Time to expand Oklahoma Memorial Stadium?

[SoonerDave]

Structurally its really not that old.
My guess is that OU would gut it out and reconfigure it into whatever they want.
It might be possible to gut and reconfigure the other 2 dorms too?
If not they would probably be torn down?
I would bet OU will include these things in the new assessment study they are doing.

It was built in 1978, meaning that even if you refurbed it, by the time it was all said and done you'd probably be looking at a 40-year-old structure that was designed as a dorm - meaning gutting and customizing could get awfully expensive awfully quickly.

Dunno. Just have to wait and see, I s'pose.

[HangryHippo]

The plan was for the bud to be torn down. And for that corner to have a park amphitheater and more sooner statues Including one of the selmon brothers

Don't know if that is still the plan

Do you have a link to where you read or saw this? The only article I saw that spoke about the plans for the Bud said that they were going to be renovated and turned into offices for athletic (primarily football) staff.

I personally think they ought to be razed and something grander built there, but that's likely a pipe dream.

[ou48A]

The plan was for the bud to be torn down. And for that corner to have a park amphitheater and more sooner statues Including one of the selmon brothers

Don't know if that is still the plan

I had hear that too at one point, but since then somebody told they would like to save it if they can for other possible uses and that moving the Switzer center was a consideration.
I'm sure they will study the issue and determin what's best?

[ou48A]

It was built in 1978, meaning that even if you refurbed it, by the time it was all said and done you'd probably be looking at a 40-year-old structure that was designed as a dorm - meaning gutting and customizing could get awfully expensive awfully quickly.

Dunno. Just have to wait and see, I s'pose.

If you saw the reconstruction of OU's architectural building they tore the existing structure down to the supporting reenforced concrete support columns...... These cost ton's of money and if they could be saved on the Bud they could save a very expensive part of the cost on a new building. They would then go back in and add things like new heat and air, pluming, wiring and all the rest. They could even add on to the building. It would be like a brand new building.

But the new study will likely determine its future... so you’re right “Just have to wait and see, I s'pose”

[ou48A]

It was built in 1978, meaning that even if you refurbed it, by the time it was all said and done you'd probably be looking at a 40-year-old structure

I guess perceptions change as time advances things and as we age.
But as a student I visited the Bud on several occasions in 1979 -1980.
It seemed like a palace to me at the time, with a certain amount of craziness among a few of its residents.LOL

[ou48A]

Somebody who I know extremely well spoke with somebody that we have all heard of yesterday and when asked about the future of the "Bud" they said that it will most likely be turned into office space and the Switzer center would stay in its current location.

[kevinpate]

A former employer used to lease space from OU in the old Cross Dorms. At one time or another we had space in Cross D for 3 houses first floor, two second and 1 plus on third floor. Later in Cross b we also had floors 1-3 in three houses and two houses on floor 4. Some of the space was extensively renovated, and some was limited to paint, carpet and add in some window units, and some places well the carpet never really came to pass. All of it was functional though.

If Bud is built even half as well as the old Cross dorms, it'll still be there a for a good long while. That may be a big if though.

I miss the days at Cross sometimes. More so the people than the digs, but yeah, sometimes the digs as well.

[ou48A]

Yesterday, OU basketball coach Lon Kruger was on the radio and was asked about the possibility of a major renovation of the LNC or the possibility of building an entirely new basketball arena...
Lon indicated that OU was still studding both possibility's....

I was glad to hear that a new arena is still a possibility.
My guess is that it will all depend on how much money can be raised?

PS: Krugers OU's basketball team looks improved.

[ou48A]

Among other things OU will be making its stadium much more high tech savvy...
There will be some similarity's to this.

Welcome to the Most Tech-Savvy Stadium in America: Video - Bloomberg

[Laramie]

Yesterday, OU basketball coach Lon Kruger was on the radio and was asked about the possibility of a major renovation of the LNC or the possibility of building an entirely new basketball arena...
Lon indicated that OU was still studding both possibility's....

I was glad to hear that a new arena is still a possibility.
My guess is that it will all depend on how much money can be raised?

PS: Krugers OU's basketball team looks improved.

I felt that when they built Lloyd Noble Center they were trying to get on par with schools like Notre Dame & Houston and build something that didn't detract from OKC's Myriad Convention Center (14,009).

OU's Lloyd Noble Center (12,000) constructed 1973-75.



Notre Dame's Edmund P. Joyce Center (9,149) downsized from 11,418 constructed 1966-68.



Houston's Hofheinz Pavilion (8,918) downsized from 10,660 constructed 1967-69.

