Questions on TCF Stadium

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station19

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1. Has anyone seen a photo/rendering of TCF with the 10-30,000 additional seats?

2. Was it a mistake to have only the one concourse at present time. I assume there will be an additional concourse with expansion.
 

The one concourse is my biggest issue with the entire stadium. I wonder if they can put additional restrooms and/or concessions on the top part? This would help quite a bit.
 

I'm guessing if there is expansion, we'll see that upper concourse level get additional amenities to accommodate the increased capacity.
 

did I miss something? Is there talk of an expansion?
 

It's always good to examine your longterm goals by looking 10+ years into the future.
 


It's interesting how soon we forget. This concourse is more than twice as wide as the Metrodome, has an open view to the field, and is handling a third less people. It's congested for 15 minutes of half time and 10 minutes after the game ends. You don't design a stadium for luxury comfort for those 25 minutes.

That said, the pilings for the addition to the stadium have already been constructed. They were placed under the visitor's side and on the open end. I would think that the addition seating would be a second deck on the visitors side. That second deck would have a concourse located where the upper walkway is currently located. Whether it is a full deck with full amenities is hard to determine. Bathrooms? Likely. Full concessions? Maybe not.

Adding seating to the open end would suck esthetically--we need the plaza and the view.
 

highwayman said:
That said, the pilings for the addition to the stadium have already been constructed. They were placed under the visitor's side and on the open end. I would think that the addition seating would be a second deck on the visitors side. That second deck would have a concourse located where the upper walkway is currently located. Whether it is a full deck with full amenities is hard to determine. Bathrooms? Likely. Full concessions? Maybe not.

Adding seating to the open end would suck esthetically--we need the plaza and the view.
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The additional seating would be another deck on the visitor's side/closed end that would wrap into the press box/luxury seating. The open end will remain open so no worries there. I don't recall anything from the tour I got back in '08 that talked about what an upper concourse would be like. But as someone pointed out in a different thread a while back, there is a lot of room behind the current walkway so it would seem logical that they could put some basic concession/restroom facilities up there (hopefully).
 

I had 2 dimensional drawings of the expansion in front of me during design. I don't have them anymore so I can't post them. It was essentially just a third deck exactly as you'd expect, a little steeper than the deck below. There was an additional concourse, but I don't know if it had bathrooms or concessions. There are no additional foundations in the open end of the stadium as someone mentioned above. The foundations were designed for the present plus likely future condition around the visitors' side and closed end. Who knows what the university wants when/if they actually expand.
 

All this talk of expansion makes me wonder the AD feels they actually signed a football coach who will win. We will see.
 



How much time would it take to expand the stadium to 80,000 capacity? With the possibility of the Vikings playing at TCF in 2012 and 2013 at the least, would expansion likely happen sooner than later or will it take place after 2013 at the earliest? I doubt the Vikings would want to play to the 52,000 seat capacity that TCF currently has but would the Vikings pay for some of the expansion to get it ready for them in 2012 when it looks like they will play at TCF?
 

2 no it wasn't. They designed it like they designed it for the open concourse concept. If you wanted a second concourse you would lose that (they wouldn't stack 2 because it would completely throw off sightline and aesthetics.)

I have had no problems with bathrooms or concession in either season at the stadium so I guess I never understand the complaining. I have had problems with idiots who see the wider concourse as and excuse to stop and post up in the middle of where everyone is walking.
 

Even considering expansion in the next 5 years (at minimum) is so stupid that it's something the University might actually do.
 

They won't consider it. If they Cant find 20-35 million for a baseball stadium and practice facility, where are they going to find 80+ million for an expansion?
 



Rosemountian said:
They won't consider it. If they Cant find 20-35 million for a baseball stadium and practice facility, where are they going to find 80+ million for an expansion?
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Minnesota Vikings.
 


dpodoll68 said:
Even considering expansion in the next 5 years (at minimum) is so stupid that it's something the University might actually do.
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That's what I fear. Hopefully sanity will win out. Thankfully there are a lot of hurdles in the way that will hopefully allow common sense to prevail.
 

goldfan24 said:
How much time would it take to expand the stadium to 80,000 capacity? With the possibility of the Vikings playing at TCF in 2012 and 2013 at the least, would expansion likely happen sooner than later or will it take place after 2013 at the earliest? I doubt the Vikings would want to play to the 52,000 seat capacity that TCF currently has but would the Vikings pay for some of the expansion to get it ready for them in 2012 when it looks like they will play at TCF?
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Honestly if they wanted to do it probably take a year or less. Much of the prep work is done. That being said there's no way they will do it until they have a 10,000 fan waiting list for season tickets.

