Davis Wade Renovation Idea

[ShotgunDawg]

Just to add a conversation thread for today, I was thinking about what I'd like done to Davis Wade in the near future.

I realize that renovating the East side concourse is the top priority, but that isn't really fun to talk about.

To preface this, I think we are less than 10 years away from tearing down the M-Club building & expanding the South endzone to match the North endzone. So, with that in mind, I don't think it makes much sense to spend a ton of money tearing down the M-Club and building something new.

With this in mind, hear is what I think MSU should do"

With the SEC Network, we are now playing more late afternoon & night games than at any point in MSU history. However, even with two major expansions, Davis Wade is still using the same lighting that was installed in 1986.

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http://i2.wp.com/insidemsusports.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/10/files/2014/11/Davis-Wade-Stadium-night.jpg

I think it's time to match the our lights to our stadium & upgrade the stadium at the same time. I think MSU should build a roof, like at Bryant Denny, Heinz Field, Husky Stadium, Kyle Field renovation, etc... & add the lights to the roof.

This would enhance the stadium in the following ways:

1. Modernize the lighting
2. Provide shade to all seats on the East side & both upper decks along with shelter from rain, which could only make the upper decks more comfortable & help ticket sales.
3. Improve the acoustics & noise levels in the stadium
4. Make the stadium look more intimidating & professional

http://cdn.cstatic.net/images/gridfs/51e4327cf92ea15323016f77/BO_WHbvCAAE2top.jpg-large.jpeg
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[MabenMaroon]

I want a retractable roof for DWS and PD-DNF; DWS for those late Aug/Sept games with the 11:20 kickoff or late Nov night games, PD-DNF for late Feb or March games when it is 39 "17" degrees and the wind is at about 10+mph or when it rains for both venues. I am an absolute wimp when it comes to spectating sports in weather extremes.***

[dawgoneyall]

Yes. Let's put a lake where Dorman resides. This is if the National Historical Society will allow.

[Maroonthirteen]

I like the idea of the roof. I have sat in Bryant Denny and had the same thought, along with chairbacks. But before that....

Chairbacks throughout the stadium. Add a section off the south end of the east and west side to really enclose the place.

I hope when we renovate the west. We make the quarter deck and upper extend to match the west lower. Make the quarter level a plush club level and 1st class press box.

[smootness]

We are not less than 10 years away from bowling in the other endzone, not even close. The next expansion will be to add an upper deck to the North endzone; in fact, the last addition was built with this already in mind and planned. That would add plenty of seats. I'll be surprised if they ever bowl in the other endzone.

[ShotgunDawg]

We are not less than 10 years away from bowling in the other endzone, not even close. The next expansion will be to add an upper deck to the North endzone; in fact, the last addition was built with this already in mind and planned. That would add plenty of seats. I'll be surprised if they ever bowl in the other endzone.

Well, the mast plan for the stadium calls for it to be completely bowled in, &, personally, I believe it would be highly ridiculous to add an upper deck to the North endzone before bowling in the South. That's LT thinking right there.....

https://sdnmsu.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/uvovkfcwdpboigo_20110504162409.jpg?w=300&h=193

[Dawg496]

We should bowl in the other side and and chairback both sidelines to decrease the seat count. Would look way better and still not push capacity above what we could pull.

[BossDawg]

Well, the mast plan for the stadium calls for it to be completely bowled in, &, personally, I believe it would be highly ridiculous to add an upper deck to the North endzone before bowling in the South.

I think so, too. Bowling in the stadium would be more intimidating.

[ScottH]

At an informal baseball stadium presentation, Davis Wade came up in casual conversation.

I understood from the AD staffer presenting that the "bowling in" was most likely next with more premium seats.

They summary take home point was the next move wouldn't add lots of seats and those added would be exclusively premium. Sorta implied they felt they could sell whatever premium they built. Not so much on normal seating.

Also somewhere on the table is clubbing the 200's on the west side. That seems like a no brainer. A good bit of the infrastructure is already there.

[Bothrops]

I personally don't care if we ever bowl in the south endzone. I like having an open air feel, and being able to see into the stadium from the junction. I'd like to see a matching, or close to matching upper deck on the west side to match the east. Add a modern press box to that, and I'm good to go for a long long time.

