I know this subject has been talked about before but

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WAGopher said:
G-Jay, please provide a source for this. I have not heard this from anyone else and would like it substantiated.


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Its not a big deal. When my sources tell me I can say, I will.
 

I might be in the minority but I love the look of the temporary bleachers. I wish they were a different color, as the blue is an eye sore and doesn't fit in, but I feel like they still allow a view of the skyline but in my opinion it completes the stadium. It is still a horeshoe, but fills the stadium in. Just my $0.02.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
This program (not just FB, the entire athletic program) needs all the revenue it can get. Extra seats = more paying fans = more revenue.
Another 3-thousand seats per game x $50 a ticket = 150,000 additional revenue x 7 home games = 1-million dollars in added revenue for the season.

If the U of M athletic department is so flush that it can turn down a million dollars in order to have a better view, that's wonderful. In my experience, money usually trumps aesthetics.
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+1
 

gopherjay said:
Its not a big deal. When my sources tell me I can say, I will.
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Until there is actual proof, I'll go with it's ready as there are ramps built and everything else indicates, the footings are just fine
 

MNfootballfan said:
I might be in the minority but I love the look of the temporary bleachers. I wish they were a different color, as the blue is an eye sore and doesn't fit in, but I feel like they still allow a view of the skyline but in my opinion it completes the stadium. It is still a horeshoe, but fills the stadium in. Just my $0.02.
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I believe they were 'salvaged' from the metrodome's basketall extra seating.
huberthhumphreymetrodom.jpg
 


short ornery norwegian said:
This program (not just FB, the entire athletic program) needs all the revenue it can get. Extra seats = more paying fans = more revenue.
Another 3-thousand seats per game x $50 a ticket = 150,000 additional revenue x 7 home games = 1-million dollars in added revenue for the season.

If the U of M athletic department is so flush that it can turn down a million dollars in order to have a better view, that's wonderful. In my experience, money usually trumps aesthetics.
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That's fine and dandy if we had people knocking down the door to sell out every game. However, there are plenty of tickets left for the rest of the season, and that's with an A+++ home schedule. Next year's home schedule isn't as sexy, and I find it hard to believe that we will sell out every game. I would LOVE it if we sold out with the temp seating, but I just don't see that happening next year. I'd hope they give it a couple years to see if the sellouts are a constant before adding seating.
 

stocker08 said:
Ummm.......I'm pretty sure that when the beer garden was open......beer was not sold at stands. When the temp seats went in (for the Vikings), they started selling beer throughout the stadium. If that continues after the temp seats are removed......you should have nothing to bitch about.
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Hey now, I have 2 lazy teenagers and an infant. My ability to bitch is virtually endless.
 


except for Wisconsin and Nebraska, they have had to run big discounts to get the last 3-5,000 seats sold every game.

even WI and NE required the pick two discount to get a bunch sold.

limit supply, and you increase the demand for season tickets and the premium charges for the season tickets.
 






gopherjay said:
Its not a big deal. When my sources tell me I can say, I will.
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The fundamental flaw with your argument is that you're assuming the addition is impossible without the footings being in place. Do you think they had footings in place at Camp Randall when they expanded? The Big House? Beaver Stadium?

Realistically if they were removed (which I'm not convinced they were) they may have been removed simply because they came up with an alternative support strategy if they ever go down that road.

Even if they were removed without a plan stuff like this happens all the time. As mentioned above, many stadiums get additions without having planned for them. Structural Engineering companies make a living off jobs like that.

Honestly, if you look at how many years it might be until the Gophers will need 10,000 additional seats, it may not have been a good investment to put the footings in right away when you consider the time value of money. Even if they have to do major renovation (e.g. knocking out parts of the side of the stadium) it may have paid for itself not to put them in.

Regarding the original subject, the #1 reason the seats won't stay is that the Vikings won't be paying for them. The problem is, if they aren't needed, even for some of the games, the rent on them is money down the drain. I have no idea how much it would cost to keep them or to make them permanent (and maroon) but I would imagine it's cost prohibitive with the current attendance.

Fundamentally, they should not expand TCF Bank Stadium until they have a season ticket waiting list long enough to fill the expansion.
 



Firejumper said:
I too, have seen the pedestrian ramps leading to the roof. Would be a huge gaff to build ramps with no footings.
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Not according to some here. I have been know to make fun of GopherHole experts but this is too much.:banghead:
 

I want to believe.

nPYD2sQ.jpg
 

Killjoy said:
The ramps for the additional seating were built when the stadium was originally erected. I have seen them and they truly do exist.:rolleyes:
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Alaska had the bridge to nowhere...we have the ramps to heaven.
 

