Sunk cost. Whether the fields are there or elsewhere they have to be mowed. Period. That's an impressively stupid argument. Additionally, mowing them is really, really cheap compared to the cost of constructing even a gravel parking lot.
You don't have the slightest clue what earth moving or parking lot construction costs do you? Well, I actually happen to work for a company which does both and this would be many millions of dollars. You have this stupid idea they can just regrade the cross country course. That isn't happening. The SW athletic complex doesn't have the land to touch the SE complex. That's not an "excuse" as you say...that's reality.
I would bet roughly half of the intramurals participants walked from the frats/MWL/old RCA. It might be closer in distance to Freddy Court but the drive is probably 10+ minutes to the SW Complex and 5 to the SE Complex. There is literally nothing at the SW complex at this time. Additionally, rec services has the fields at MWL as well as Lied...I'm sure they'd love to have something 2 miles away to manage as well.
It wouldn't have harmed rec services to be a couple miles away from their other facilities (Lied/MWL) with a smaller footprint? It would certainly harm the AD. What part of this aren't you understanding? Millions of dollars spent that could be used significantly more effectively elsewhere. The Iowa State Center lots need the money significantly worse in repairs than constructing a new lot that gets used all of 7 days a year.
You really seem to struggle with the idea of constrained resources.
You want stupid arguments, look at google maps, Freddie court and the western dorms are half the distance to the Towers than the IM fields off university. But somehow it takes twice as long to drive. Lincoln way must have really improved since this past fall, because before it has always been pain to get on and off on. But now its improved and will be faster. That should be great for this fall.
Lets looks at the excuses.
1. Its too far away, but not too far for IM football fields, baseball and a softball field, and would be closer to the many students that live out by the BB practice facility and the towers. But it would be too far.
2. Costs, and we need to repair what we currently have. I have never said it needed to be done now, just the possibility in the future. Yes, we need to repave what we already have. But without those lands to the east of JTS, that pushes parking further out., if and when we actually need it.
3. Special Olympics uses those fields and then the stadiums. As the father of a specials needs child, I know all about SO, and where they take those kids. They never use JTS or Hilton then walk them over to the IM fields. Never. They use one or the other, but never both on the same day. A total BS argument.
4. Distance to mow and maintain. Are they driving the mowers from the east side to the west complex. No, its a silly idea. Crews are sent to one area, when they are finished they move to another area.
5. Parking lots in cities do not make money, and have costs involved with them. This is not a public city owned parking lot, but a university owned lot that would not be maintained during the rest of the year. Put up a gate at the entrance and lock it, the rest of the year.
I do think those fields are important, necessary and everything else. But so is parking for the football games. You can not tell me that they could not have used parts of the CC course and could have achieved the same thing, that they will have now. The only difference is now with money being spent on those fields, it takes that area off the board for future parking.
