Darth Wolverine

January 15th, 2013 at 4:32 PM ^

That screen will be awesome. It would suck to sit underneath it. Also, how the hell does UNfreakingLV get an awesome stadium like that?

MaizeNBlueTexan

January 15th, 2013 at 4:36 PM ^

Read this last night, the fact they are going to spend 800 million on a stadium holding less that 70k seats baffles me.

When I first saw the 800 million dollar figure I feared it would surpass Michigan's seating capacity. Then I read further, and it isn't just going to be the school's stadium, but also used for events and won't have 70k seats.

It would help with recruiting, but I don't see this really turning much of a profit once they sink that much dough into it. Thinking big is good but 800 million seems super agressive. 

turtleboy

January 15th, 2013 at 4:40 PM ^

So kind of like Jerry World, the stadium will be a destination, and host a buttload of events, and also be the home stadium for 7 UNLV games a year. I like how instead of calling the 100 yard jumbotron a big ass screen they call it a "multimedia immersive experience." I'm sure that's the first thing that will come to mind for visitors to the stadium: "What an incredible multimedia immersive experience I'm having!" lol

profitgoblue

January 15th, 2013 at 4:45 PM ^

WTF is going on in this country?  Talk about people having too much money just sitting around.  I'll be interested to see who is financing it.  For some reason I hope it fails - not sure why, though.

 

True Blue Grit

January 15th, 2013 at 4:52 PM ^

The U.S. has to be the only country where $800 million dollar stadiums are being built while tens of millions of people live in poverty, our roads and bridges are falling apart, the education system is not even in the top 20 worldwide, and we're trillions of dollars in debt as a nation.  Makes sense to me. 

jmblue

January 15th, 2013 at 5:49 PM ^

I wouldn't say that.  The world is full of egomaniac politicians who love the glamour of big, expensive white elephants.  Just look at how many cities covet the Olympics.  Montreal just recently finishing paying off the 1976 Games.  London's tab's going to take awhile to pay off, too.

 

jmblue

January 16th, 2013 at 8:07 AM ^

I suppose, but looking at how Athens has fared (and for that matter Beijing - it doesn't get as much press, probably because of censorship, but they are believed to have lost a ton of money), the Olympics seems like a pretty awful deal, financially speaking, for a city/country.  And yet politicians everywhere want them. 

LSAClassOf2000

January 15th, 2013 at 5:12 PM ^

I would love to know where UNLV fits ther contribution - if any -  into the budget. Their 2011 athletic department revenue, per USA Today's database, was abour $60 million against $60 million or so in expenses, and this is with the 52.4% subsidy from the university thrown in. Right now, the facilities costs for the athletic dpeartment sit around $13 million. That being  said, they are apparently looking to create a tax-emexpt district near the proposed location, along with getting pledges from hotels and casinos. My guess would be what someone said above basically - it would become a Las Vegas venue that UNLV happens to use, if built. 

B-Nut-GoBlue

January 15th, 2013 at 4:54 PM ^

I'm on the same page as one of the comments from the Dr. Saturday page, keeping in mind I've a pretty savvy and knowledgable football fan, "UNLV has a footbal team?"

I seriously can't remember the last time I've heard of UNLV football.  After thinking for about ten seconds I realize they're in the Mountain West, but still.

Geary_maize

January 15th, 2013 at 5:00 PM ^

This sounds like a ploy to get UNLV admitted to the Pac 12, though I'm not sure if the Pac 12 would allow that ever.

And isn't that huge screen and ugly track money sinks? Don't they need those areas for premier seating and club suites? How else are they going to get people to pay for a stadium with a decent at best football team?

Dutch Ferbert

January 15th, 2013 at 5:15 PM ^

"And it will be odd that the stadium that might produce the biggest "Wow!" factor in college football hosts a program that barely registers in the sport right now."

Brandon will not allow another stadium to have bigger WOW moments than Michigan Stadium. UNLV will curl up in a collective fetal position after Dave Brandon shows them what "Wow! factor" really means.

Blazefire

January 15th, 2013 at 5:20 PM ^

Look at that render.

"Come to UNLV games and sit only 40 yards from the action!"

Seriously, these things are designed by architechtural firms. Everybody working there must have gone to college. Why, oh why, do they all forget the joy of the college stadium, sitting practically right on the field. Not watching the action, but a part of it.

eamus_caeruli (not verified)

January 15th, 2013 at 5:30 PM ^

I guess my take on this is why wouldn't MLB perk right up and think about moving Tampa Bay to Vegas.  Between Vegas, Nebraska and North Carolina, those all seem to be the most logical destination to move a MLB franchise that is struggling with attendance and profit margins.  If they do build that stadium, MLB has to look into it, even though the project is being proported as a multi-user/football venue.  

the Glove

January 15th, 2013 at 5:42 PM ^

So if the roof opens up, will there be a glare on the jumbotron? You figure at some point during a day game the Sun will be at an angle causing one, they have to have the field facing north and south.

NinjaDMM

January 15th, 2013 at 6:10 PM ^

This has been in the works forever out here. I will never believe it until I see it, but it's getting national attention now. This is definitely a move to get to the PAC-whatever in the future. There are already 3 conference basketball tournaments here, they will try to host the PAC 12 football championship game here, a mwc football title game as well.



We already have spring training baseball games (2 Cubs games), LA Lakers basketball preseason games, LA Clippers preseason games, LA Kings preseason games.I'd imagine they will try to host all of those in the new stadium. It will also keep the rodeo here, which is a huge draw for Vegas.



I'm sure EVERYONE here in Vegas will only believe it when they are clearing out the Land and breaking ground. We have been trying to get a stadium for so long, that people are just over it.



If this can help UNLV football rise up from the 2-9 seasons, make them attractive to the PAC-12, then it's totally worth it. Vegas is a big market, the fans are crazy about the basketball team here. If the football team was competitive, they would support them too.



I guess we will see.

PurpleStuff

January 15th, 2013 at 6:46 PM ^

Vegas should definitely be the permanent home for the Pac 12 championship if they get a decent stadium.  The on-campus thing has been a total clusterfuck because of the Friday night kickoff and what I'm guessing is a problem quickly getting tickets out to the fanbase with less than a week's notice.  Stanford had 9,000 fewer fans show up for the title game than they did for their opener against San Jose State (their previous low attendance mark for the year).  That reflects on the set up and the organization to me. 

Vegas is an easy flight from just about anywhere in the conference footprint (outside maybe the Palouse), you could cut out of work at lunch and still make it in time for kickoff if they continue to play on Fridays, and people may even be willing to book a flight in advance knowing the worst that can happen is they get a weekend in Vegas.  And you would get fans from both teams to show up.  If not, I'm sure letting the casinos comp a few folks could get you a full house if actual ticket demand is low.

Sione's Flow

January 15th, 2013 at 6:27 PM ^

Living in Vegas, the new stadium is being met with alot of skepticism, but the current stadium setup for UNLV is ridiculous. Their home games are played almost 40 minutes from the campus and the stadium only seats 35000 normally. Ironically it's a report from UM's School of Sports Management, that got most people talking about the new stadium.