The MONEY for the New Pitt Stadium

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Wanna bet $10,000 that it fits?

Not without a whole lot of earth moving and the closing of several buildings it doesn't. In the past you have said that it would fit on that lot with almost no site work needed at all. I'll bet you $1 billion if you want that that isn't the case, because the only person who can believe that is one who has never been on the OC lot site before, or one who is seriously delusional. With you, I wonder about the first but there is no doubt about the second.

For those of you who don't share ZZB's delusions, look at the Google map that Gunga linked to above. The OC lot site in it's present condition is approximately the same size as the baseball field right next to it. That's the baseball FIELD, with no seating included. If you have a site that is approximately the same size as a baseball FIELD it is obviously no where near big enough to hold a full sized football STADIUM. If Pitt were to ever attempt to build a STADIUM on the OC lot site they would have an unbelievable amount of site prep to do and they would have to knock over at least one or two buildings.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

That's the whole problem isn't it? The cost of a stadium is likely prohibitive on its own. But factor into the excavation and preparation of the sight, the infrastructure work that has to be done, it is really cost prohibitive. Comparing a stadium in Texas where they just have land to be all, flat land with just prarie dogs vs a hilly terrain with old buildings, narrow streets and a population density rivaling that of Brooklyn certainly lends a bit more complications.

Exactly. ZZB would have you believe that they could build a stadium on the OC lot with essentially no site prep at all. Which is hilarious, because at its narrowest the lot isn't even wide enough to fit a football field in. It's like people (or at least one particular person) don't understand that the top of the lot where the cars park is 50 feet or so above the elevation of the street to the Petersen Center side and that on the baseball field side of the lot there is an even higher drop that that. And that drop is straight down a cliff. You'd have to flatten that whole site down to street level to even begin to work there, and you'd also be tearing down some combination of the Cost Center/Tower View garage, the fraternity houses and Sutherland Hall, depending on how you'd decide to orient the stadium after you leveled the lot.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

IF it's ever built it's going where the Peterson Sports Complex is, not the OC lot. It's 13 acres that's already prepped and ready. Move baseball and softball behind Cost. You've got OC and Towerview garage next door for the folks who don't want to walk. Buy up the remaining properties they don't already own on the adjacent (south side) of Brackenridge street.

 

[paulbl99]

Just what Pittsburgh needs, two football stadiums 4 miles apart. brilliant

lol and this wasn't even a SMF muck up.

 

[Revenge Of The Noise]

lol and this wasn't even a SMF muck up.

Well the city should think of it as an insurance policy for Heinz field. Say the Steeler hoodlums are playing a game of Fireball, like in Revenge Of The Nerds, and cause a devastating fire. Or the cheap construction comes back to haunt and the stands collapse. And oh no, the season is starting next week! They'll need a stadium quickly. New Pitt Stadium to the rescue! Oh course like in ROTN, we'll be kicked out and have to play at North Hills stadium. But wouldn't our top detractors say that's what we deserve anyway?

 

[KanePA]

As one of the biggest and loudest supporters of an on-campus stadium, I have officially lost all hope it will ever get done. Those of us who post here and support the program are in a minority. Pitt, while in a unique part of town and in a busy part of town simply lacks the student and especially alumni support to ever seriously consider a stadium. Blame whomever you'd like for alienating alumnis...but, it's been a collective failure over many years.

 

[HailtoPitt]

As one of the biggest and loudest supporters of an on-campus stadium, I have officially lost all hope it will ever get done. Those of us who post here and support the program are in a minority. Pitt, while in a unique part of town and in a busy part of town simply lacks the student and especially alumni support to ever seriously consider a stadium. Blame whomever you'd like for alienating alumnis...but, it's been a collective failure over many years.

It's now a catch 22 of sorts. While the support was lacking before as a result (at least partially) of incompetent decision making from past Pitt administrations, it will be even more difficult to build student/alumni affinity playing in a pro stadium off campus. In short, be ok with a mediocre program for a long time to come. Nobody can fix it now.

