Oklahoma Memorial Stadium - live camera updates: http://gfoms.com/live-stadium-construction-cam/

Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium construction is almost complete. Our stadium & athletic facilities will be among the best among colleges & universities in the United States.

It is far from complete.

It is far from complete.

Fan amenities and new club facilities are, supposedly, on track to be absolutely game-ready for the first home game in September. New locker rooms, training facilities, and coaches offices won't be ready until springtime - and that was according to plan.

They're supposed to start testing the new scoreboard here in a couple of weeks once they complete all the additional infrastructure/cabling, and the exterior is being sheathed and plastered while brick is going up on the interior columns. Chairback seating is about 80-90% in and only the SW corner lacks bench/bleacher seating at this point.

There are about six weeks to the first home game, and certain crews are reportedly already on 24x7 schedules to get the essentials complete in time. It looks to me like they're going to make it. I, for one, am stoked about that new video board and sound system. Should be really, really awesome.

Speaking of "fan amenities". Where will the tailgating fan go to set up shop? I used to hit the parking lot south of the stadium that no longer exists. I yearn for a simpler and less built up time.

Fan amenities and new club facilities are, supposedly, on track to be absolutely game-ready for the first home game in September. New locker rooms, training facilities, and coaches offices won't be ready until springtime - and that was according to plan.

They're supposed to start testing the new scoreboard here in a couple of weeks once they complete all the additional infrastructure/cabling, and the exterior is being sheathed and plastered while brick is going up on the interior columns. Chairback seating is about 80-90% in and only the SW corner lacks bench/bleacher seating at this point.

There are about six weeks to the first home game, and certain crews are reportedly already on 24x7 schedules to get the essentials complete in time. It looks to me like they're going to make it. I, for one, am stoked about that new video board and sound system. Should be really, really awesome.

They really are working around the clock. They have a large crew going as well. It is amazing to see how fast they are moving.

I am excited!

Speaking of "fan amenities". Where will the tailgating fan go to set up shop? I used to hit the parking lot south of the stadium that no longer exists. I yearn for a simpler and less built up time.

THey have tailgate spots all over campus. As far as a simpler time, heck, when I was in school back in the 80's there wasn't ANY organized tailgating like they do down there now.

The only tailgate area I know that is really gone is the one that used to line the south side of Lindsay immediately south of the stadium with the construction of the new residence hall there.

THey have tailgate spots all over campus. As far as a simpler time, heck, when I was in school back in the 80's there wasn't ANY organized tailgating like they do down there now.

The only tailgate area I know that is really gone is the one that used to line the south side of Lindsay immediately south of the stadium with the construction of the new residence hall there.

Thanks. Back in the mid 80's when the original Norman HIDEAWAY was located on Jenkins we would tailgate religiously in the parking lot on the west side of Jenkins. In fact we did it till that parking lot disappeared. FWIW there were many folks doing same. While there might be spots all over campus, the ambiance of grilling brats, drinking beer and doing it within sight of the stadium could not be beat. I would trade that new scoreboard for that parking lot tomorrow!

I'm really looking forward to seeing the stadium in person. We actually bought 2 more season tickets this year so the in-laws could go.

While the parking spots for the Lindsey tailgating will be gone, I wonder if people who do not require hooking up to a car for power will still tailgate on the north side of the sidewalk there?

While the parking spots for the Lindsey tailgating will be gone, I wonder if people who do not require hooking up to a car for power will still tailgate on the north side of the sidewalk there?
I've had the exact same thought. I've specifically looked to see if there is room and there is. I bet people will tailgate there, if the University will allow.

While the parking spots for the Lindsey tailgating will be gone, I wonder if people who do not require hooking up to a car for power will still tailgate on the north side of the sidewalk there?

IDK about that proposition Dan. It is not so much the power issue as much as it is the of being able to access your perishables from the cooler, beer, charcoal, grill, and all the other amenities. Then having to make your way back to wherever your car is parked to secure all that stuff before kick off. Of course all those 11:00 in the morning kickoffs have put quite a damper on the experience as well.

