in the future, if needed... (cough, cough)

 

[VeloClone]

Looking at Google maps, I sure see a lot of open space west of the CC starting line, looks nice and flat, if not a few earthmovers in there and it soon will be. But I guess the CC meets just run back and forth along those fields. No they start there running west, and then turn north towards college creek. So really there is plenty of room to the west and the ne to build intermural fields. Like you said, there is already 2 intermural football fields out there, the baseball field and a softball field, but we cannot use those open spaces to the west of the CC starting line. Instead they must play soccer and softball to the east of JTS, what a crock of crap.

So raising ticket prices to keep demand low is your plan, that goes in the face of everything Pollard has done to make JTS a family and cheap environment value. But he will do it, just to keep those intermural fields for the students.

The only thing keeping those fields now is that the Rec. Services has them over a barrel and Pollard does not want to spend the money from the atheletic department to pay for moving them to the West. If he would offer to pay for the building of the new fields, Rec. Services would be all over the idea, or should be. A win for both parties, new intermural fields for the students, by the intermural football fields, baseball and softball fields, which would not interfere with the CC course at all, and more parking for the people helping to pay the bill for ISU atheletics.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.0155299,-93.6538871,955m/data=!3m1!1e3

Not clear on what you think is the starting line of the CC course and how much of the area it takes but it pretty much takes the entire area South of the SW Athletic Complex to Mortenson and everything from Hayward to State.

 

[VeloClone]

So you are saying that they just run that area west of the start and finish line back and forth? Would it really matter that much if they ran over a flatten area of the soccer fields to start the race, and then turned North, like they do now? Not on bit, and we both know it.

You are just making up excuses, the intermural football fields are already out that way, so is the baseball and softball fields. Creating soccer fields to the west of the start/finish line for CC would not cause any problems running the race.

There is a reason that Cross Country is a separate event from Track. Running on terrain is what it is about. If you make half of the course flat you are removing a big part of what makes it cross country and makes this one of the best Cross Country specific courses in the country. And as someone who has run on that course and biked on the trail along Mortenson the stretch west of the starting line is far from flat, just as it should be. It isn't even close to suited for soccer fields.

 

[VeloClone]

I would be interested in the economics of adding a parking garage either at Hilton/Scheman or at the stadium.

At Hilton/Scheman: It would take care of a lot of the problems with event conflict (All State Music, anyone?) on game days. It would also be premium parking for basketball as we all know there is virtually no tailgating during basketball seasons and terrible Iowa winter weather. This parking garage could also have it's own access directly to Lincoln Way creating another way to clear out some of the post game traffic for football and basketball alike.

At the stadium: It seems to me that there are a lot of people who park on game day and either tailgate with others at another vehicle or arrive at game time and don't tailgate at all. Having premium parking at the stadium gate that you can get to even if you arrive 20 minutes before game time (don't have to dodge tailgates set up) or could get directly into the stadium without having to walk a fair distance outside might be an attractive option especially for some older/mobility impaired fans. Getting high density close to the stadium might free up more of the higher donation parking closer to the stadium.

The question remains, does either offer enough of a premium that you could charge enough to make even a short parking structure economically feasible.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

I would be interested in the economics of adding a parking garage either at Hilton/Scheman or at the stadium.

At Hilton/Scheman: It would take care of a lot of the problems with event conflict (All State Music, anyone?) on game days. It would also be premium parking for basketball as we all know there is virtually no tailgating during basketball seasons and terrible Iowa winter weather. This parking garage could also have it's own access directly to Lincoln Way creating another way to clear out some of the post game traffic for football and basketball alike.

At the stadium: It seems to me that there are a lot of people who park on game day and either tailgate with others at another vehicle or arrive at game time and don't tailgate at all. Having premium parking at the stadium gate that you can get to even if you arrive 20 minutes before game time (don't have to dodge tailgates set up) or could get directly into the stadium without having to walk a fair distance outside might be an attractive option especially for some older/mobility impaired fans. Getting high density close to the stadium might free up more of the higher donation parking closer to the stadium.

The question remains, does either offer enough of a premium that you could charge enough to make even a short parking structure economically feasible.

I would be interested in seeing Iowa State actually utilize the entire Hilton parking lot before making hobo's like myself park in Huxley.

 

[VeloClone]

I would be interested in seeing Iowa State actually utilize the entire Hilton parking lot before making hobo's like myself park in Huxley.

Can't you hobos just hop a train from Huxley to Ames?

 

[capitalcityguy]

I have said it before, but those intramural fields need to be moved to the west, out by the cross country course and towers, and the turn the fields on the east side of University Av, into parking with a walkover bridge.

I get it would be a pain for some students, but it would also be easier for those living out by the towers, and free up space for thousands of people to park and tailgate before the games.

