Things I'd Like To See Done to Davis Wade Stadium

[ShotgunDawg]

Was just kind of thinking about this. Here is a list of things I'd like to see done to make Davis Wade Stadium the best stadium in America

1. I would like to see covered seating. I believe this is the one thing MSU could do to Davis Wade to make it one of the premier stadiums in the America. Enough with the 98 degree games in September & sun blinding fans on the East side. Enough with students frying like an egg on asphalt. Lets cover the seating, reduce the temperature, & keep fans out of the elements. Would also increase the noise level in the stadium.

Something like Husky Stadium, the Seattle Seahawks stadium, or Ole Trafford would be amazing for the SEC & provide a unique environment.

http://seattletimes.com/ABPub/2013/08/24/2021682763.jpg

http://www.stadiumguide.com/wp-content/gallery/oldtrafford/oldtrafford8.jpg

2. Make the M-Club look like the rest of campus. Make it a "postcard" building. Or do nothing & just plan on expanding in that endzone within the next 5-10 years.

3. Update the pressbox & middle level of the West Side. Make it look legit & up to date

[Liverpooldawg]

I would say the most pressing NEED is to update the underside of the east stand to bring it up to the level of the rest of the stadium.

I doubt we will touch the M Club building in any major way till we get ready to do something definitive with the south end zone.


By the way, I like the covered stands idea. I do NOT want to use the bloody Mancs for an example of how to do it though. YOU WILL NEVER WALK ALONE!

[Taog Redloh]

I think we could pull off something like Miami's stadium: http://hardrockstadium.com/

[craigmid]

And please upgrade the sound system!

[EdDawg]

All I want is something to cover the scalding hot metal drink rest on the outside section of the gridiron club.

I know I'm not the only one to have burned their elbows or arms on that bar. I usually have to get a stack of napkins to place on front of me.

[MSUDawg99]

I'm all for it. I would just have to start using the earplugs that came with my battle bell or I'll most certainly be deaf by the end of the 1st Q. Talk about deafening noise!

[Lloyd Christmas]

Step 1: Demolish the west side upper deck and replace it to mirror the east side.
Step 2: Build infrastructure so we can have roofs over east and west decks like you mentioned

The only problem with step 2 is adding a roof of meaningful size requires large infrastructure stadium changes and would probably be very expensive.

ETA: Changed east and west above..my dumbass confused them

[Interpolation_Dawg_EX]

I would say the most pressing NEED is to update the underside of the east stand to bring it up to the level of the rest of the stadium.

I doubt we will touch the M Club building in any major way till we get ready to do something definitive with the south end zone.


By the way, I like the covered stands idea. I do NOT want to use the bloody Mancs for an example of how to do it though. YOU WILL NEVER WALK ALONE!

I could be wrong, but I think Tyson Lee said this was in the works.

[Maroonthirteen]

Yeah, it would be nice to demolish the WEST deck and match the East deck. Then put a roof over both with lights. Like Bryant Denny.

Realistically,
1. Replace bleachers with chairsbacks everywhere.
2. Expand north endzone scoreboard club to the sidelines. (It looks incomplete now and those cabanas...)
3. Redo west upper deck.
4. Add a section on east and west lower deck, southend.

[ShotgunDawg]

I think we could pull off something like Miami's stadium: http://hardrockstadium.com/

Outstanding idea and example.

I'm not really sure what the cost of doing this is but it seems so obvious.

It would really make Davis Wade unique and take our environment and stadium to the next level. Just seems like an incredibly obvious thing to do.

[ShotgunDawg]

Yeah, it would be nice to demolish the WEST deck and match the East deck. Then put a roof over both with lights. Like Bryant Denny.

Realistically,
1. Replace bleachers with chairsbacks everywhere.
2. Expand north endzone scoreboard club to the sidelines. (It looks incomplete now and those cabanas...)
3. Redo west upper deck.
4. Add a section on east and west lower deck, southend.

Screw making it look like Bryant Denny. Why do we continue to just chase them?

Take it to the next level and actually cover the seating. Bryant Denny's cover doesn't increase the noise level or cover the lower deck.

Let's do it right.

[Maroonthirteen]

BD was just an example off the top of my head.

Yeah, husky stadium or Man Us place are ideal. I just don't think it will realistically happen without redoing both upper decks.

[thf24]

And please upgrade the sound system!