 

[Swervin27]

City officials have diminished the university's footprint in Oakland as much as possible over the last 5 decades. Any kind of ownership of Oakland by pitt has been fought tooth and nail by city officials. Not sure why to be honest, probably a money thing.

Pitt has to fight for every inch of real estate in Oakland and to be honest, they are not winning.

 

[giveitarest]

I am too young to remember tailgating at old Pitt stadium but where did it take place. Such an urban area IMO

Peter's pub, Gustine's , wooden keg or zeldas

 

[Pitt0912]

If it's ever to be done, it'll be between the boulevard and bates near Magee.

IF it's ever built it's going where the Peterson Sports Complex is, not the OC lot. It's 13 acres that's already prepped and ready. Move baseball and softball behind Cost. You've got OC and Towerview garage next door for the folks who don't want to walk. Buy up the remaining properties they don't already own on the adjacent (south side) of Brackenridge street.

 

[paulbl99]

As one of the biggest and loudest supporters of an on-campus stadium, I have officially lost all hope it will ever get done. Those of us who post here and support the program are in a minority. Pitt, while in a unique part of town and in a busy part of town simply lacks the student and especially alumni support to ever seriously consider a stadium. Blame whomever you'd like for alienating alumnis...but, it's been a collective failure over many years.

It's OVAH

Officially !!!

except here when these stupid threads are started by the usual suspects to make a wave or two.

What more does Lyke have to say or do? Post a thread on the Lair too?

 

[Palm Beach Panther]

Swervin's idea would be awesome but on if Panther hollow is out of the question. Their would be a lot of transportation options including biking along the trails. People don't seem to realize that in 5-7 years most people won't be inclined to have their own cars with auto-sharing and self driving vehicles.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

City officials have diminished the university's footprint in Oakland as much as possible over the last 5 decades. Any kind of ownership of Oakland by pitt has been fought tooth and nail by city officials. Not sure why to be honest, probably a money thing.

Pitt has to fight for every inch of real estate in Oakland and to be honest, they are not winning.

You know what Pitt has to fight for???

The right to party!!!!!

 

[ZetaZetaBeta]

The closest stadium comparison we have is TCF at Minnesota. That cost $339 million and they and the State owned all the land they needed. I applaud your efforts but asking Pitt to take on $340 million for a new stadium in today's climate is simply unrealistic. The state covered half of the cost, we will never be so lucky.

WRONG! NOT 340M! 200M. Raise 100M and Bond 100M. I pledge a million of my own money. Buck up.

 

[ZetaZetaBeta]

There is already a spot for a 50k-55k seat on campus stadium and you don't have to get rid of any parking. The problem is who is going to write the $300m check....

200M! Raise 100M and Bond 100M. I pledge 1 million right now.

 

[ZetaZetaBeta]

You know what Pitt has to fight for???

The right to party!!!!!

Get this right. The Rooneys and the City must be on board with the University. Otherwise, forget it. This must have ZERO obstacles.

 

[ZetaZetaBeta]

On top of the cathedral

Please. If Cook wrote it, you'd love it. Left brain; right brain thing.

 

[King Of All Message Boards]

I pledge 1 million right now.

Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

 

[Swervin27]

200M! Raise 100M and Bond 100M. I pledge 1 million right now.

What the hell, I'm in for 1 million too.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

People don't seem to realize that in 5-7 years most people won't be inclined to have their own cars with auto-sharing and self driving vehicles.

That day is probably coming, but there is no chance it is here in 5-7 years. None.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

What the hell, I'm in for 1 million too.

Why stop there? If you and I pledge $10 million and we can get eight others to pledge $10 million we've already met the goal!

By the way, if you know anything about how much stadiums cost these days, imagine how crap-tacular a $200 million stadium would be compared to what is out there today. Especially considering how much of that money is going to be spent getting the OC lot ready for construction.

 

[Pitt0912]

No, you're wrong. There is no P5 stadium that's been built in over a decade that costed anywhere near as little as $200 million. Several P5 schools have spent that much just doing major renovations.

WRONG! NOT 340M! 200M. Raise 100M and Bond 100M. I pledge a million of my own money. Buck up.