Reading this thread one could come to the conclusion that the Gophers shouldn't keep the temp seats because they distract from the view and they can't fill them anyway. Instead they should add 10,000 seats upstairs. :drink:
 

I don’t know where this talk about the foundations is coming from, but I’d like to hear about it. I don't post much but have a lot of firsthand knowledge of the stadium's design. I personally helped design TCF Bank Stadium's foundations and various other components. I just looked at the plans again and saw the third deck concept and can say that the foundations were designed for future expansion. Since the stadium’s foundations are piles and not footings, it was critical to get those in place since getting a pile driving rig inside the building later would be a virtual impossibility.
 

16FeetUnder said:
I don’t know where this talk about the foundations is coming from, but I’d like to hear about it. I don't post much but have a lot of firsthand knowledge of the stadium's design. I personally helped design TCF Bank Stadium's foundations and various other components. I just looked at the plans again and saw the third deck concept and can say that the foundations were designed for future expansion. Since the stadium’s foundations are piles and not footings, it was critical to get those in place since getting a pile driving rig inside the building later would be a virtual impossibility.
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What about Jimmy Hoffa?

I heard they moved him to TCF...
 


16FeetUnder said:
I don’t know where this talk about the foundations is coming from, but I’d like to hear about it. I don't post much but have a lot of firsthand knowledge of the stadium's design. I personally helped design TCF Bank Stadium's foundations and various other components. I just looked at the plans again and saw the third deck concept and can say that the foundations were designed for future expansion. Since the stadium’s foundations are piles and not footings, it was critical to get those in place since getting a pile driving rig inside the building later would be a virtual impossibility.
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Thanks! You have proven once more that a lot of incorrect information is posted here. I was quite sure that the bold part above was the case. Also they built the ramps for the additions as part of the original construction. You sir are truly a GopherHole expert which is a very rare bird.:clap:
 

Killjoy said:
Thanks! You have proven once more that a lot of incorrect information is posted here. I was quite sure that the bold part above was the case since they built the ramps for the additions as part of the original construction. You sir are truly a GopherHole expert which is a very rare bird.:clap:
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Well so far the "can't do it, footings" thing is just some anonymous guy on the internet who can't provide any further info. Same goes with the guy who says he saw plans....

I'm inclined to believe they can do the expansion, but this is all very silly.

Pretty sure the Hoffa thing is legit though.
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
Well so far the "can't do it, footings" thing is just some anonymous guy on the internet who can't provide any further info. Same goes with the guy who says he saw plans....

I'm inclined to believe they can do the expansion, but this is all very silly.

Pretty sure the Hoffa thing is legit though.
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+1 I think this string should be closed on this note.
 

16FeetUnder said:
I don’t know where this talk about the foundations is coming from, but I’d like to hear about it. I don't post much but have a lot of firsthand knowledge of the stadium's design. I personally helped design TCF Bank Stadium's foundations and various other components. I just looked at the plans again and saw the third deck concept and can say that the foundations were designed for future expansion. Since the stadium’s foundations are piles and not footings, it was critical to get those in place since getting a pile driving rig inside the building later would be a virtual impossibility.
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Is there any chance you'd post a picture? I'm curious what the concept looked like. Where would the 3rd level be - in the endzone, between the 30's, whole north side, etc? Much appreciated!
 

pharmacygopher said:
Is there any chance you'd post a picture? I'm curious what the concept looked like. Where would the 3rd level be - in the endzone, between the 30's, whole north side, etc? Much appreciated!
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I'll see what I can do for a picture. It was a stick drawing concept and showed specifics on what additional loads were incorporated into the building, but not a specific layout. It's sort of open to future interpretation which is common. It clearly showed the future expansion completely covering the area between the end of the box seating all the way around to the edge of the open end. That expansion could be an additional deck, or maybe additional enclosed premium seating, or a combination.
 

Some parts of the plans that I have. There is lots more information on the drawings about it, but these are the visuals that I quickly found.
20151015_111730.jpg
20151015_111735.jpg
 



16FeetUnder said:
Some parts of the plans that I have. There is lots more information on the drawings about it, but these are the visuals that I quickly found.
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That's so cool. I've never seen any visual representations of the potential expansion. Thanks for sharing.
 


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