Second this. Having a single, blaring audio source at the top of the stadium was a brain dead decision on someone's part. Can't make out what most of the content is saying from most parts of the stadium despite your eardrums bleeding from the volume level. Even 10-20 distributed speakers would make a huge difference and couldn't be that expensive in the grand scheme of things.

[Taog Redloh]

Step 1: Demolish the east side upper deck and replace it to mirror the west side.
Demolish something we just built like 14 years ago?

[Liverpooldawg]

Step 1: Demolish the east side upper deck and replace it to mirror the west side.
Step 2: Build infrastructure so we can have roofs over east and west decks like you mentioned

The only problem with step 2 is adding a roof of meaningful size requires large infrastructure stadium changes and would probably be very expensive.
Demolish the EAST side? Don't you mean the west side?

[Johnson85]

Realistically:

Bowl in around the MClub building. Build club level/suites into the West side. I'm guessing that would result in a slight decrease in seating capacity since bowling in while keeping the MClub would not add a lot of seats. If/when we have a need for more seating, take down the MClub and bowl in with something equivalent to the North side. I'm really not sure this will ever be a problem. I think we have roughly hit a peak in gross attendance numbers and that the thing to do in the future is offer more premium seating, even if it results in a decrease in capacity. Competition with watching at home or even just watching from the tailgate has gotten so stiff that the number of people who are willing to shell out to go sit on bleacher seats is going to decrease.

[Lloyd Christmas]

Demolish something we just built like 14 years ago?

I'm a dumb ass. Meant the other way around. Edited the post.

[DawgFromOxford]

1. Upgrade the sound system. From the student section, the noise and words are literally 2 seconds behind the person talking on screen.
2. Do something with those old metal ramps on each corner of the stadium. Put some brick on the ones on the west side to fit that side of the stadium.
3. Not something to the actual stadium but do something with Dorman Hall. I hate having that eye sore right next to the stadium. Either upgrade it or tear it down and build something new. (Don't have my hopes up for this one)

[BrunswickDawg]

First, redo underneath the east stands to match the west and the sound. Our long term trend is adding premium seats not bulking capacity, so that means the south endzone build to match the north is the next logical step. At completion of the SEZ, I'd pull all the bleachers on the east and west lower bowl and replace with chairbacks.

[gtowndawg]

I think the big Washington roof thing is meant more for rain purposes. A roof like that would only help temporary since the sun moves thru-out day games (of which we usually only have a couple). I'm not sure it would help the east side at all since it's more in your face instead of directly overhead. For Seattle Washington rain you know the roof investment will pay off no matter a day game or night game.

For ROI purposes, redoing the other endzone with premium seats, new locker room and recruiting facility, plus new video board seems more likely.

[ClangaDawg]

Chairbacks and a covered and we would be one of the best stadiums in South during September when it's hot and muggy. I would donate my share for those two items today!

[confucius say]

It needs an sec west championship banner

[jumbo]

Honestly, the first thing that needs to be done is completely revamp the recruit lounge in the m club building. I don't know how many of you have been in there, but it is horrible.

[Dawg-gone-dawgs]

I think the river might be hard to pull off...

[Bothrops]

My vote for the next major project

West side upper decks and press box:

The top deck expanded to match dimensions of upper east deck. Replace press box with brand new structure. Demolish middle deck, and expand it out to length, filled with premium offerings.

Project #2- south endzone and M-club building

[EAVdog]

Honestly, the first thing that needs to be done is completely revamp the recruit lounge in the m club building. I don't know how many of you have been in there, but it is horrible.

East side concourse, East side club, recruiting lounge and Gameday locker rooms are being 'master planned' right now. When it gets funded is up in the air.

They do need to go with distributed sound throughout the stadium. Covering, even just the East and West side would cost tens of millions. Hard to justify for 6-7 times a year.

[Apoplectic]

1-Replace all bleachers with chair backs in lower bowl along the sides
2-improve the dawg walk, relocate it, or generally upgrade it. It seems cheap and without much planning. Steal from others schools if necessary.

[EngDawg]

Blow up DORMAN!!!!!!!

[Gutter Cobreh]

If they add some sort of roof, can you imagine how loud DWS would become? The Orange Bowl was loud as hell sitting under the awnings, as the sound reverberates back down. You wouldn't need to upgrade the sound system as you wouldn't be able to hear anything anyway....