IDK about that proposition Dan. It is not so much the power issue as much as it is the of being able to access your perishables from the cooler, beer, charcoal, grill, and all the other amenities. Then having to make your way back to wherever your car is parked to secure all that stuff before kick off. Of course all those 11:00 in the morning kickoffs have put quite a damper on the experience as well.

Excellent point!

Would love to see those games start around 2:30 p.m., or after. We know the influence that telecasting has on that.

It's tough eating, hamburgers, steaks and ribs at 10 a.m., before kickoffs. Don't get me wrong, I can throw down some ribs & smoked meats; it's in our family's DNA--smoked goat (best tasting meat), rabbit, chicken, turkey, lamb, ham, catfish and more. Only times I'm up for standing over a smoker at 7 a.m. in the morning are Valentine's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day & Labor Day.

Left our maternal family reunion in Houston in May; many family members participated (Okies & Texans) in preparing family dishes like potato salad, cold slaw, smoked barbecue beans.

Can wait for our next reunion in Abilene, TX where our family (Harold's Barbecue--now closed) had a rich tradition with smoked meats & barbecue. Harold Barbecue Pit had customer diversity.

RIP Harold, the family misses your energy, enthusiasm and singing so much.

Here is Harold before he passed away this year:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_7wp7_bf0

Don't get me wrong, I can't sing.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CpiJWdhUMAAkniM.jpg:large

If you noticed some bright lights and loud sounds the past few days, it was the video board tests in the south end zone at OU's Memorial Stadium.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CpiJWdhUMAAkniM.jpg:large

If you noticed some bright lights and loud sounds the past few days, it was the video board tests in the south end zone at OU's Memorial Stadium.

Damon Lane from KOCO tweeted a photo from his back yard - IN MOORE - taken last night that clearly showed this amazing beast lit up from some 10 miles away. And it was also easily visible from Ch 9's I-35 remote cam this morning. Also understand they tested the sound system for about 30 minutes this morning as well, and the system is apparently going to blow the doors off the place its so good...Can't wait for ULM!

Simply put, it's massive.

I'm very excited to see how this will impact crowd noise levels. There's only one open ended "horse shoe" stadium that has been well known to be loud (Centurylink field in Seattle), but that is greatly aided by overhangs that has been attributed to keeping some of the sound in.

While Memorial Stadium may not be particularly known for being loud, I think it's a fair point to suggest the fact that a fully enclosed bowl will keep a lot of sound in instead of escaping now. Plus, won't there be a couple hundred more seats and obviously more standing room?

I'm very excited to see how this will impact crowd noise levels. There's only one open ended "horse shoe" stadium that has been well known to be loud (Centurylink field in Seattle), but that is greatly aided by overhangs that has been attributed to keeping some of the sound in.

While Memorial Stadium may not be particularly known for being loud, I think it's a fair point to suggest the fact that a fully enclosed bowl will keep a lot of sound in instead of escaping now. Plus, won't there be a couple hundred more seats and obviously more standing room?

I could be wrong, but to my knowledge OU has never sold truly "standing room" tickets. Now, having said, that, I'm sure many guests to the various suites blurs the real "bodies in the stadium" number. The delta for the seating capacity (at least architecturally) was only about +1,600, and that number will come down when they finish the ADA railings throughout the stadium next year. That's a loss of about two seats per row everywhere. So the OU-Ohio State game will likely feature a crowd record that won't be touched for a long time.

I can't help but think the enclosure is going to change the whole dynamic for OU home games. I was in there the other day (have been several times this spring/summer) and with it in its nearly-finished condition, the *interior* of the stadium seems *drastically* smaller to me. Outside, the stadium footprint is now HUGE. Inside, though, man - even an above-average crowd noise level should be amplified. And those early fall games where its still warm will be interesting - very little air movement with light winds. I was there at a pleasant but warm midday time frame with a very modest south breeze, but inside that bowl there was *z-e-r-o* air movement. That's going to be a big difference for this season.
As a Sooner who has been going to games since he was 8, this is the biggest change to the perceptoin and complexion of the stadium since the west upper deck was put in back in 1975. Even bigger than the east deck, because it creates the illlusion of bringing the fan closer to the field (even though it doesn't). It creates a sense of involvement, intimacy (pick your favorite similar word) and a potential for a much more imposing home environment for the Sooners - ESPECIALLY with that behemoth Video Board of Certain Doom looming over the place. You could blind opposing quarterbacks by flashing that thing all-white at just the wrong time!!! LOL!!! And don't forget - this place now sports a 424KW sound system and it apparently will BLOW THE DOORS off the place this season.

