Sycamore Pride Football Stadium

[RollTimber]

Go with me on this one. As the school waits to receive funds to construct a new stadium, or whatever the excuse(s) may be, Sycamore Pride has received $500 million to use solely for a new football venue. The members of Sycamore Pride will make all decisions on the stadium: seating capacity, seating arrangement, best location for the stadium, parking set-up, color of the press box, locker rooms, concessions, field house, stadium name, entrance to stadium, midfield logo, anything you can think of. The donor of the money is to be left unnamed and is leaving it all up to us. Your ideal stadium for Indiana State football. Suggested blueprints?

 

[IndyTreeFan]

I would say with a budget like that, some sort of enclosed facility would be best. It's bound to help get people to later season games if they can watch them in 72 degree comfort. With that much $$$, we might even be able to have a retractable roof...

 

[bent20]

With that kind of money let's build a 65,000 seat pro stadium and try to lure an NFL team to Terre Haute.

Seriously though, if money wasn't an obstacle, build an outdoor, bowl shaped stadium across 3rd St. that can seat up to 20,000 with room to expand. Put the track in there with hedges buffering the walls, replant two massive Sycamore trees at the open end of the stadium. Build a nice, blue press box. And with what you have left over build a cross walk over 3rd St.

Replanting the massive trees might be the only part of that that isn't realistic. The rest is doable with the money.

 

[TreeTop]

Sycamore Pride has received $500 million to use solely for a new football venue.

Even for a fantasy, that's a little too much money for an ISU stadium....but still, I'll go with it.

I say build a 15,000 seat stadium that has seating all around the stadium and with a retractable roof, absolutely. Designated tailgating area, yes. Near the river, so it's by campus, yes. Super awesome press box, super awesome locker rooms....with adjacent practice facility and field. Camera towers for TV. Field Turf. Shuttle system for students (even if it IS within walking distance of campus). Awesome scoreboard and video screens...yes, screens plural.

And with the remaining 350 million....hmmmmm.

 

[Daveinth]

With 500 million why not make an all sports facility where you could essentially have football / track on one end with a state of the art basketball facility on the other? Of course you would have to have an onsite training / practice facility to go along with it .

 

[IndyTreeFan]

Even for a fantasy, that's a little too much money for an ISU stadium....but still, I'll go with it.

I say build a 15,000 seat stadium that has seating all around the stadium and with a retractable roof, absolutely. Designated tailgating area, yes. Near the river, so it's by campus, yes. Super awesome press box, super awesome locker rooms....with adjacent practice facility and field. Camera towers for TV. Field Turf. Shuttle system for students (even if it IS within walking distance of campus). Awesome scoreboard and video screens...yes, screens plural.

And with the remaining 350 million....hmmmmm.

With that extra money how about a monorail system that goes to all athletic venues, with stops at all residence halls? Wouldn't spending all this money be fun?

 

[TreeTop]

replant two massive Sycamore trees at the open end of the stadium.

YES, I love this....with the money we have though, let's plant a couple dozen sycamores that lead into the stadium main entrance and call it Mascot Row.

 

[Jason Svoboda]

With $500 million, I'm revamping the entire campus. There is no need to waste that much solely on a football stadium. Plus, football is meant to be played outdoors so give me an open air stadium. As for the football stadium, I'd build something similar to Saluki Stadium. That seats 15k and I believe it ran $25m or so and that would be perfect. I would alter their design and make it a horseshoe and have a Sycamore Grove at the open end of the stadium.

Then with the $475m left, I'd build the track and cross country teams a nice complex as well as reface Hulman Center to mirror the campus architectural look. I'd also do some renovations in there to include a fan shop/program history museum. I'm upgrade/build more dorms and knock out a lot of the other stuff in the master plan. I'd also build some additional parking garages around campus since campus density would be increasing. I would spend quite a bit on the continued beautification of campus and I'd invest heavily into the RHIC, for starters.

 

[Sycamore Proud]

Add in a separate soccer field with turf and seating for 5,000. When the monorail is in the locations for existing baseball and softball facilities will be good.

 

[OX 92]

Since we are dreaming. On the Wabash so you can see the moonlight on the Wabash on night games. Engineering put into the lower level in the unlikley event we need to build a second level to be a FBS school. Since its on the Wabash put a all year nice restaurant the faces both the field and river. A walking bridge over the HWY for students and alumni. If possible get enough land surrounding the stadium in order to lease to other restaurants, outlets etc and pull traffic off 41. WITH WHAT'S LEFT OVER I WOULD BRING WRESTLING BACK !!

 

[Sackalot]

Oh the possibilities!

I would spend approx. 25-30 million on football stadium. I would then dredge out the Wabash at least 1 mile in each direction so that boats could get in there and you could have party boats on the Bash for the games (Nothing like tailgating on a boat!). I would also assure that there are rentable "lots" surrounding the football stadium for that fraternities, sororities, local businesses, etc. can have a specific area to tailgate in...and they would pay to rent that lot for the season

I would then build on the football stadium idea and move to the other sports - building an amazing complex to handle each sport, giving each their own facility.

I would then move to campus itself. Most importantly for me, building a true Greek Row on the north side of campus. I would assure that each chapter had their own home in an area that is specifically designed to be a Greek Village with its own dining facilities, etc. Making this the hub of student activity near campus.

But you would not even have spent $150 million at this point in my plans. So I would then move to beautification of campus and drop another $20 million on making campus flow a little better in terms of architecture. I would completely renovate (which is already planned), Normal Hall and return it to its former glory! I would also expand on the HMSU - making it a "real" student union with hotel space, bowling alley, more rooms for student orgs to use, etc.

