Wow, some people here are a little too sensitive about that new stadium being built.
All I was doing was asking a few simple questions. Relax! I am a huge Gopher fan and I am very excited about the stadium as well. I just wanted some reassurance that this was going to be a top notch facility and not a half ass job. Thanks to those of you with solid answers and info.
What makes pro stadiums so much more expensive then a college stadium? The Vikings are talking about 900 mill to 1 bill for there new gigs that they want. Why so much if you can get a top notch facility for 250 mil?
As far the angle of the bowl goes . . . still not convinced it is steep enough. The steeper the better. For one you don have to worry about the people in front of you, and second you are closer to the field. I get the feeling some of the seats in the top rows of both decks are a good ways away from the field.
Now relax people don't bite my head off over a few innocent questions. Let's reason peacefully.
My new questions
1. When is turf being installed?
2. When will the public be allowed in for tours?
Sorry if you took any part of my responses as an attack. I'm just really excited about the stadium.
I actually liked that you asked the question because I enjoyed doing my little Google search. Now I want to check out a game at Akron one of these days when I'm in Ohio visiting my wife's fam.
Answers to your 2nd set of Q's:
1) Sometime this summer. I know that's pretty obvious, but I don't know the dates offhand and can't do any better. I'm pretty sure someone else will chime in with more details.
2) I don't we've heard anything about this yet. When I toured TCF last fall I asked Phil Esten this question. Here is what I wrote about it at the time:
Phil also talked to me about how he wants to see the U improve their interaction with season ticket holders. He thinks that they aren't doing enough to maximize the energy and support of the fanbase. One idea he floated was to limit tours of the finished stadium prior to the Air Force game to season ticket holders, big donors, etc. Reward those with ties to the program...those with an investment in the program. Also, this would help keep the mystique in place until the big unveiling on 9/12. After that he could envision more public tours.
I'm not sure if this is the route the U is going with or not. Hopefully some of the folks who took more recent tours heard a little more.
As for why a pro stadium costs so much more...all I have is supposition. My guess is that it hinges a on a few factors:
1) Retractable roof - that's like 20% or more of the cost of the proposed Vikings stadium
2) More luxury areas (suites, club rooms, etc) that are done even more nicely than TCF. An example would be bathroom facilities for suites. TCF suites don't have their own bathrooms. Pro stadium suites do. While the fixtures in TCF are great, I'm sure you'd see them taken to another level in a pro stadium. The best example I can think of is the new Cowboys stadium. Check out the ridiculousness here:
http://stadium.dallascowboys.com/
3) The way a pro stadium is built would just seem to cost more from a materials perspective. While TCF isn't as minimal as BrightHouse stadium (the HS stands look) its still more minimal than a pro stadium. I'm guessing that simple open bowl design (which TCF is at its core) has to be less expense than the multi-level, closed end style of a pro stadium. These two picture illustrate what I'm thinking pretty well.
(A newer image of the proposed Vikes stadium here:
http://www.vikings.com/DAM_public/9863.jpg It was too big to insert.)
4) Electronics. While TCF has that amazing scoreboard, a pro stadium is going to have an even bigger one plus more ribbon boards, etc. More flat screen TV's everywhere, etc.
As far as the steepness of the 2nd/main level seating at TCF goes, I'm betting that the maximum allowable angle is probably mandated as part of the ADA type accessibility rules (just like the height of handrails is mandated, etc). I know from my tour that they paid for studies that looked at how to best keep sound in to (as Phil put it) "make it sound like TCF seats 100K", but I'm guessing there were limits to what they could do and still meet the applicable regulations/rules.
