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Proposed ODU football stadium to be built without new student fees
by Andy Hilton, recruit757
Thursday was the big day for an unveiling of Old Dominion’s plans for their new football stadium. Officials presented the stadium plan to Old Dominion’s Board of Visitors in an hour-long meeting on campus this morning.
Instead of going for a grander plan that would have significantly expanded seating, the proposal calls for an expansion of roughly 2,000 seats. The plan calls for tearing down the old east and west sides of the current S.B. Ballard Stadium at Foreman Field. The key component to approval was a deal that was independent new student fees. Instead, the plan utilizes private funds, new stadium revenue and existing student fees.
“This decision, based on solid research and the preferences of the Monarch community, positions the university for the future within a bold yet sensible framework,” said John R. Broderick, the president of Old Dominion in a press release. “I’m excited that we will enhance the Foreman Field experience for fans without putting additional financial pressure on our students.”
University officials were determined to get a new stadium plan that didn’t put additional stress on the student body. The conservative plan still allows for the stadium to be expanded to 30,004 seats.
The initial build would cost $ the current brick structure that dates back to 1936. Those sections are crumbling and leave no room to renovate them to current building standards, which include Americans with Disabilities Act compliance. The new stadium structure will include roughly 16,000 chair back seats. The current north end zone bleachers would be untouched, but would be included in a second phase of renovation that would place a double-decked “horseshoe” arrangement where an upper walkway would connect to upper level seating on an expansion to the east and west side seats. The box seats and hospitality complex in the north end zone would remain.
Populous Architects managed the planning. There was a proposal to build on the current site of the Powhatan Apartments, near the corner of 48th street and Powhatan Avenue at the west end of campus.
The plan calls for the new/renovated stadium to open in the fall of 2019.
A seating capacity of 22,130 seats wouldn’t be the smallest stadium in Conference USA. Currently, Charlotte’s on campus stadium holds only 15,314. Florida International can host 20, 21,124. Stadium capacity is always a concern for championship games and for moving up to a bigger conference. While it’s impressive to have a huge stadium, an empty stadium for home games can not only be an embarrassment, but it can also drain revenue.
Excess supply saps demand. Alabama-Birmingham plays in the cavernous and ancient Legion Field. The capacity there is 71,594. Not only have the Blazers never sold out a home football game, their average attendance was 10,548 in 2013. The program folded in 2014, but will rejoin CUSA in 2017.
ODU still maintains their home sellout streak, having sold out every home game since the restart of the program in 2009. The waiting list for season tickets has been satisfied.
Head Football Coach Bobby Wilder stated: “I want to thank the university administration and Board of Visitors for their continuing strong support of our football program. We look forward to playing in one of the premier university stadiums in the country, in front of sellout crowds.”
The full stadium feasibility study can be seen here.
– Andy Hilton
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