Mayor Herenton holds annual prayer breakfast

[watnow1425]

I was watching the Cotton Bowl and a news ticker came up on the bottom saying that Mayor Herenton and his financial team will request to the City Council for the construction of a $30 mil, 50,000 seat football stadium. This new stadium would be built on the Liberty Bowl site with the Liberty Bowl of cource being demolished.

http://wmctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5877358

http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/myfox/pages/Ho...mp;pageId=1.1.1

[tennreb]

What a complete waste of money. The LB is decent, and it is only used a few times a year. For the price of this stadium, we could have a world class park or a nationally known museum.

[DoctorGonzo]

Another sports complex is the absolute last thing Memphis needs.

The city is stuck with 2nd rate museums, and the whole "out of control crime problem" that keeps many, many people away. On top of this, the city has coughed up a ton of money to build not one, but two sports arenas in the past decade or so, one of which may never see a return on its initial investment.

The sheer ridiculousness of this astounds me, Herenton's priorities could not be more misplaced.

[Clobber]

Another sports complex is the absolute last thing Memphis needs.

The city is stuck with 2nd rate museums, and the whole "out of control crime problem" that keeps many, many people away. On top of this, the city has coughed up a ton of money to build not one, but two sports arenas in the past decade or so, one of which may never see a return on its initial investment.

The sheer ridiculousness of this astounds me, Herenton's priorities could not be more misplaced.

[DoctorGonzo]

You think the museums are second rate?

[watnow1425]

Pros: This might be our way of getting out of the CUSA and into a BCS conference, most likely Big East or SEC. If we get into a BCS conference that means more money for the university. Which means better university, better workers.

Cons: When was the last time we built a state-of-the-art football stadium? It was about 10 years too early for our shot at a NFL team. Unless there is a secret deal with a NFL team, we have no chance right now for a team. We would waste our money now and then when a team does want to come we will have to spend millions more to renevate it or they might want a new one. Same thing that happened for the Pyramid. Also where do they usually get money to make our stadiums? I also have a feeling that if we do make a new stadium, it will be missing some sort of gate.

I don't know if the cons outway the pros but I think that the city council will shoot this proposal down.

[tennreb]

Pros: This might be our way of getting out of the CUSA and into a BCS conference, most likely Big East or SEC. If we get into a BCS conference that means more money for the university. Which means better university, better workers.

Cons: When was the last time we built a state-of-the-art football stadium? It was about 10 years too early for our shot at a NFL team. Unless there is a secret deal with a NFL team, we have no chance right now for a team. We would waste our money now and then when a team does want to come we will have to spend millions more to renevate it or they might want a new one. Same thing that happened for the Pyramid. Also where do they usually get money to make our stadiums? I also have a feeling that if we do make a new stadium, it will be missing some sort of gate.

I don't know if the cons outway the pros but I think that the city council will shoot this proposal down.

[Fellowmann20]

What a complete waste of money.

[James Owen]

If Memphis wants to get into a BCS conference, then they need to start acting like a BCS team, and that includes paying for their own stadium. You don't see any of the SEC teams mooching off the taxpayers. I would love to see UM raise money for a new stadium, but they need to get off the taxpayer tit.

[idlewild]

boosters definitely should provide all of the money for a new stadium.

[watnow1425]

The mayor must have been watching all the bowls this year and said "hey, we need something like that!". There are more important things to do with the money right now. If he wants the stadium that bad, then I hope that he finds other means of paying for it besides the taxpayers. I personally hope that we get the new stadium. It would be best to build it on the UofM campus, but where would they put it? If they want to build it with our money then I can't support it.

That being said,

GO TIGERS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

btw, Is it true the locker rooms at LB flood when it rains?

[teCh0010]

The boosters for the University of Memphis and the UofM itself shouldn't provide capital to the city. They paid 10M towards the cost of the Pyramid and look how that turned out.

If the city wants a new stadium let the city pay for it. The UofM would be fine playing in the LB for 15 - 20 more years if the locker and media upgrades already promised them were done. Why should they contribute to the city building a new facility?

If it is going to be paid for by the UofM and booster dollars then they need to eminent domain the area between Paterson and highland west of the university and drop the stadium there.

Last year the city agreed to fully comply with the ADA act in a settlement in federal court.

http://www.sedbtac.org/articles.php?idpg=4...;source=archive

From the Article -

"The improvements are expected to cost taxpayers millions -- no one would make even a rough estimate -- at a time when the city is struggling financially.

But just as an example: It could cost the city $50 million to make Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium ADA compliant."