I would see the Vikes wanting to play at TCF Bank Stadium long before playing in Ames or Madison (next closest stadiums of larger capacity), regardless of there only being 50,000 seats. Of course, that's assuming they even build on the Dome site. I think the Vikes will look into some type of temporary seating at the open end for their games (they just really didn't have time to accomplish that before the Chicago game). Likely the Vikes would pay for coils in the field and upgrades to consessions stands to be workable for cold temperatures, but there's no way the Vikes or the U would expand the stadium for 10 - 20 games total, just to have it empty after that.
 

Lakeville Goldy said:
Honestly if they wanted to do it probably take a year or less. Much of the prep work is done. That being said there's no way they will do it until they have a 10,000 fan waiting list for season tickets.

I would see the Vikes wanting to play at TCF Bank Stadium long before playing in Ames or Madison (next closest stadiums of larger capacity), regardless of there only being 50,000 seats. Of course, that's assuming they even build on the Dome site. I think the Vikes will look into some type of temporary seating at the open end for their games (they just really didn't have time to accomplish that before the Chicago game). Likely the Vikes would pay for coils in the field and upgrades to consessions stands to be workable for cold temperatures, but there's no way the Vikes or the U would expand the stadium for 10 - 20 games total, just to have it empty after that.
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I think the Arden Hills and Star Tribune property are most likely for the Vikings and both would allow for the Vikings to finish out in the Dome. I don't think it is a worry anymore.
 


It is my understanding that if the Vikings played a couple seasons at the brickhouse, temp seating could be added in the end zone and perhaps elsewhere to bring up the current capacity another 10K or so. That would make it very close to current Metrodome capacity.

That situation would NOT be related to the long term prospects of actually expanding TCF. For that, as others have said, it would NOT involve (much) additional seating in the west end zone area but it would involve a third deck that would extend from the NW side of the stadium around to the press box on the SE side.

One solution is temporary... with the Vikings in mind, while the other is long term with the college football team success in mind. Two different configurations for two different potential needs.
 

The Gophers should never expand the stadium, even after a Rose Bowl run (if there ever is one). Average fan levels for the area are always going to be around 50k, after a great run demand would shoot up, but once the play returned to mediocrity or average results the fan support would return to the current 50k level. Most years the current set up is going to be just right for the fan base and expansion would only invite Hawkeye and Badger fans to come just like the Metrodome. I would rather have the ticket be really hard to get after a successful season than have tons of open seats and opposing fans the majority of years.
 

Ski U Master said:
The Gophers should never expand the stadium, even after a Rose Bowl run (if there ever is one). Average fan levels for the area are always going to be around 50k, after a great run demand would shoot up, but once the play returned to mediocrity or average results the fan support would return to the current 50k level. Most years the current set up is going to be just right for the fan base and expansion would only invite Hawkeye and Badger fans to come just like the Metrodome. I would rather have the ticket be really hard to get after a successful season than have tons of open seats and opposing fans the majority of years.
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I think we can handle at least 60K, probably more if we prove to have a program that can consistently show its fans quality football and competitiveness in the Big Ten. We haven't had that sans a couple of the Mason years really in a very long time. But yeah, they gotta show it for an extended period first, like at least 10 years, before I'd talk about expansion.
 

I really like the idea of an 80,000 seat stadium just because I love seeing a packed SEC stadium. Lets be honest though we can't even get 5,000 students to show up, how would we ever fill that short of giving away tickets.
 

gopherfreak15 said:
I really like the idea of an 80,000 seat stadium just because I love seeing a packed SEC stadium. Lets be honest though we can't even get 5,000 students to show up, how would we ever fill that short of giving away tickets.
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Sad but true.
 

Rosemountian said:
I have had no problems with bathrooms or concession in either season at the stadium so I guess I never understand the complaining. I have had problems with idiots who see the wider concourse as and excuse to stop and post up in the middle of where everyone is walking.
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:clap::clap::clap:

Thank you. There are too many people just milling around at halftime. I'm all for talking to your buddies but either take it to the edges of the concourse or go to the beautiful plaza in the open end of the stadium.
 

50K is the perfect size for us. The LA stadium is perfectly sized for the Vikings.
 

No need to add any additional seating to tcf if the Vikes end up playing there.....they couldn't get 30,000 to show up against the Bears and that was with Brett Favre.
 

To the original comments on the concourse, there is no issue. The concourse flows well with the exception of people stopping to talk in the middle of it during halftime. Otherwise I fail to see how anyone could have a problem with the concourse.
 

GoGophers2005 said:
No need to add any additional seating to tcf if the Vikes end up playing there.....they couldn't get 30,000 to show up against the Bears and that was with Brett Favre.
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In a blizzard. If not for the blizzard they would have had more people at the game. Many fans couldn't get to the game in time because of the blizzard. In fact the blizzard shut down the whole town.
 


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