On Campus Stadium

[memp600]

The Coliseum Will play a part in what happens at FG.Bob loeb makes an interesting point about it costing possibly 20 million to upgrade it, add that plus 60-80 million for LB and maybe you can see why the prospect for a new stadium is being proposed. This issue is not just about LB it is about the total cost for both venues. Is it feasible to spend possibly 100 million$ on 2 outdated facilities when you could alleviate a tax burden (Coliseum) costing 500,000 a year for up keep. I understand some point of views about a renovated LB, but this is not a real solution IMO if you renovate just the LB that still leaves a problem on what to do with the coliseum? sell it? who will want to spend 20 million for a no tenant out dated facility? upgrade it for what? I'm sorry but this is just not reality, to date no one is just looking at LB and LB alone every viable group that has looked at the F.G has included the Coliseum as a part of what to do with the land, to date no developer see's it as a part of a new plan.

I applaud the Loeb Turley group for taking the iniative and finding out the TDZ's have legs and can be used.

[The Memphian]

The article also talked about how Turley seems to some how already have the rights to the TDZ and maybe causing others not to submit their own ideas about what to do with the fairgrounds because of Turley's close relationship with the city. I think I should point out one thing and that is the University of Memphis has NO OBLIGATION to play in the LB, they can play wherever they choose to. I know when the on campus stadium issue comes up university officals quote money problems, but the truth is if they really wanted to make it work they could. Which is why they need to show some leadership and stop letting people, who have no connection to the university, control it and push in the direction to benfit themselves. And do what the FANS, STUDENTS, and ALUMNI want and that is and on campus stadium.

[cdarr]

I understand how most alumni feel and an on campus stadium would be good for Uof M. The question is not if it's a good Idea? the question is will it happen? I think most people including Alumni Know the answer.

[The Memphian]

Alas, it probably won't happen. That's just coming from the realist in me...as I think I mentioned before, I have my doubts about the UofM's ability to raise that kind of capital. They're not likely to get much help from the state - maybe $10 million at the most as was the case 20 years ago when the University was planning to build an on-campus basketball arena. Of course, that money ended up going into the Pyramid.

[memp600]

Having this master plan approved is just what the university needed, and if we can make the on campus stadium work it will be the first step in making the University of Memphis a first class university around the nation.

[Clobber]

Having this master plan approved is just what the university needed, and if we can make the on campus stadium work it will be the first step in making the University of Memphis a first class university around the nation.

[Rardy]

I'm sorry, as nice as an OCS would be, I see an only nebulous connection between that and having a world class academic research university. It's great for campus life. But most supporters who are adamant about an OCS seem to be ambivalent about issues that are more critical to achieving a world class university -- marketing and attracting international students as well as top 10% students from around the country, improving academic facilities across the board (the law school is a successful example of this), etc. It saddens me to see that the same level of support for athletics doesn't translate to achieving an equally stellar academic institution. If we put the same money and effort into our academics that we've done to becoming a consensus preseason #1 basketball program, and the same effort that we're trying to put into getting into a BCS conference, we would be on the tips of the tongues of national merit scholars around the country.

[gatesofmemphis]

I'm sorry, as nice as an OCS would be, I see an only nebulous connection between that and having a world class academic research university. It's great for campus life. But most supporters who are adamant about an OCS seem to be ambivalent about issues that are more critical to achieving a world class university -- marketing and attracting international students as well as top 10% students from around the country, improving academic facilities across the board (the law school is a successful example of this), etc. It saddens me to see that the same level of support for athletics doesn't translate to achieving an equally stellar academic institution. If we put the same money and effort into our academics that we've done to becoming a consensus preseason #1 basketball program, and the same effort that we're trying to put into getting into a BCS conference, we would be on the tips of the tongues of national merit scholars around the country.

[memp600]

I'm sorry, as nice as an OCS would be, I see an only nebulous connection between that and having a world class academic research university. It's great for campus life. But most supporters who are adamant about an OCS seem to be ambivalent about issues that are more critical to achieving a world class university -- marketing and attracting international students as well as top 10% students from around the country, improving academic facilities across the board (the law school is a successful example of this), etc. It saddens me to see that the same level of support for athletics doesn't translate to achieving an equally stellar academic institution. If we put the same money and effort into our academics that we've done to becoming a consensus preseason #1 basketball program, and the same effort that we're trying to put into getting into a BCS conference, we would be on the tips of the tongues of national merit scholars around the country.