Really exciting potential for this year. Hope I can figure out a way to afford Ohio State tickets on top of everything else this year LOL.

Looking forward to seeing the first fb game of the season at the stadium tonight between NHS and NNHS.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/ou090116.jpg

It's a good idea to post a pic when the live camera is up and working. It's a crapshoot when you go to it. You never know if it'll be up or not.

The live cam can support virtually zero load at all. It usually works fine in the early morning, and again later at night, but during the day when its being really hit the most, it fails (503). If you take the URL to the image itself and load it, you can (eventually) get an image if you constantly refresh it. Right-click where the image is supposed to go, and you should get "View in new tab" (or similar language) and that puts the correct URL in there for you. Keep refreshing, and be patient when you get the dreaded 503 "Service Unavailables"...

Apparently Kenny Mossman is now saying that the letters aren't permanent yet. They're just being roughed in and will be taken down before permanent installation. Don't know if that's FR or if it's just CYA, but I'm glad they're aware of the problem because it looks like crap right now.

Apparently Kenny Mossman is now saying that the letters aren't permanent yet. They're just being roughed in and will be taken down before permanent installation. Don't know if that's FR or if it's just CYA, but I'm glad they're aware of the problem because it looks like crap right now.

Yeah I don't know what's going on. There are some saying "tacked up" is a load of hokum; that the letters are too large and require too much effort to be "temporarily" installed and "fixed" later as if they were cardboard letters in an art project. I am nowhere near expert enough in the sign/lettering business to make any kind of intelligent assessment about what's up. The letters look...a little uneven, to be sure. They did fix the upside-down "S", and that helps, but as far as the other letters not being even -- even if you were only "tacking them up" temporarily, heck, wouldn't you have a torpedo level in your workbelt and put it up there to at least see how close you were before calling it good?

Strange. Like I said, an expert in signs or lettering probably knows the details. I sure don't. All that said, I'm sure they'll get it fixed.

We've got a good view of the new endzone from our seats. It was weird to come up the tunnel and see this new view. Personally, i dont know that it sounded any louder, but it wasn't a very loud crowd game. I hear the players thought it was louder though. 7,800 sq ft of screen and a new crowd record of 87,000
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How was the new sound system?

The old one was subject of many complaints.

New sound system was MUCH *clearer* for most of the game - but the ref's mike was turned up too much and was not clear.

Frankly, I don't think they had that thing cranked up to even half its potential. I was way up in sec 232 and noted a curious reverb effect that may have been due in part to the wind and the awning. Not sure. I think they're holding back some.



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How was the new sound system?

The old one was subject of many complaints.

I kind of agree with bomber, I didn't think the new sound system sounded any different. It may have been clearer, but was hard to tell since I'm thinking back several months now. It definitely did not seem any louder which was a bit disappointing. Here is new view from my seat with the original from a year ago.

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I didn't make the game, but I'm guessing the "louder" sensation was mostly on the south side of the stadium. The north end has always had a rep for being louder. Yes, that is in part thanks to the student section, but even after they all get bored and leave at halftime the north end is still louder, having set all around the stadium at various times (when sitting with other people).

Regarding the sound system, I have heard mixed reviews. One friend told me yesterday that it was outstanding and a huge improvement, but my employee who sat in my seats told me this morning that speech was largely unintelligible and tinny. It probably again has to do with the location in the stadium, combined with still needing to dial some things in.

I agree urbanized. I have sat in the North end zone for a number of years and it has always felt a little louder. I didn't notice a huge difference in the sound system. Overall I would say it was better and clearer but their were times I noticed the play by play was really mumbled but at the time I attributed to the crowd noise. The game this weekend will be the real test on all the new systems IMO. But overall I thought the look of the South end zone was great.

Memorial Stadium renovation is two years’ work in 18 months

By: Molly M. Fleming The Journal Record September 15, 2016

NORMAN – When architect Craig Kaufman was in Norman after Labor Day, he heard a lot of doubting residents.