[War Machine Dawg]

I personally don't care if we ever bowl in the south endzone. I like having an open air feel, and being able to see into the stadium from the junction. I'd like to see a matching, or close to matching upper deck on the west side to match the east. Add a modern press box to that, and I'm good to go for a long long time.

This is by far the MOST NEEDED upgrade to DWS. It isn't even close.

[Todd4State]

As far as the M-Club goes- my parents sit there when they go to games and it is NOT good.

Everyone has to get their own chair and drag it by the window and hope that some former basketball player like Erick Dampier doesn't show up and sit in front of you. It's almost impossible to see the game from inside the M-Club. You have old men trying to stand on chairs and things like that.

It needs to be like a concourse on the inside with outside seating.

The other thing is the M-Club room is apparently soundproof. You can't hear the crowd cheering or the band or anything. It's weird to watch something happen and see the crowd cheer, but not actually hear anything.

[smootness]

Well, the mast plan for the stadium calls for it to be completely bowled in, &, personally, I believe it would be highly ridiculous to add an upper deck to the North endzone before bowling in the South. That's LT thinking right there.....

https://sdnmsu.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/uvovkfcwdpboigo_20110504162409.jpg?w=300&h=193

Why is that idea ridiculous?

1464

[ShotgunDawg]

Why is that idea ridiculous?

1464

The Horshoe is basically bowled in all the way around.

Adding an upper deck to the North Endzone doesn't bring much to the atmosphere of the stadium & likely doesn't include any premium seating, since your only adding an upper deck.

By bowling in the South endzone, you are able to make the stadium louder, a better atmosphere, & also add the same premium seating that you see in the North endzone.

IMO, it was a big mistake for LT to add two upper decks before bowling in one of the endzones. We've made up for it finally, but great atmospheres are created by having the maximum amount of people close to the field and in a seating arrangement where noise can't escape.

[ShotgunDawg]

I personally don't care if we ever bowl in the south endzone. I like having an open air feel, and being able to see into the stadium from the junction. I'd like to see a matching, or close to matching upper deck on the west side to match the east. Add a modern press box to that, and I'm good to go for a long long time.

I can respect this, as I too enjoy the view from the Juntion. However, this is something I'm willing to sacrifice in order to have one of the best stadiums & gameday atmospheres in college football.

[ShotgunDawg]

As far as the M-Club goes- my parents sit there when they go to games and it is NOT good.

Everyone has to get their own chair and drag it by the window and hope that some former basketball player like Erick Dampier doesn't show up and sit in front of you. It's almost impossible to see the game from inside the M-Club. You have old men trying to stand on chairs and things like that.

It needs to be like a concourse on the inside with outside seating.

The other thing is the M-Club room is apparently soundproof. You can't hear the crowd cheering or the band or anything. It's weird to watch something happen and see the crowd cheer, but not actually hear anything.

Yes, the M-Club is horrible. I have no idea why it still exist.

If we are going to bowl in the South endzone within 10 years, then I don't think you do much to the M Club, outside of possibly a minor renovation.

However, if you aren't going to bowl in the endzone for 20+ years, then I think you basically tear down the M-Club & build a beautiful building there that emulates the architecture of Lee Hall or the Union.

Currently, the M-Club is an embarrassment to our gorgeous stadium. We have this beautiful, brick stadium full of video boards and a lot of what people see on TV is a 70's style architecture, stucco field house that looks really out of place.

[Howboutdemdogs]

Can you imagine the noise we can generate with our bells in a bowled stadium? If you ever gone to Bristol for a race, your ears will ring for 3 days. There is no escape for the sound, it just stays there echoing. Other teams will not have a chance against us.

[Dawg496]

I think the East side concourse and west side pressbox to club/skybox/new pressbox renovation have to be 1A and 1B at this point for sure.