You don't commit that much land for parking for what....6 or 7 days out of 365. I get what you are saying, but big picture, that is crazy talk.

 

[capitalcityguy]

I would be interested in the economics of adding a parking garage either at Hilton/Scheman or at the stadium.

At Hilton/Scheman: It would take care of a lot of the problems with event conflict (All State Music, anyone?) on game days. It would also be premium parking for basketball as we all know there is virtually no tailgating during basketball seasons and terrible Iowa winter weather. This parking garage could also have it's own access directly to Lincoln Way creating another way to clear out some of the post game traffic for football and basketball alike.

At the stadium: It seems to me that there are a lot of people who park on game day and either tailgate with others at another vehicle or arrive at game time and don't tailgate at all. Having premium parking at the stadium gate that you can get to even if you arrive 20 minutes before game time (don't have to dodge tailgates set up) or could get directly into the stadium without having to walk a fair distance outside might be an attractive option especially for some older/mobility impaired fans. Getting high density close to the stadium might free up more of the higher donation parking closer to the stadium.

The question remains, does either offer enough of a premium that you could charge enough to make even a short parking structure economically feasible.

I think Hilton would have be be scheduled something closer to Wells Fargo year round to even think about that. Right now it is not even close. WF has 3 perm residents (Wild, BArnstormers, and Wolves plus a ton more events and concerts). Ames doesn't have the population base to support anything close. Ramps are extremely expensive and unless you're going to charge for parking for all events and somehow find enough events to schedule, a ramp will be a huge money drain.

 

[IcSyU]

The question remains, does either offer enough of a premium that you could charge enough to make even a short parking structure economically feasible.

The short answer is no.

 

[capitalcityguy]

Without taking the intramural fields, ISU and parking will be boxed in for future development. .

This isn't 1995. Parking is no longer considered "development". At best it is necessary evil that under-utilizes a very valuable resource - land. At worse it is an environmental headache and a drain on municipal resources due to the infrastructure a city has to maintain to service a parking lot without any corresponding substantial associated property taxes coming in to support said infrastructure (streets, curbs, sewer, etc).

 

[VeloClone]

The short answer is no.

Yeah, that is what my gut tells me, but I would be interested to see actual numbers.

 

[jdcyclone19]

I would be interested in the economics of adding a parking garage either at Hilton/Scheman or at the stadium.

At Hilton/Scheman: It would take care of a lot of the problems with event conflict (All State Music, anyone?) on game days. It would also be premium parking for basketball as we all know there is virtually no tailgating during basketball seasons and terrible Iowa winter weather. This parking garage could also have it's own access directly to Lincoln Way creating another way to clear out some of the post game traffic for football and basketball alike.

At the stadium: It seems to me that there are a lot of people who park on game day and either tailgate with others at another vehicle or arrive at game time and don't tailgate at all. Having premium parking at the stadium gate that you can get to even if you arrive 20 minutes before game time (don't have to dodge tailgates set up) or could get directly into the stadium without having to walk a fair distance outside might be an attractive option especially for some older/mobility impaired fans. Getting high density close to the stadium might free up more of the higher donation parking closer to the stadium.

The question remains, does either offer enough of a premium that you could charge enough to make even a short parking structure economically feasible.

Large parking ramps do not pay off and usually have no ROI unless you have a constant ramp that is full every day. It would be way more costly than any other parking option right now. I'm talking the magnitude of 5-10x times and I'm not exaggerating.

 

[Remo Gaggi]

If you take a look at the photo below, you will see a large parcel of land just off of University, north of Highway 30. Could this be used for future parking? It's only a few blocks away, and would have quick access out to get onto Hwy. 30.

 

[Cycsk]

Large parking ramps do not pay off and usually have no ROI unless you have a constant ramp that is full every day. It would be way more costly than any other parking option right now. I'm talking the magnitude of 5-10x times and I'm not exaggerating.

More costly than the option of acquiring property and buildings in the neighborhood nearby to tear down and turn into parking? Not sure what other options to compare it too. Maybe building platforms above the flood plain near the creek on the other side of University? If there really was a demand for parking (not convinced there is), building a ramp near Stephens would seem to make the most sense.

 

[VeloClone]

If you take a look at the photo below, you will see a large parcel of land just off of University, north of Highway 30. Could this be used for future parking? It's only a few blocks away, and would have quick access out to get onto Hwy. 30. View attachment 64671

That parcel is actually owned by the BOR "for the use and benefit of ISU".

 

[Boxerdaddy]

I can't wait til my driverless car can come pick me up and take me home. It will be like the pickup line at schools these days. It can park at the old K-mart during the game. I'm guessing that will still be un-used.