Kaufman and his team with the Populous architecture firm worked with Flintco-Austin construction team and the University of Oklahoma on the $370 million renovation at the Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

“One of the comments we got a lot was, ‘There’s no way they’re going to get it done,’” Kaufman said. “(The construction team) got done what they were supposed to get done. The amount of work that they were putting in the ground per month was just an incredible piece.”

The university announced the stadium update in June 2014. Work started after the Sooners’ last 2015 home football game. The seats had to be finished by Sept. 10, when the Sooners welcomed the University of Louisiana-Monroe.

“When you pencil out the schedule for this project, it’s a two-year project,” said Kaufman. “The fact that we were able to get the whole thing done in a year-and-a-half is incredible.”

The renovation is being completed in two phases. The first part was the additional seats, suites, and loge boxes. The second part, which is the new Barry Switzer Center and football training room facilities, will be finished next spring.

The work won’t slow anytime soon for Flintco, said James Heley, project director with the construction company. Flintco started working its subcontractors 60 hours a week from the start, having shifts of 10-hour days. The company partnered with Dallas-based Austin Commercial on the project.

“We might have scared away some subcontractors with the aggressive schedule,” Heley said. “But we had good participation.”

The six-day-a-week workdays will continue, with Saturdays being used when the Sooners are on the road. Heley said his team and Austin Commercial are accustomed to the tight schedule that comes with stadium projects. Flintco and Austin worked together on the Baylor University stadium most recently.

“The thing about stadiums is they don’t move games,” he said. “Whatever happens, happens. You still have to perform on the same day, no matter what delays you might have. The end date is not going to move.”

With the seats updated, the stadium bowl is complete, creating a better fan experience, said Kenny Mossman, OU’s senior associate athletic director. The bowl completion has the crowd louder and created a more intimate experience, he said.

“We’ve created a situation where those fans that sit in those seats get an optimum game experience,” said Mossman. “We also have some great premium spaces for any general fan.”

While the updates are nice for supporters, the stadium and athlete areas will be attractive to future students, who could be alumni one day. Mossman said new buildings or other campus features are always attractive to prospective students.

“When you open something new on campus, it makes a positive impact on recruiting,” he said.

And those future students could see another renovation at the stadium, but Mossman said there isn’t one planned now. The stadium’s infrastructure is 100 years old, so that is a factor when updates are considered.

“We have a master plan for the stadium,” he said. “We’ll get this in our rearview mirror before we attack anything else. We could add capacity if we need it.”

The article is a tad misleading....the *entire* project as originally laid out - including the north fan plaza and the rebuilt west upper deck and pressbox - was tagged out at $370M. When oil crashed, and they focused on only the south endzone, *that* pricetag became $160M. Although that original master plan still exists, expect it to get significantly revisited and "schedule-adjusted" until they have a good handle on finances. Boren already said he wouldn't consider any more projects until at least 50% of the bonded indebtedness undertaken to build it was paid off.

Consider, too, that they did not sell out 100% of the club seats. The economic situation doesn't just affect the donors who help finance the building, but those who buy the seats at a *substantial* premium.

Also, don't be surprised if a pretty big push occurs for the north endzone video board to get replaced sooner rather than later. The SEZ board is more obstructed due to the awning to people on the south end of the stadium, and also doesn't look quite as sharp from down there, leaving those fans with only the old NEZ board - and its waay out of date. Look for them to come up with a project to replace that board before next season.

They were going to move the old south board to the north side in the original plan, but architects discovered the north endzone structure would not accommodate such a load, and the plans to alter the structure in that area were deemed too expensive to proceed. I think they're revisiting those plans now and are focused on figuring out a way to get a new board up there that still retains the architectural spirit intended with the clock face that's on the outside of the stadium there. And doing all that implies that previous north fan plaza is probably off the table.

We'll see how it goes. Team success, oil prices, fan interest...all variables going into it. But I sure don't see OMS *expanding* capacity anytime soon. IN fact, with new ADA railings going in throughout the lower bowl next season, it'll almost certainly see a *drop* in seating of anywhere from 3,000-5,000 seats. They'll be taking out one seat at each end of every row on each section and installing handrails ala the west upper deck. That happens after this season, presumably.