[Clobber]

The supporters of an OCS aren't ambivalent to the issues. Were the ones who care about the university the most. Were the fans, students, and alumni who are sick and tired of outside interests running the university for their own personal gain. I agree academics come first but a good athletic program funds the academics. Having an OCS would bring alumni back to the university and make them proud of where the university came from and where it is going. And personally I don't see a new LB on the fairgrounds doing that.

[memp600]

I don't see your perspective from many, if any, of the vocal supporters of OCS. They are athletic supporters who want a nice atmosphere on campus. Very few speak out on the nexus between the two, and when they do, it sounds like they're doing so just to get more support, not because they are really as much boosters for academics as they are athletics. I hope you're right. We need to be unrelenting in the National Merit Scholars, National Honor Society, Valedictorian students we attract, as well as hiring the best and brightest research universities to spread the gospel that is Memphis and University of Memphis innovation and knowledge. One thing I will say is that the OCS supporters can't define themselves as ones that do anything the most. That's like Dems or GOP saying "we're the ones who care about the country the most." That kind of self-definition is inherently self-serving. I don't doubt your love for U of M athletics. I don't have any reason to doubt that you want improvements for U of M academics. I do question if the average supporter for U of M athletics would go to the same lengths for academics. It isn't just a U of M thing. It's an indictment of our shallow athletic culture, where fantasy football (which I'm gonna kick @ss in) is such a huge hobby, at the expense of interest in improving higher education, relatively unsexy.

Don't put all our chips behind athletics. We have to diversify our investments. Again, we need to see as many announcmenets along the lines of the new law school (or the FedEx Institute, or Wilson School -- although where is the grad program there?) as we do announcements that we just got a verbal from an Indiana high school recruit.

We can't afford to have a 3d tier university. That's more detrimental to this community long term than a football program ranked 109th in the nation. It takes much longer to improve academic standards than athletic performance. We need to get on academics NOW, even with improvements in athletics, we can't ignore academics at all.

[cdarr]

I do question if the average supporter for U of M athletics would go to the same lengths for academics. It isn't just a U of M thing. It's an indictment of our shallow athletic culture, where fantasy football (which I'm gonna kick @ss in) is such a huge hobby, at the expense of interest in improving higher education, relatively unsexy.

[Clobber]

Unfortunately I have to agree with you on the issue of supporters not caring enough for academics as athletics. As a current student of the UofM I just wish we could strike a balance between academics and athletics, which is why I would like to see the OCS work because that atmosphere is what I think the UofM needs. But you make a very good point in that the UofM needs to shed its 3rd tier university image, and coming from a personal account it defenitely has that image, but is doing a good job of getting rid of that image. I just believe that students these days go to college for the complete package in both academics and athletics. But academics come first no matter what.

[memp600]

Yesterday after the report for a new LB came out, UofM president Raines sent out an email basically saying that the University will not look into building an OCS after the report said that their is a strong desire among fans and alumni to have an OCS and that it should be looked into. Sounds like she is under alot of pressure from both sides of this issue.

[Memphis Love]

shirley raines is unfortunately under a lot of pressure from the Athletics Dept. when it should be the other way around. RC needs to go.

[Rardy]

It seems like the pressure for an on-campus stadium is coming from outside the university - that is fans and boosters. On campus, I've heard very little positive about an OCS.

Fans and boosters have a lot less credibility to Raines than they do with RC, so she's less likely to be swayed by them.

She seems to be making it clear that academics are U of M's first priority.

[Clobber]

It seems like the pressure for an on-campus stadium is coming from outside the university - that is fans and boosters. On campus, I've heard very little positive about an OCS.

Fans and boosters have a lot less credibility to Raines than they do with RC, so she's less likely to be swayed by them.

She seems to be making it clear that academics are U of M's first priority.

[cdarr]

The whole on-campus stadium issue has me torn, personally. While I'd love to see it happen, I have to admire President Raines for firmly placing academic considerations ahead of athletics in this case. Memphis, the city, needs a first-class public university far more than it needs a Top 10 college football team or a new stadium.

The way all this is shaking out, it seems increasingly likely that we'll be getting a somewhat-renovated Liberty Bowl. Any expenditure of $200 million on either a new stadium or a massive Liberty Bowl reconstruction has absolutely zero political support. The ADA-related modifications are mandatory, so that will have to be approved. Beyond that, I would expect that there will be enough support to fund a new locker room and media facilities.

[Rardy]

This is really getting twisted around...

On Thursday, the UM administration said they would hire a consultant to study the feasibility of an on-campus stadium...