Then with the remaining 250 million or so, I would establish scholarships for students, create reserves for athletics (if you can do that) and I would further develop existing programs on campus that are strong and bring more up that need assistance. I would also give 5 million to the field campus (or whatever they call it now), I love that place and $5 million would go SOOOOOOOO far to turning that into a really, really nice place (not that it isn't).

 

[Westbadenboy]

Lots of good ideas above, but I'd say avoid a bowl with seats around and in the endzone. Most folks don't want to sit there and that also lowers the number of seats and height of your sideline seating (which makes for a much less impressive stadium). In one endzone have the locker rooms & team stuff on the first floor and on a second floor have a stadium club for Varsity Club members which is also open after kickoff to everyone (food and other vendors up there). Finally a third level with open air patio style seating for those who do want to eat, drink, and watch the game.
In the other end a FOREST of LARGE Sycamore trees with some type of structure to house Sycamore Sam. Very cool blue tinted lighting glowing in the background and flashing through the trees with a very dramatic pre-game entry of Sam and the team through the Sycamore trees. We'll need a great lighting system and of course game times at night through Homecoming.

 

[Sackalot]

I would add a 'treehouse' looking, Varsity Club area...with a huge deck area "up in the trees"

 

[bent20]

The bowl/endzone is where the band should be. Another option would be the trees at one end and a nice lockerroom like the one we have now at Memorial.

 

[TreeTop]

I would add a 'treehouse' looking, Varsity Club area...with a huge deck area "up in the trees"

Love it.

 

[SycamoreStateofMind]

I would invest around 30 to 50 million in a football stadium. I'd name it after myself.

I'd inevest another 30 to 50 million in an outdoor and indoor track facility. I'd name it after myself.

I'd invest $60 million into the demo of the Hulman Center and construction of a new basketball arena - I'd name it after myself.

I'd invest $10 million into finishing off the Baseball field in all phases.

For $5 million I'd build an overpass (over 3rd st.) for easy a access to the Athletic campus. I'd spend the rest on trails, singage, trees, lighting on the west side of 3rd St.

I'd invest $100 million into the demo of the 4 towers and build new dorms that meet the capacity needs of the University and the needs of current students.

I'd invest $50 million into parking - garages and surface parking.

I'd pay myself $50 million for all these great ideas and somone needs to spend my money, might as well be me.

I'd hire my dads construction company to build it all - I know your probaby reading this dad, family first!

 

[Sackalot]

I would invest around 30 to 50 million in a football stadium. I'd name it after myself.

I'd inevest another 30 to 50 million in an outdoor and indoor track facility. I'd name it after myself.

I'd invest $60 million into the demo of the Hulman Center and construction of a new basketball arena - I'd name it after myself.

I'd invest $10 million into finishing off the Baseball field in all phases.

For $5 million I'd build an overpass (over 3rd st.) for easy a access to the Athletic campus. I'd spend the rest on trails, singage, trees, lighting on the west side of 3rd St.

I'd invest $100 million into the demo of the 4 towers and build new dorms that meet the capacity needs of the University and the needs of current students.

I'd invest $50 million into parking - garages and surface parking.

I'd pay myself $50 million for all these great ideas and somone needs to spend my money, might as well be me.

I'd hire my dads construction company to build it all - I know your probaby reading this dad, family first!

My only concern would be the residence halls. The renovation of the towers is slated to cost $120 or so...and that is renovating them. To demolish and rebuild is going to be more like $150 million, other than that I say your plan looks good!

 

[SycamoreStateofMind]

My only concern would be the residence halls. The renovation of the towers is slated to cost $120 or so...and that is renovating them. To demolish and rebuild is going to be more like $150 million, other than that I say your plan looks good!

I like it - always need someone to check my math. For that, we will name a residence hall after you and your kids.

 

[RollTimber]

Down by the river would be perfect. I also think driving into Terre Haute and being able to see the stadium and its light would be awesome, especially during a night game. Since I take 63 into the Haute, I'd put the field on the south side of the Wabash where it runs east-west after going under the highway. Clear just enough trees so the stadium is visible from the highway. (I'll use 'Memorial Stadium' as the name for now) Would a "Memorial Stadium - Exit ahead" sign be cool or what? I'd build an exit right off of the highway, only way to get to the stadium. Make around a mile and a half drive directly towards the stadium; signs, statues, and Sycamore trees on both sides of the drive. The largest part of the grandstands facing the drive with huge posters of current players (and Miles) on display, visible from the exit.

Parking lots on the east and south side of the stadium. Enter the gate right after the transplanted Sycamores(mentioned in other posts), walk through the football hall of fame to get into the stadium which holds 20,000. The east grandstands will be double decked with a press box atop, painted blue. The south side is a semi-circle where the band and student section will be. Will that student section be filled is another question. The locker room is located between these sections, with a tunnel entrance. West side is only one level, stretching the length of the field, and at the end will be a three story "tower". Top used for cameras, bottom two levels are restaurants with viewing access of the field, and the third floor is the "VIP" box, with a perfect view of the field and the river to the north and west of the tower.

No seats to the north, left open for a view of the river, and passerbys on the highway. I'm trying to think of something for Sam down there, something like what Bernie Brewer does, the treehouse might just work. An inclosed practice facility with a weight room, offices, film room, everything needed, on the opposite side of the south parking lot from the stadium.

I asked the philanthropist and he said use the money for whatever once the greatest football stadium ever has been built. I'd also use some money to rival Oregon's uniform selection of 384 combinations, just not too much black. The one combination of all charcoal black, though, will be worn on the annual night game televised by ESPN.

 

[SycamoreStateofMind]

Yeah one entrance so it's a total pain in the ass to get in and out of, you know when people start showing up.

With that said - what's a $50 million dollar stadium without fans?

So an addition to my plan would be free tickets and free food and beverage for an estimated cost of $5 million per season.