The article is a tad misleading....the *entire* project as originally laid out - including the north fan plaza and the rebuilt west upper deck and pressbox - was tagged out at $370M. When oil crashed, and they focused on only the south endzone, *that* pricetag became $160M. Although that original master plan still exists, expect it to get significantly revisited and "schedule-adjusted" until they have a good handle on finances. Boren already said he wouldn't consider any more projects until at least 50% of the bonded indebtedness undertaken to build it was paid off.

Consider, too, that they did not sell out 100% of the club seats. The economic situation doesn't just affect the donors who help finance the building, but those who buy the seats at a *substantial* premium.

Also, don't be surprised if a pretty big push occurs for the north endzone video board to get replaced sooner rather than later. The SEZ board is more obstructed due to the awning to people on the south end of the stadium, and also doesn't look quite as sharp from down there, leaving those fans with only the old NEZ board - and its waay out of date. Look for them to come up with a project to replace that board before next season.

They were going to move the old south board to the north side in the original plan, but architects discovered the north endzone structure would not accommodate such a load, and the plans to alter the structure in that area were deemed too expensive to proceed. I think they're revisiting those plans now and are focused on figuring out a way to get a new board up there that still retains the architectural spirit intended with the clock face that's on the outside of the stadium there. And doing all that implies that previous north fan plaza is probably off the table.

We'll see how it goes. Team success, oil prices, fan interest...all variables going into it. But I sure don't see OMS *expanding* capacity anytime soon. IN fact, with new ADA railings going in throughout the lower bowl next season, it'll almost certainly see a *drop* in seating of anywhere from 3,000-5,000 seats. They'll be taking out one seat at each end of every row on each section and installing handrails ala the west upper deck. That happens after this season, presumably.

Your comment basically answers my question, specifically spurred by this quote in the article: And those future students could see another renovation at the stadium, but Mossman said there isn’t one planned now. The stadium’s infrastructure is 100 years old, so that is a factor when updates are considered.

I knew there was a long term plan to replace the west side upper deck and press box, but that would be later. I didn't know about the screen on the north side, but it makes sense to replace it. Also, the infrastructure would have to be upgraded to hold it, but it would be out of the way of the other expansions, so it shouldn't be too big of a hassle. I could see it happening after this season.

Your comment basically answers my question, specifically spurred by this quote in the article: And those future students could see another renovation at the stadium, but Mossman said there isn’t one planned now. The stadium’s infrastructure is 100 years old, so that is a factor when updates are considered.

I knew there was a long term plan to replace the west side upper deck and press box, but that would be later. I didn't know about the screen on the north side, but it makes sense to replace it. Also, the infrastructure would have to be upgraded to hold it, but it would be out of the way of the other expansions, so it shouldn't be too big of a hassle. I could see it happening after this season.

If finances had held out, the west upper deck would have been *this* off-season's project, as I understand (well, understood) it. It would have had priority over the north fan plaza because those new club seats and suites would have been revenue-generating, whereas the north fan plaza would not - that was intended to connect the east and west sides across the north end. If rumblings are correct in that the 50% debt retirement threshold won't be reached for at least 3 years (unless some BMD's start seeing crude oil north of $70/bbl again). The north video board is a big enough deal that it would likely push *that* schedule back at least another year or two - so we're talking a *minimum* of five years before that west deck is done.

I think, in fact, the NEZ video board plans are probably farther along than they let on - Mossman alluded to this on KREF the other day (as I understand it), saying something to the effect of them "working on a plan to...get it done sooner rather than later." From what little nuggets I have heard - and I'm certainly no insider or anything - that plan is actually fairly well fleshed out. They've supposedly already worked out the architectural changes to the north side clock to which Boren will assent, and I'm further guessing some variation of one of the plans the architects had presented previously would be a starting point for the structure necessary to support a new board. Actually, I think they could build a structure for the board that is structurally independent of the stadium, but wrap it in brick and treatment that creates the illusion they're all a unified build.

However the end up doing it, I think there's a 99% chance this is done before next season.