 

[Swervin27]

Why stop there? If you and I pledge $10 million and we can get eight others to pledge $10 million we've already met the goal!

By the way, if you know anything about how much stadiums cost these days, imagine how crap-tacular a $200 million stadium would be compared to what is out there today. Especially considering how much of that money is going to be spent getting the OC lot ready for construction.

I need to save a few million to "Grease" local unions that are notorious for impeding the construction process in western pa.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Why stop there? If you and I pledge $10 million and we can get eight others to pledge $10 million we've already met the goal!

By the way, if you know anything about how much stadiums cost these days, imagine how crap-tacular a $200 million stadium would be compared to what is out there today. Especially considering how much of that money is going to be spent getting the OC lot ready for construction.

I will admit that I cannot afford 10 million, but if you guys do that, I will pledge 5 million.

 

[NTOP]

http://www.maxpreps.com/news/FhrAdf...-school-football-palace-planned-for-texas.htm

If these people in Allen, Texas, 20,000 seat / 60M Stadium and Prosper, Texas, 12,000 seat / 12M Stadium can build these stadiums from only a small part of a municipal bond totaling $710M, then the NEWPITTSTADIUM.COM with 50K to 60K can be built on the OC Lot for under 200M.

Come on people, we're better than Texas School Districts????

LOL.......ain't happening for that price, unless they hire incompetents. Submit your bid, with 10% non-refundable deposit. My guess is you only do municipal parking lots.

 

[NTOP]

Does anyone remember the model that Steve Peterson was parading around during the early part of his first time at Pitt? I recall he had it in New York City during the Big East tournament where he unveiled it at a golden Panther event... I believe it was held in the hotel Pennsylvania across the street from MSG. He handed out a booklet, with the X # of phases for renovating Pitt Stadium. It included ripping down Fitzgerald field house, restructuring the football stadium... and a new basketball arena being connected to the football stadium at the Press Box. It was a Cheesy little event with a bathtub filled with beer and ice and some light snacks and hors d'oeuvres... yet still, we wrote checks. Please, if anybody remembers this, speak up and fill in the blanks.

Anyway, I think it would take ripping down the Peterson Event Center & Fitzgerald Field House, and probably some housing and then going back to a plan like that. Which would be considered absurd by Pitt standards and will not happen in my lifetime. So I need to be content with Heinz Field. ... as far as parking, I guess the plan would be to park at Heinz and then bus up to Oakland.

SP unveiled that at the FH one night. Used 2 projectors, one at each end. Only one worked, of course. I told my wife that was an omen...it'd never got done. Then the Trustees closed the deal with Rooney. Pgh = great city, bad politicians.

 

[NTOP]

The smell of the Mon river with chicks in bikinis should be really nice.

Well, Swervin's chicks might make it worse.

 

[DiehardPanther]

It's now a catch 22 of sorts. While the support was lacking before as a result (at least partially) of incompetent decision making from past Pitt administrations, it will be even more difficult to build student/alumni affinity playing in a pro stadium off campus. In short, be ok with a mediocre program for a long time to come. Nobody can fix it now.

There is no Catch 22. Pitt has received more support playing in Heinz than they did on campus. Winning and a good schedule are what matter.

 

[BuffetParrothead]

What the hell, I'm in for 1 million too.

Why not $ 2mill you're on the Lair free board?
Mrs Buffett and I go to a beach casino three days a week ( we love the beach) and belong to a private club at the casino which offers FREE unlimited drinks, and great food.
I always buy drinks for everyone in the club?
Same principle applies here!

 

[HailtoPitt]

There is no Catch 22. Pitt has received more support playing in Heinz than they did on campus. Winning and a good schedule are what matter.

It takes money to win. We don't have it and wont build the affinity needed playing at Heinz. Keep living in fantasy land if you would like.

