Current College Town Tier List (Tier 5: Minnesota)

[Ski U Mah 55]

Let's not hope for more surface parking around the stadium. Real estate for the U to do its primary mission of research and education is at a premium, and preserving space as parking lots to accommodate a few events a year is not a wise move. I wouldn't be surprised if over the next 15-30 years the majority of the surface lots over by the stadium are replaced by buildings and parking ramps.

 

[noamfromm]

Let's not hope for more surface parking around the stadium. Real estate for the U to do its primary mission of research and education is at a premium, and preserving space as parking lots to accommodate a few events a year is not a wise move. I wouldn't be surprised if over the next 15-30 years the majority of the surface lots over by the stadium are replaced by buildings and parking ramps.

let us not go gentle into the dying of the light! tailgating is one of the best vehicles for us to maintain and grow Gopher football fandom

 

[Taji34]

I never thought of that before. There wasn't enough on campus or near campus student housing then and now.

Yeah I never understood why people didn't get this.

They are putting up all these apartment buildings (and charging a bit of a premium on rent because its "on/near campus") because there is ample demand and they know the building will be decently filled. Like, I think people sometimes forget how large of a student body the U has. It's within the top 10 largest universities in the US.

Young people don't want to commute, they want to live close enough to campus to walk, bike, or take a short 5 minute bus ride to class.

 

[hungan1]

Yeah I never understood why people didn't get this.

They are putting up all these apartment buildings (and charging a bit of a premium on rent because its "on/near campus") because there is ample demand and they know the building will be decently filled. Like, I think people sometimes forget how large of a student body the U has. It's within the top 10 largest universities in the US.

Young people don't want to commute, they want to live close enough to campus to walk, bike, or take a short 5 minute bus ride to class.

My niece was paying over $1,100 per month for the privilege of being close to campus. Her parents wanted her in a safe and secure building.

 

[Ski U Mah Gopher]

let us not go gentle into the dying of the light! tailgating is one of the best vehicles for us to maintain and grow Gopher football fandom

How many schools have tailgating right next to the stadium? That is a serious question.

You can still have a good tailgating experience at the fairgrounds (except for Game 1) and get on a shuttle to the stadium.

You can have tailgating on the Mall a la The Grove at Ole Miss.

You can have spaces on the lawn next to McNamara. Use the driving range for tailgating and have a shuttle from there.

 

[noamfromm]

How many schools have tailgating right next to the stadium? That is a serious question.

You can still have a good tailgating experience at the fairgrounds (except for Game 1) and get on a shuttle to the stadium.

You can have tailgating on the Mall a la The Grove at Ole Miss.

You can have spaces on the lawn next to McNamara. Use the driving range for tailgating and have a shuttle from there.

I've been to Penn State, Ohio State, Iowa and Purdue and they all had surface lots surrounding the stadium that were for tailgating. I know Camp Randall doesn't have any next to their stadium -- when I was at Michigan I don't recall people tailgating in the lots next to the stadium, but they have the golf course right across the road.

Regardless I think both McNamara and the Mall would be poor substitutes. The fairground would be onerous as we would need to be moving so many people on shuttles.

 

[Six to Eight]

lol at fort collins and boulder being tier 1. median home price in boulder is about a million and fort collins is half a million.

I spent 2 years living Ft. Collins in the 2010s. If you're not near the campus, you could easily overlook that it's a university town. Roads and restaurants are packed with retirees during the day and the streets are empty by 9pm on weekend nights.

 

[MplsGopher_fan]

Regardless I think both McNamara and the Mall would be poor substitutes. The fairground would be onerous as we would need to be moving so many people on shuttles.

I agree. Parking somewhere and then walking to the mall just won't get me excited to tailgate. And who wants to tailgate in a completely different city from where the game is? McNamara might get me excited, if the streets were closed off and food vendors were there.

 

[Taji34]

I've been to Penn State, Ohio State, Iowa and Purdue and they all had surface lots surrounding the stadium that were for tailgating. I know Camp Randall doesn't have any next to their stadium -- when I was at Michigan I don't recall people tailgating in the lots next to the stadium, but they have the golf course right across the road.

Regardless I think both McNamara and the Mall would be poor substitutes. The fairground would be onerous as we would need to be moving so many people on shuttles.

Illinois has a ton of space right by their stadium for tailgating too.