[BoomBoom]

Was just kind of thinking about this. Here is a list of things I'd like to see done to make Davis Wade Stadium the best stadium in America

1. I would like to see covered seating. I believe this is the one thing MSU could do to Davis Wade to make it one of the premier stadiums in the America. Enough with the 98 degree games in September & sun blinding fans on the East side. Enough with students frying like an egg on asphalt. Lets cover the seating, reduce the temperature, & keep fans out of the elements. Would also increase the noise level in the stadium.

Something like Husky Stadium, the Seattle Seahawks stadium, or Ole Trafford would be amazing for the SEC & provide a unique environment.

http://seattletimes.com/ABPub/2013/08/24/2021682763.jpg

http://www.stadiumguide.com/wp-content/gallery/oldtrafford/oldtrafford8.jpg

2. Make the M-Club look like the rest of campus. Make it a "postcard" building. Or do nothing & just plan on expanding in that endzone within the next 5-10 years.

3. Update the pressbox & middle level of the West Side. Make it look legit & up to date

Roofs are just too expensive.

Realistic alternative is to install a mesh screen. I saw this at a job site recently and it dropped the temperatue about 20 degrees. Would require no infrastructure upgrades, and could be run up for day games in September, taken down after every game when used, and just not run up for night games or cold late season games.

[whosyourdawgy]

***Maybe we need to rename the stadium DAVID Wade Stadium!?! 29 replies and not a single person has said anything about the thread title.

Putting roofs over the sideline seats will cause issues with shadows and our beautiful green grass field IMO. Get the East side revamped from the ground up first then set plans for the M Club endzone to be bowled in.

[Liverpooldawg]

Roofs are just too expensive.

Realistic alternative is to install a mesh screen. I saw this at a job site recently and it dropped the temperatue about 20 degrees. Would require no infrastructure upgrades, and could be run up for day games in September, taken down after every game when used, and just not run up for night games or cold late season games.

Agree, we won't ever spend that much for something that would return no revenue. The mesh idea is intriguing. That would be some out of the box thinking and should be explored.

[Bothrops]

I like the ambient beauty of surrounding campus and sky too much to want to cover anything with a large roof.

[archdog]

Realistically:

Bowl in around the MClub building. Build club level/suites into the West side. I'm guessing that would result in a slight decrease in seating capacity since bowling in while keeping the MClub would not add a lot of seats. If/when we have a need for more seating, take down the MClub and bowl in with something equivalent to the North side. I'm really not sure this will ever be a problem. I think we have roughly hit a peak in gross attendance numbers and that the thing to do in the future is offer more premium seating, even if it results in a decrease in capacity. Competition with watching at home or even just watching from the tailgate has gotten so stiff that the number of people who are willing to shell out to go sit on bleacher seats is going to decrease.

And hire a local architect for crying out loud.

[archdog]

I would renovate the west side upper deck boxes first.

Then I would demolish the MClub building and build something that matches the overall design motif of the north side, but it would be more of a building than a seating bowl.

On the south side, I would add premium seating, new MClub area that would look more like a large banquet hall with tiered seating like a sky box at the field side. Also at the new MClub hall, I would add a huge roof/patio that overlooks the junction with outdoor seating and a balcony level like a New Orleans balcony type of atmosphere.

[Liverpooldawg]

Whatever we do PLEASE don't make it symmetrical! Make sure the place has some character. It does now, sort of. Enhance what it has. A soulless bowl would really suck. Go look at Georgia Tech's place. Go look at any English stadium over 50 years old. Give each stand an identity.

[Liverpooldawg]

Whatever we do PLEASE don't make it symmetrical! Make sure the place has some character. It does now, sort of. Enhance what it has. A soulless bowl would really suck. Go look at Georgia Tech's place. Go look at any English stadium over 50 years old. Give each stand an identity.
Go look at Goodison Park ( forgive me my Red brothers). Go look at the redeveloped Anfield. Go look at Selhurst Park. Perhaps best of all go look at Craven Cottage. We can't recreate that, but we can use it.

[ScottH]

Create a Club with the 200 level and redo press box.

And sun blocking of some sort throughout

[DawgFromOxford]

Blow up DORMAN!!!!!!!

This guy gets it

[BoomBoom]

Agree, we won't ever spend that much for something that would return no revenue. The mesh idea is intriguing. That would be some out of the box thinking and should be explored.

https://armijos.wordpress.com/2014/07/08/world-cup-shade/

I picture a large fabric screen without much for supports, mostlt just hung from the top of the stadium all around, giving a georgia dome feel but much lighter fabric, maybe maroon with a logo on it.

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