Considering expansion, why would we add a upper deck to the NEZ when we just installed that new videoboard there? We'd have to tear that down and although it may be able to be re-purposed, I don't really see where it goes since we already have the original bigass jumbotron on the other side. So it only makes sense we attack the SEZ first. From strictly a competitive advantage point of view, we have to go with the SEZ bowling in since it provides:

1) A stadium which actually looks like an SEC stadium. Even though Ole Miss' bowling in their end zone isn't really going to do much for them in terms of seats, besides Vandy we'll be the only non-bowled in stadium in the SEC.
2) Containing even more noise in the stadium is going to make it that much tougher for opposing teams to play there.
3) No more premium seating can go in the NEZ if all we are doing is adding a upper deck. What do we do with the Scoreboard club? Expand it to the sides or just build a deck that wide above it? Doesn't really make much sense without considerable destruction/remodeling of our newest expansion.

I sincerely hope our next focus is on the SEZ (after the 1A and 1B above, of course). Who knows, maybe Scott and the team are thinking up something even more grand. Personally I wouldn't mind a brand new M-club being constructed which connects both grandstands, and is taller. Throw some condos on top like the Dudy Noble renovation and it would be a first class venue without adding any seats and plenty more premium revenue. Not to mention we'd be the only facility in college football and maybe any sports that did something like that. Definitely would be unique and hit all three points above.

[AROB44]

Not sure any addition is needed in the next 10 years (except updated press box). Current capacity seems about right to me.

[ShotgunDawg]

Not sure any addition is needed in the next 10 years (except updated press box). Current capacity seems about right to me.

I completely agree that the stadium is the correct size right now. However, we are about to sell 50,000 season tickets. If this program continues to sustain 7-10 win seasons, I could see us needing to expand in 10 or so years. In a 61,000 seat stadium, it's tough to sell many more than 50,000 season tickets. So, at some point, you either raise the price of season tickets, which doesn't do much to build your fanbase, begins to lockout fans with less expendable income, & really only raises more money, or you expand to meet the demand.

For comparison, LSU sells about 73,000 season tickets a year for a 102,000 seat stadium. We are about to sell 50,000 for a 61,000 seat stadium.

[BrunswickDawg]

3) No more premium seating can go in the NEZ if all we are doing is adding a upper deck. What do we do with the Scoreboard club? Expand it to the sides or just build a deck that wide above it? Doesn't really make much sense without considerable destruction/remodeling of our newest expansion.


You obviously missed the part of the stadium planning process where they emphasized that a second deck of suites and an upper deck expansion were part of the design for the NEZ. Nothing existing would have be removed. Now, I agree I would rather see the SEZ first, but your assumptions about the NEZ are completely wrong - we don't design crap expansions that lock in our future like OM does.

[PendingTransaction]

Build something that provides cover for the scoreboard seating.

[ShotgunDawg]

One other thing I'd like to see.

In whatever is built in the South endzone, whether it be bowled in or a new M-Club, I'd like to see an MSU Athletics Hall of Fame & Museum located in it that would be open to the public.

This is long overdue IMO. Along with our own fans, there are so many people from different parts of the country that go through Starkville & stop to see the stadium, that it would be great to have an athletic museum located in such an accessible spot.

Think about it: where can MSU fans go to appreciate, learn, & see our history? We have nothing. There is a Hall of Fame around the concourse of the Hump, but it's primitive. It would be great to walk into a museum that connects to the Junction and see the Egg Bowl Trophy, some statues of players & coaches, Bowl trophies, old uniforms, etc....

Building pride & tradition is made that much tougher when the fan base has no access to the history & tradition of the school

[Bothrops]

One other thing I'd like to see.

In whatever is built in the South endzone, whether it be bowled in or a new M-Club, I'd like to see an MSU Athletics Hall of Fame & Museum located in it that would be open to the public.

This is long overdue IMO. Along with our own fans, there are so many people from different parts of the country that go through Starkville & stop to see the stadium, that it would be great to have an athletic museum located in such an accessible spot.

Think about it: where can MSU fans go to appreciate, learn, & see our history? We have nothing. There is a Hall of Fame around the concourse of the Hump, but it's primitive. It would be great to walk into a museum that connects to the Junction and see the Egg Bowl Trophy, some statues of players & coaches, Bowl trophies, old uniforms, etc....

Absolutely agree. We could do some innovative things and make it different and better than anything anyone else has done.

[ShotgunDawg]

Absolutely agree. We could do some innovative things and make it different and better than anything anyone else has done.

No doubt. Alabama has the Bryant Museum & they use it as a place to share their history. I think it's great. I also think it helps recruiting in that kids & recruits get to see the history & pride of the school & program.

