Rutgers to scale back stadium project

Discussion in 'College Football' started by JCB, Jul 9, 2008.

  1. JCB

    JCB The Savage Nation

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Rutgers University will scale back its $102 million football stadium expansion project in the face of skyrocketing fuel, concrete and steel costs, university officials said today.

    The first part of the project, which will add 1,000 "premium" seats, will not be affected.

    Robert Mulcahy, the university's director of athletics said contract bids for phase two, which will add 13,000 additional seats, came in higher than estimated.

    While they do not anticipate cutting the number of seats, officials said all options are on the table.

    "Phase one is on time and on budget, and we expect to occupy the club lounge and club seats for our first game versus Fresno State on September 1," Mulcahy said.</div>

    Well, this kinda sucks. I'll post more once we actually learn what's going on.
     
  2. JCB

    JCB The Savage Nation

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    Yea, this isn't really all that bad in the long run (assuming the following statements in this post prove to be true).

    Per an earlier report regarding the stadium expansion: "It will also provide additional restrooms, concession stands, locker rooms, a media room, and recruiting lounge. A striking new entrance off River Road will increase the stadium’s visibility while helping to ease traffic congestion during game days."

    The seats won't be reduced as they're a source of revenue, and the extra restrooms are pretty much a necessity. My guess is the facade of the expansion won't be as purty as the renderings for an extra year or so until more funds become available. Something along those lines.
     
  3. JCB

    JCB The Savage Nation

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    Rutgers stadium bids are $18M beyond budget

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Bids for the expansion of the Rutgers University football stadium -- now being scaled back -- came in as much as $18 million over budget, according to two officials briefed on the stadium's growing financial problems.

    The higher costs represent more than 17 percent of the project's $102 million budget.

    A university spokesman yesterday could not confirm the inflated cost projections, but said there has been discussion in high-level meetings earlier this week involving a range of numbers.

    The spokesman, Greg Trevor, said the university is focused on how to keep the stadium at the $102 million price tag approved by the Rutgers board of governors in January, without cutting any of the proposed additional seating capacity.

    "The president receives regular updates on the status of the stadium. The most recent one occurred earlier this week, when the unexpectedly high bids due to the rising costs of concrete, steel and fuel were discussed," Trevor said. "A range of numbers was discussed during that meeting. However, representatives from facilities and athletics both emphasized emphatically that they were still analyzing the numbers and it was too early to draw conclusions. There was not enough confidence in the numbers to focus in on that."

    Rutgers officials Wednesday announced the university had begun rethinking the scope of the stadium project because of the higher-than-anticipated bids, but they could not provide specifics.

    University athletic director Robert Mulcahy had downplayed the impact, saying only that "some prices came in higher than originally estimated, although others have been lower than estimated."

    Two sources familiar with the budget discussions but not authorized to talk about the matter said the higher bids -- involving the preformed concrete support structures for the new seating and other elements of the stadium expansion -- were up to $18 million more than had been anticipated.

    Rutgers president Richard L. McCormick said it is not yet known how the school may reduce the project's scope, but he reiterated reducing seating capacity was an option of last resort. The project is scheduled to be completed by August 2009.

    Any cutbacks will have no impact on the first phase of the project -- the addition of 1,000 new "premium" mezzanine club and loge box seats. Construction of the club area is ongoing, and Mulcahy said it remains on schedule and will be ready for the Scarlet Knights' Sept. 1 game against Fresno State.

    At issue is the more extensive construction centered in the south end-zone section of the stadium, where 13,000 new seats will be added. That phase of the plan also calls for construction of new elevators, concession stands and restrooms, a recruiting lounge and upgrading the stadium's sound system, scoreboard and video screen. The university also plans to add a new entrance off River Road to increase the stadium's visibility and ease traffic congestion on game days.</div>

    That's quite a bit higher than I was expecting. I still hold the number of seats won't diminish, but all the bells and whistles won't be put in until the next expansion.
     
  4. JCB

    JCB The Savage Nation

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    Yesterday, Rutgers AD Bob Mulcahy held a tour/press conference for some of the media. NorthJersey.com has a short video of what went on. A more complete version of the video can be seen at scarletknights.com. He says all 13,000 extra seats will be in place by August of '09 and that he expects it all to be done within the boundaries of the $102 million budget.
     
  5. JCB

    JCB The Savage Nation

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    Despite previous denials, Rutgers Stadium project to be scaled down

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>The $102 million expansion of Rutgers Stadium will not include all the bells and whistles envisioned by the athletics department, said Robert Mulcahy, the director of athletics.

    However, Rutgers does not run the risk of giving head coach Greg Schiano an incentive to leave, should the project not be complete by the opening of the 2009 season, Mulcahy said.

    The project to expand the stadium's capacity was started in December. It will increase capacity from about 42,500 to 56,000 before the 2009 season, helping meet the demand of a ticket waiting list of about 12,000.</div>

    As I expected. The seats will be done, but the bells and whistles won't be.
     

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