Northwestern gets green light to build lakefront athletic facility - $220M+ cost

[maroonfive]

I made my first trip to Ryan Field for the game last fall. It is an embarrassment to the Big Ten. There are absolutely dirt floors and port a potties inside the stadium. The actual plumbed bathrooms aren't much better. There is no doubt that there are many nicer high school football stadiums in the country. I never saw it, but I don't doubt that Memorial Stadium was in better shape than Ryan Field is now...and I mean in 1993, after it sat empty for 12 years.

You were on the same side I was, the east side of the stadium underneath. The concessions were a joke. The whole area is surrounded by beautiful neighborhoods and homes and here is this dump plopped right in the middle. I didn't know the basketball arena was on the north side until I walked by. It is a beautiful area except for the stadium which really is not on campus. The fans however were great.

 

[gopherMD]

I have been to Ryan Field for the past 2 years. It is mediocre to say the least. NU has a huge endowment and a lot of wealthy alumni. They have a beautiful campus on the shores of Lake Michigan. My guess is that a new stadium is on the drawing board with the Wildcats playing at Soldier Field for a season.

 

[Gopher Bandanna Guy]

When is Teague going to give us an honest update about the facilities fundraising? Every month that goes by without any update or report of a major gift, I become less and less impressed with Teague.

Isn't this the same attitude the media put upon Teague during his basketball coach search? The whole, "Why isn't he telling us anything? He must not know what he's doing or isn't up to the job...". A lack of updates doesn't mean a lack of funds being raised. You might be right to worry, you might not. Several major donors could be out there with uncashed checks for all we know. But they may not want to be revealed until the entire sum is raised, or have other reasons.

By and large, Teague has demonstrated that he is a very competent AD. Let him do his job, and quit expecting to see a little meter with $190 MM on the top gradually filling up. In the meantime, I suggest we all donate some $$ to the U - athletics, academics, or both.

 

[die hard gopher]

So of the 190 million that would be put forward facilities if we ever manage to achieve that how much of that 190 would go to just football facilities? Oregon has the consensus best football complex in the country and it costed 68 million. I was also looking at some of the other facilities and Tennessee's costed 50 million and they may have maybe have the best in the SEC. I would think 50-60 of that 190 million would definitely go to just football facilities. That is if we ever manage to raise 190 million.

 

[AeroGopher]

So of the 190 million that would be put forward facilities if we ever manage to achieve that how much of that 190 would go to just football facilities? Oregon has the consensus best football complex in the country and it costed 68 million. I was also looking at some of the other facilities and Tennessee's costed 50 million and they may have maybe have the best in the SEC. I would think 50-60 of that 190 million would definitely go to just football facilities. That is if we ever manage to raise 190 million.

What isn't clear to me is if the $190M is just for the one large "New Bierman/Gibson-Nagurski" building with everything in it or if it also includes the new Track facility. Either way, I can easily see 50 million of the project being football focused. There must be a lot of cost savings opportunity having everything together in one building as opposed to multiple structures spread out.

I would guess in the new facility they would look to re-use the existing football practice locker rooms that they just re-did.

One of the cool aspects of Northwestern's facility is that it's right on the lake. I wonder if there's something cool we could do with a view towards downtown?

 

[WindyCityGopher]

I have been to Ryan Field for the past 2 years. It is mediocre to say the least. NU has a huge endowment and a lot of wealthy alumni. They have a beautiful campus on the shores of Lake Michigan. My guess is that a new stadium is on the drawing board with the Wildcats playing at Soldier Field for a season.

As I understand it, they're raising funds to renovate Ryan Field. I don't know if that's part of the $220M they're currently in the process of raising or if it's incremental. But yes, it is a crap hole. Very easy to get great tickets for cheap though, which is always nice.

 

[wait!what?]

As I understand it, they're raising funds to renovate Ryan Field. I don't know if that's part of the $220M they're currently in the process of raising or if it's incremental. But yes, it is a crap hole. Very easy to get great tickets for cheap though, which is always nice.

u wait until the NCAA is gone and the privates can do whatever they please.