 

[Black_Man_Panther]

That's the whole problem isn't it? The cost of a stadium is likely prohibitive on its own. But factor into the excavation and preparation of the sight, the infrastructure work that has to be done, it is really cost prohibitive. Comparing a stadium in Texas where they just have land to be all, flat land with just prarie dogs vs a hilly terrain with old buildings, narrow streets and a population density rivaling that of Brooklyn certainly lends a bit more complications.

I dunno... I am not familiar w/ the underlying strata of the area but if it requires a significant amount of blasting - forget it.

What is the problem w/ putting this stadium off of E. Carson St. near the Mon River?

 

[NTOP]

I dunno... I am not familiar w/ the underlying strata of the area but if it requires a significant amount of blasting - forget it.

What is the problem w/ putting this stadium off of E. Carson St. near the Mon River?

Off campus + no infrastructure.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

SP unveiled that at the FH one night. Used 2 projectors, one at each end. Only one worked, of course.

After a basketball game.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I need to save a few million to "Grease" local unions that are notorious for impeding the construction process in western pa.

I'm sure he's already accounted for that in the price tag!

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

City officials have diminished the university's footprint in Oakland as much as possible over the last 5 decades. Any kind of ownership of Oakland by pitt has been fought tooth and nail by city officials. Not sure why to be honest, probably a money thing.

Pitt has to fight for every inch of real estate in Oakland and to be honest, they are not winning.

When you had city government idiots like Jim Ferlo openly against Pitt it is no surprise that this is the situation. Bigelow blvd should have been closed decades ago to make a grassy quad between the Cathedral and Student Union. But the city will never go for it.

Places like Columbus bend over backwards to accommodate their flagship university but only here in this political backwater town is the top employer/urban resource (along with UPMC) treated as a second class citizen. Actually the money for a new stadium would be better spent by joining forces with Romoff to move UPMC & Pitt out of the city into Cranberry or somewhere else more welcoming (I'm only half joking...).

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

Does anyone remember the model that Steve Peterson was parading around during the early part of his first time at Pitt? I recall he had it in New York City during the Big East tournament where he unveiled it at a golden Panther event... I believe it was held in the hotel Pennsylvania across the street from MSG. He handed out a booklet, with the X # of phases for renovating Pitt Stadium. It included ripping down Fitzgerald field house, restructuring the football stadium... and a new basketball arena being connected to the football stadium at the Press Box. It was a Cheesy little event with a bathtub filled with beer and ice and some light snacks and hors d'oeuvres... yet still, we wrote checks. Please, if anybody remembers this, speak up and fill in the blanks.

Anyway, I think it would take ripping down the Peterson Event Center & Fitzgerald Field House, and probably some housing and then going back to a plan like that. Which would be considered absurd by Pitt standards and will not happen in my lifetime. So I need to be content with Heinz Field. ... as far as parking, I guess the plan would be to park at Heinz and then bus up to Oakland.

yeah I remember that model. would have been interesting.

 

[NTOP]

After a basketball game.

Halftime.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

I dunno... I am not familiar w/ the underlying strata of the area but if it requires a significant amount of blasting - forget it.

What is the problem w/ putting this stadium off of E. Carson St. near the Mon River?

That's not "on campus".

 

[HailtoPitt]

Only one worked, of course. I told my wife that was an omen...it'd never got done.

That's funny. They couldn't have have checked to make sure that the projector worked, how could they have been expected to fund-raise for a major stadium renovation?

 

[HailtoPitt]

Does anyone remember the model that Steve Peterson was parading around during the early part of his first time at Pitt? I recall he had it in New York City during the Big East tournament where he unveiled it at a golden Panther event... I believe it was held in the hotel Pennsylvania across the street from MSG. He handed out a booklet, with the X # of phases for renovating Pitt Stadium. It included ripping down Fitzgerald field house, restructuring the football stadium... and a new basketball arena being connected to the football stadium at the Press Box. It was a Cheesy little event with a bathtub filled with beer and ice and some light snacks and hors d'oeuvres... yet still, we wrote checks. Please, if anybody remembers this, speak up and fill in the blanks.

The real questions is this... Did they have the nerve to ask people to quiet down when speaking about Pitt at an alumni/fundraising event?

/Sarcasm.