[HangryHippo]

Honestly, the only real problem I have with Lloyd Noble is that I find it ugly as sin.

[ou48A]

OU is trying to determine how much demand there is for various types of seating for its football stadium. My self and others received another survey from the OU athletic department today. Judging from the questions OU is definitely considering a major south end expansion which sounds like it could take the stadiums capacity to some where near 95,000 and add many new suits.

[OKVision4U]

Yes, ...it looks like I may be very close to this subject. 100K / South End with Suites / Overall upgades in seats / plus the pressbox. ...and that Ruth Chris Steakhouse too. ...the Billy Sims BBQ as well. ...that Fanzone Experience. Boomer.

[Laramie]

OU has its eye on renovation and expansion?

"Joe Castiglione said during a radio interview that a new stadium master plan was in development that included expanding the south end zone and the press box, but no other detail was given.

Oklahoma’s Memorial Stadium has a rich history of tradition and success that started when the first game was played there on Oct. 20,1923. The field inside the stadium is named Owen Field after Bennie Owen, the head coach at the time, who helped raise the money for the first stadium and later became a charter member of the National Football Hall of Fame. Official capacity for Memorial Stadium is set at 82,112, with record attendance of 86,031, set during the 2012 home game played against Notre Dame.

A lot of the speculation centers on the expansion possibilities and it seems the sky is the limit. How about an upper deck in the north end zone potentially adding between 7,000 and 9,000 seats? Would closing off the ends of the stadium and making a horseshoe, be a real possibility? This horseshoeing of the endzones has been hotly debated and a strong source of speculation for some time. Will OU be compelled to start pushing for expansion now that Texas and Texas A&M are increasing their seating capacities. Could expansion take seating capacity to over 90,000? How much funding would it take? The questions and possibilities could go on forever."

Is Memorial Stadium Expansion Up Next For OU? |

[CuatrodeMayo]

Yesterday, OU basketball coach Lon Kruger was on the radio and was asked about the possibility of a major renovation of the LNC or the possibility of building an entirely new basketball arena...
Lon indicated that OU was still studding both possibility's....

I was glad to hear that a new arena is still a possibility.
My guess is that it will all depend on how much money can be raised?

PS: Krugers OU's basketball team looks improved.

A new arena is not extremely likely at this point.

But from what I've seen of the proposed renovation master plan, Sooner fans are going to be very happy.

[Bunty]

Honestly, the only real problem I have with Lloyd Noble is that I find it ugly as sin.

Oh, well, Pickens Stadium counters such ugliness in Oklahoma.

[ou48A]

This is a good article on the topic and shows why OU needs to make major upgrades.

You might need to copy past the link and then goggle it?
SoonerScoop.com - Sooner Staff Needs Help


SoonerScoop.com - Sooner Staff Needs Help

[OKCretro]

Lloyd noble needs to be torn down and a new arena needs to be built ASAP.
Problem is several years ago OU and the AD went cheap and just put band-aides on several things instead of a whole remodel.
the seats are two far away from the court and the slope is too gradual...

[ou48A]

Lloyd noble needs to be torn down and a new arena needs to be built ASAP.
Problem is several years ago OU and the AD went cheap and just put band-aides on several things instead of a whole remodel.
the seats are two far away from the court and the slope is too gradual...

I would agree that a new OU arena would be best but its believed by most to be unlikely at this point.

The LNC renovation plan that I heard would move the LNC seats much closer to the court by re-pouring the concrete along the side lines and reshaping what is now a bowl into an oval shape. Anything less is a waste of time and money IMO.
This would however reduce the seating capacity and still leave several problems.

[bluedogok]

I was told there were water table issues that kept them from depressing the floor even more than the elevation that it is at now.

[ou48A]

I was told there were water table issues that kept them from depressing the floor even more than the elevation that it is at now.

I have heard that too for many years... but with more money that can be engineered and taken care of, if it's a concern. But I don't think they are going to lower the LNC floor.

[venture]

I say take the floor really low, put in a pool and a retractable floor and then start a water polo team.

[OKCretro]

I keep hearing a recruit/players family lounge for the open part of the stadium on the southeast corner (where the flag poles are). and suites on the other side.

[ou48A]

Teddy Lehman and Dusty D both indicated today that the OU weight room needs major upgrades to help recruiting..
IMHO the football weight room needs to be priority one!

[SoonerDave]

I have heard that too for many years... but with more money that can be engineered and taken care of, if it's a concern. But I don't think they are going to lower the LNC floor.

Water table issues can (almost) always be fixed given enough money, but that's kinda the point...often times the expense just can't be justified.