Iowa to renovate Kinnick north end zone; build athletics dorm

[josh777]

The facilities arms race continues...

IOWA CITY — The University of Iowa athletics department plans to spend as much as $45 million to renovate the north stands in Kinnick Stadium, the school revealed in a proposal Tuesday to the Board of Regents.
The project would renovate the north stands and the related concourse area of Kinnick. The 30-year-old north stands have remained unchanged since the original 1980s construction. In the document, Iowa deemed the north stands as “functionally obsolete by modern-day standards.â€￾
UI estimates the project costs to range from $35 million to $45 million “depending upon the scope of work identified.â€￾ Project funding would be provided by athletics department gifts and earnings.
Along with the north end zone seating upgrade, Iowa athletics also will introduce its “long-termâ€￾ vision for facilities. This also will include a west campus residence hall and a new location for indoor track and field.

http://thegazette.com/subject/sport...illion-renovation-of-kinnick-stadium-20150728

 

[nj829]

Good for them, have to keep up with Big Brother.

I wonder if they are going to look at reducing seating since they struggle to sell season tickets at prior year levels and the overall decline in attendance levels being seen nationwide for athletic events.

 

[Clark]

point of correction, they are not building an athletics dorm, they're just building a new dorm. A dorm strictly for athletes is prohibited by the NCAA.

 

[HFCS]

point of correction, they are not building an athletics dorm, they're just building a new dorm. A dorm strictly for athletes is prohibited by the NCAA.

KU got around that one nicely. Luxury basketball hotel that a few other lottery winners get to live in.

 

[srjclone]

point of correction, they are not building an athletics dorm, they're just building a new dorm. A dorm strictly for athletes is prohibited by the NCAA.

I understand that this is true by ruling of the NCAA. But you cannot sit there and tell me what UK did with that dorm is not strictly for athletes. Sure other students live in it, but upon building it the only reasoning was it was another perk for student-athletes to have at a school.

http://larrybrownsports.com/college-basketball/kentuckys-housing-chef-flat-screens/153247

 

[HFCS]

I understand that this is true by ruling of the NCAA. But you cannot sit there and tell me what UK did with that dorm is not strictly for athletes. Sure other students live in it, but upon building it the only reasoning was it was another perk for student-athletes to have at a school.

http://larrybrownsports.com/college-basketball/kentuckys-housing-chef-flat-screens/153247

Basically if you're a state school in a power 5 conference that clearly prioritizes basketball over football, your basketball team now lives in a luxury hotel. Sure there's only two programs that fit that, but luxury hotel is the closest word to describe it.

 

[CyTwins]

Is Kinnick still going to be considered historic?

 

[carvers4math]

What, not going to take up all the section 8 housing anymore?

 

[Judoka]

point of correction, they are not building an athletics dorm, they're just building a new dorm. A dorm strictly for athletes is prohibited by the NCAA.

It'll be within compliance I'm sure, but it is definitely being built for athletes. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[carvers4math]

If it wasn't being built for the football team, it wouldn't be part of the same press release.

 

[CyCloned]

Didn't Iowa do renovations to kinnick just a few years ago?

 

[Clonehomer]

Didn't Iowa do renovations to kinnick just a few years ago?

Those were just to get it out of dump status.

I didn't see anything in the press release about upgrading Podalak's liquor cabinet for gamedays. He seems due for an expansion.

 

[nj829]

Ghost rooms in the new dorm by chance?

 

[Wesley]

I understand that this is true by ruling of the NCAA. But you cannot sit there and tell me what UK did with that dorm is not strictly for athletes. Sure other students live in it, but upon building it the only reasoning was it was another perk for student-athletes to have at a school. http://larrybrownsports.com/college-basketball/kentuckys-housing-chef-flat-screens/153247

Plus the Blue Merry Maid Service for UK is very accommodating.

 

[Wesley]

The facilities arms race continues... IOWA CITY — The University of Iowa athletics department plans to spend as much as $45 million to renovate the north stands in Kinnick Stadium, the school revealed in a proposal Tuesday to the Board of Regents. The project would renovate the north stands and the related concourse area of Kinnick. The 30-year-old north stands have remained unchanged since the original 1980s construction. In the document, Iowa deemed the north stands as “functionally obsolete by modern-day standards.â€￾ UI estimates the project costs to range from $35 million to $45 million “depending upon the scope of work identified.â€￾ Project funding would be provided by athletics department gifts and earnings. Along with the north end zone seating upgrade, Iowa athletics also will introduce its “long-termâ€￾ vision for facilities. This also will include a west campus residence hall and a new location for indoor track and field. http://thegazette.com/subject/sport...illion-renovation-of-kinnick-stadium-20150728

So bigger butt seats, two winter hot tubs, and built in bun seat warmers will get the tickets finally sold?

 

[kingcy]

Is Kinnick still going to be considered historic?

Yes. Historic is just another word for old.

I never have figured out what is so historic about Kunick, so it is just old.

 

[CyFan61]

point of correction, they are not building an athletics dorm, they're just building a new dorm. A dorm strictly for athletes is prohibited by the NCAA.

Athletics dorms are becoming more and more common (KU and UK have both been mentioned). They are both 50% minus one athletes and 50% plus one non-athlete students who are willing to pay an incredible amount to live in luxury. So a 300-bed luxury dorm houses 149 athletes. Of course, the athletes' accommodations are covered by the school. A school could buy an InterContinental, turn it into a dorm, and athletes would be allowed to live there for free according to the NCAA just so long as non-athlete students lived there, too. Makes perfect sense when the NCAA was cracking down on schools (Oklahoma I think?) for letting players have seconds at a dinner just a few years ago.

 

[johnnydugouts]

Good for them, have to keep up with Big Brother.

I wonder if they are going to look at reducing seating since they struggle to sell season tickets at prior year levels and the overall decline in attendance levels being seen nationwide for athletic events.

hard to say for sure, but holy crap they have a boring home schedule and I am sure they plays into it. it is one thing to show up support a top 15 team against bad teams, but its asking a lot to be mediocre and watch (lose?) games against North Texas, Illinois, and FCS schools. next year they have ISU, michigan, wisconsin, nebraska, and northwestern on the home schedule so i am guessing sales will be back up unless they are awful this year.

 

[Gunnerclone]

hard to say for sure, but holy crap they have a boring home schedule and I am sure they plays into it. it is one thing to show up support a top 15 team against bad teams, but its asking a lot to be mediocre and watch (lose?) games against North Texas, Illinois, and FCS schools. next year they have ISU, michigan, wisconsin, nebraska, and northwestern on the home schedule so i am guessing sales will be back up unless they are awful this year.

It's nice to know that ISU, Iowa, and Wisky can count on superfans like you to spread their millions around across more than one institution.

 

[johnnydugouts]

It's nice to know that ISU, Iowa, and Wisky can count on superfans like you to spread their millions around across more than one institution.

athletic dorms dont just build themselves.