Not many SEC schools have this, that I'm aware of, but I think it would be a tremendous addition that should be done sooner rather that later.

[Johnson85]

They summary take home point was the next move wouldn't add lots of seats and those added would be exclusively premium. Sorta implied they felt they could sell whatever premium they built. Not so much on normal seating.

Also somewhere on the table is clubbing the 200's on the west side. That seems like a no brainer. A good bit of the infrastructure is already there.

I think this is exactly right. Short of a decade run of consistently being in the running for a playoff spot, I don't see us needing more seating for the foreseeable future. We need more premium seating to keep people coming to the game and paying more rather than opting for an at home experience that is getting better and better. If some of the west side can be converted into club level seating, that would be obvious. I'm assuming there's not an easy way to do that (or at least not a way that will feel as nice as other club level seating) or we would have done that before the endzone expansion. I really like the idea of more chairbacks. It's probably too soon now after the recent reseating, but maybe in five years I think they should offer chairbacks on the sideline with the idea that they will add enough chairbacks to meet demand. Just have to price it where one chairback brings in more revenue than the one and whatever normal seats it takes up.

[Dawg496]

You obviously missed the part of the stadium planning process where they emphasized that a second deck of suites and an upper deck expansion were part of the design for the NEZ. Nothing existing would have be removed. Now, I agree I would rather see the SEZ first, but your assumptions about the NEZ are completely wrong - we don't design crap expansions that lock in our future like OM does.

My apologies, I did indeed miss it. Would it be above the existing scoreboard club? If so would it be limited to the scoreboard club width? At the very minimum I assume we have to remove the video board. Is this not correct? What does the plan look like?

[Dawg496]

No doubt. Alabama has the Bryant Museum & they use it as a place to share their history. I think it's great. I also think it helps recruiting in that kids & recruits get to see the history & pride of the school & program.

Not many SEC schools have this, that I'm aware of, but I think it would be a tremendous addition that should be done sooner rather that later.

Do it and call it the Cristil Museum. That guy saw just about everything worth putting in a museum anyway.

[ShotgunDawg]

Do it and call it the Cristil Museum. That guy saw just about everything worth putting in a museum anyway.

Absolutely

[Dawg496]

Absolutely

Present the SEC Championship rings at the basketball game against Northern and unleash the drawings / start fundraising then. We'll probably have enough to break ground by the next off season.

[ShotgunDawg]

Present the SEC Championship rings at the basketball game against Northern and unleash the drawings / start fundraising then. We'll probably have enough to break ground by the next off season.

I don't disagree that a museum should have been built yesterday, but it's really important that it's done correctly, & IMO putting it in whatever structure that will be in the South Endzone is imperative to maximize it's impact & success. Therefore, some decision about what structure will be in the South endzone is a must before the museum project can go forward.

[BrunswickDawg]

My apologies, I did indeed miss it. Would it be above the existing scoreboard club? If so would it be limited to the scoreboard club width? At the very minimum I assume we have to remove the video board. Is this not correct? What does the plan look like?
I tried finding some of the images but couldn't find them on the Google machine...
If I recall correctly, the scoreboard club stayed in place. The second level of suites flanked either side, then the second deck wrapped around the jumbotron. I wish I could find it because it looked really cool.

As good as the suites are in the NEZ - I think they could sell a second level of those out fast.

[Maroonthirteen]

Yep. MSU did an excellent job with that NEZ addition. But the one...ONE...critique...it looks a bit unfinished up top. I think the next endzone expansion (north or south) needs to extended the scoreboard seating from sideline to sideline. Or transform that open area to luxury suites. WHichever the University believes they could sell out easily.

The west quarterdeck.......the concourse that serves the quarterdeck is very small. There will need to be some additional construction done to add space behind (west) to fit nicer restrooms, lounge area, lockers etc etc.

Also, another outside the box idea I had. At Neyland stadium and Ben Hill Griffin, the press box is at the very top of the stadium. Way way up there. You could remove the press box from the current location. Make that entire 200 level area, club and/or suites. Then build a press box (similar to OMs) above the west upper deck. That would be a huge project but something you could do in conjunction with the renovation of the 200 level.