[memp600]

Ive been hearing rumors on campus that the reason Dr. Raines sent out an email regrading an OCS, that said they will now look into it, was because the neighborhood assiociation next to campus told her to send out the email to quail the movement for an OCS. Of course these are just rumors and personally I do not think they are true, but if they are she will be playing a very dangerous game IMO.

[cdarr]

Ive been hearing rumors on campus that the reason Dr. Raines sent out an email regrading an OCS, that said they will now look into it, was because the neighborhood assiociation next to campus told her to send out the email to quail the movement for an OCS. Of course these are just rumors and personally I do not think they are true, but if they are she will be playing a very dangerous game IMO.

[tigergreen]

The houses along Grandview are the only ones I could imagine putting up a fight...any of the other areas that have larger homes are too far removed from the campus for it to even matter to them.

Obviously by my username, I'm a U of M fan (been lurking here for a while; just never posted), but I wanted to address the academics vs. athletics argument:

I don't think anyone is saying that academics shouldn't come first with the University....however, several things dealing with athletics could make things a lot better for academics as a whole.

Our administration seems to have this lazy, "either/or" mentality; when it doesn't have to be that way. Bringing the football program up to a more respectable level (which does require spending money, yes) will put us in the race for inclusion in a BCS conference. As of right now, we will be overlooked for schools that didn't even HAVE a football program 10 years ago.

I don't believe the city should donate any funds, unless they want to give back the $12 million that the U of M gave them years ago to build the Pyramid. Preferably corporate donations, alumni donations, naming rights, and state funds (since we're the only school in Tennessee that has not been given funds for on-campus facilities) would be the lion's share of the money required.

If we were to get into a BCS conference, the U of M would automatically get a $7-9 million check, just for being in that conference. It doesn't matter how many wins or bowl appearances they have. Think of the possibilities that an extra $7-9 million could do for the academic side of the university. Dr. Raines' master plan would essentially be paid for in a matter of a few years.

In addition, bringing alumni back to campus on game day would see a huge boom in money spent on campus at the bookstore, etc., on game day, as well as dollars spent in the businesses around campus, which would benefit the University District as a whole. If these same alumni brought their children to games, they may grow up WANTING to attend the U of M, instead of coming back there after attending an out-of state school for a year or two. This all adds up to more $$ for the school, and an improved reputation.

[Rardy]

The houses along Grandview are the only ones I could imagine putting up a fight...any of the other areas that have larger homes are too far removed from the campus for it to even matter to them.

Obviously by my username, I'm a U of M fan (been lurking here for a while; just never posted), but I wanted to address the academics vs. athletics argument:

I don't think anyone is saying that academics shouldn't come first with the University....however, several things dealing with athletics could make things a lot better for academics as a whole.

Our administration seems to have this lazy, "either/or" mentality; when it doesn't have to be that way. Bringing the football program up to a more respectable level (which does require spending money, yes) will put us in the race for inclusion in a BCS conference. As of right now, we will be overlooked for schools that didn't even HAVE a football program 10 years ago.

I don't believe the city should donate any funds, unless they want to give back the $12 million that the U of M gave them years ago to build the Pyramid. Preferably corporate donations, alumni donations, naming rights, and state funds (since we're the only school in Tennessee that has not been given funds for on-campus facilities) would be the lion's share of the money required.

If we were to get into a BCS conference, the U of M would automatically get a $7-9 million check, just for being in that conference. It doesn't matter how many wins or bowl appearances they have. Think of the possibilities that an extra $7-9 million could do for the academic side of the university. Dr. Raines' master plan would essentially be paid for in a matter of a few years.

In addition, bringing alumni back to campus on game day would see a huge boom in money spent on campus at the bookstore, etc., on game day, as well as dollars spent in the businesses around campus, which would benefit the University District as a whole. If these same alumni brought their children to games, they may grow up WANTING to attend the U of M, instead of coming back there after attending an out-of state school for a year or two. This all adds up to more $$ for the school, and an improved reputation.

[memp600]

There was an article on the front page of the CA today about the OCS. It talked about the possible locations for the OCS those being: 1.)a site on the south parking lot next to the Finch Center and 2.)a site next to the Library that is right on top of the track that is on Zach Curlin. Among the concerns cited were the neighborhood association saying that traffic and parking would be a problem. Meaning if the University tries to build an OCS there will likely be some type of legal action taken by the neighborhood association to prevent them from building it.

[Rardy]

Meaning if the University tries to build an OCS there will likely be some type of legal action taken by the neighborhood association to prevent them from building it.