Spending 50M to make the LB compliant is like spending 10K to fix a dodge neon with 250K miles on it. It's not practical. Most people would spend 20K on a new Civic.

The city has committed to 15M in improvements over the next 3-4 years in restrooms, media, and locker areas.

http://www.southernheritageclassic.com/pdf...LibertyBowl.pdf

With the 50M for ADA we are talking spending 65M on the aging LB. I call that throwing good money after bad.

Papa John's Stadium cost 63M including the purchase of the land. With inflation and demolition costs something similar but 50K seats would probably cost the city in the area of 80M to 100M.

The SHC and LB games bring millions of dollars into city business with hotel rooms, bar tabs, parking, and concessions. The city could loose these games if improvements are not made to the LB. Since improvements to the LB cost half of what a new stadium does then it makes sense.

If the UofM does contribute to the City's funding then the stadium needs to be more Tiger oriented than the LB. UofM locker rooms plus two visiting locker rooms for the LB and SHC teams. Training and Coaches office area. Tiger color scheme through the stadium. The ability to display bowl banners and retired numbers during the Tiger games but roll them up for other events. Most importantly it needs greenspace around it and a tailgaiting park, not parking lots right next to it.

[watnow1425]

UofMemphis is a state school so why don't we get the state to chip in alittle money? The UofM and Herenton can raise the rest. How long do you think it would take for them to raise a couple million?

[James Owen]

UofMemphis is a state school so why don't we get the state to chip in alittle money? The UofM and Herenton can raise the rest. How long do you think it would take for them to raise a couple million?

[Rardy]

I don't know...I may be the lone dissenter here...

IF (and that's a big if) it can be done for less than $100 mill, and IF it requires no public financing, then it's a no-brainer IMO. Sure, we can bicker about the location, but that's the second step. The first thing is to see if we can do this for what they say we can, and if it's possible, then I'm all for it.

[teCh0010]

The city is on the hook for 50M in ADA and 15M in the promised upgrades.

The article in today's paper seems to indicate looking to spend no public money.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/local/...5252638,00.html

I think Willie is on the hook for 65M at the LB, and he sees this as a way for the UofM to buy the city a new stadium.

If we are using UofM booster donations, a ticket tax on UofM tickets, naming rights, and state and university money then it should be the University of Memphis stadium and on or directly adjacent to the main campus. All of the revenue streams listed in the article are available to the UofM as well as the city, if we aren't using any city money then it needs to be Tiger Stadium.

The SHC and LB can rent it from the UofM the same as they can rent it from the city.

The city has their butt in a 65M dollar sling, and are now looking for the UofM to bail them out.

If the city wants to use the 65M they are on the hook for with the LB to start building a new LB at the fairgrounds more power to them.

If the city wants to use no public money, but use other streams of revenue as outlined in the article that come largely from the UofM and it's supporters and naming rights then it needs to be on campus. I really think Willie thinks he has found a way to get the UofM to buy the city a new stadium.

I hope RC can step up and do this on Campus if the city is not going to pay for it.

[idlewild]

The U of M should pay for their own stadium....if you want it to be on campus where would you recommend they put it, there is no room!

[teCh0010]

The U of M should pay for their own stadium....

[idlewild]

i worked for the athletic dept at the u of m for two years and i can tell you it will never be built on campus and the u of m is going to try and get the city to pay for the entire thing if not most of it. it would be great for it to be built on campus for the current athletic administration will never allow it.

[teCh0010]

i worked for the athletic dept at the u of m for two years and i can tell you it will never be built on campus and the u of m is going to try and get the city to pay for the entire thing if not most of it. it would be great for it to be built on campus for the current athletic administration will never allow it.

[idlewild]

Agreed.

[tennreb]

Does anyone else think that $50 million for ADA compliance is a bit much? Last week is was $30 million and even that looks ridiculous. How much do some concrete ramps cost?

[DoctorGonzo]

Does anyone else think that $50 million for ADA compliance is a bit much? Last week is was $30 million and even that looks ridiculous. How much do some concrete ramps cost?

[teCh0010]

The hypothetical figure will probably be over-inflated above the cost of a new stadium, which will magically end up costing more than ADA compliance in the end.

[memphis born]

I don't know...I may be the lone dissenter here...

IF (and that's a big if) it can be done for less than $100 mill, and IF it requires no public financing, then it's a no-brainer IMO. Sure, we can bicker about the location, but that's the second step. The first thing is to see if we can do this for what they say we can, and if it's possible, then I'm all for it.