Stadium Renovation Questions
Obviously the stadium renovations won't be finished until 2010. However, I was curious if anything in the renovations will be finished and operational by 2009. Will any of the suites open this year? Any of the new bathrooms? Food options? When do they put in new seating and seat numbers in the major part of the stadium? New handicapped seating?
I don't recall seeing a timetable, with certain parts of the project finished at specific times. I would think that with much or all of the exterior framework done, work can continue all the time, regardless of rain or cold. Is work following normal business hours, or are they working long days to get the work done as quickly as possible?
I saw general pics a couple weeks ago . . . if anyone else has photos to post, that would be nice.
for doing it ahead of time. My uncle is one of the foremen but i didnt ask him if they were ahead of schedule or not, it would be nice to have atleast one side of the suites available before ohio state game
the interior of the new structures will not be ready. this includes outdoor club seats. haven't heard anything about having any new seats available before 9/1/2010. i highly doubt they will, just b/c they'd have to sell them on such short notice.
the HC seating areas around row 68ish may be available. the free standing structures on the N end (will call, M Den, bathrooms, security, 1st aid) should be finished. the bathrooms there were operational for the NW game i think.
the old pressbox will be gutted and removed the day after OSU and everything is on schedule, if not ahead i think.
MA is pretty much dead on. New seats still not available, but the handicap seating areas are indeed done and have been for a while. The structures in the N end are all complete and operational as well (some were available at the start of last season, they erected those faster than I've built some LEGO sets).
speaking of LEGO, they're awesome
I took a few pics on Saturday.
Go to: http://donhamm.smugmug.com/ and click on the Michigan Stadium gallery photo.
I just joined smugmug and created the gallery so let me know if there are any problems viewing the shots.
Better photos than many I've seen . . . nice to get a sense of some of the details.
shot of the nearly complete SW tower. Driving past it every day means I don't get to see it from further away - it's shocking how much resemblance it bears to the artist's depiction that was out a while ago.
I'm not wild about every aspect of the project design, but overall I think it's going to be a great-looking venue when it's all done. It's going to fit in well with the other major athletic campus buildings.
Hey, once the stadium is done will they have it open to the public during the week so people can run steps?
Yes. Heard you can walk through the weight room too and work out with the team.
sweet, when i lived in gainesville you could run the steps of the swamp, but in my opinion that is a pale comparison to running the steps of the Big House, plus it was always to hot and muggy in the summer.
you were being sarcastic?
On the off-chance you weren't, you haven't been to the stadium in the offseason. Before the construction began a few years ago (this includes the time where they updated some of the bleachers & cement foundations), the stadium was open to the public.
A few friends and I practiced for IM flag football down on the field (Elbel & Palmer were full, so we tried it on a whim) once. It ranks among my top five favourite moments from undergrad.
going off-topic now, some of the others are:
a) rushing the field after the OSU game in 2003, and
b) I think it was Bowling Green that gave us one hell of a run in the first round of the CCHA tournament a few years back. They took us to a third game, which wasn't part of the student season ticket package. My friend and I picked up that ticket and went to the game, which went to overtime. Maybe only 5k in the building that night, but I have never, EVER heard Yost so damn loud. It was absurd. Being a "cowbell guy," it made me damn proud of our fans.
c) Braylon vs. MSU
means that they'll keep the stadium closed now to prevent any vandalism. Hope that isn't the case because running steps in the stadium is a great workout in a tremendous location.
Running steps outside Crisler is a damn poor substitute. The view sucks.
I find the renovation to be extremely arrogant. I mean, look at how immense the stadium looks now, whereas before it was a very simple bowl that was mostly underground.
Just typical Michigan arrogance.
anything meaningful to add to this discussion right now, but holy crap I laughed hard at this post.