Upper concourse question

[markymark98]

Okay, I looked at a bunch of pictures from the stadium and could not clearly see how wide the area above the upper seating is, if it all open, or if the majority of it is fenced off. I have to imagine it is pretty wide to accomodate for future expansion, and I was just wondering if they are going to keep that area only as a walkway to get to those bench seats, or allow for people to use that as an extra place to stand and watch the game, meet-up, etc. I only think of this because we all know how annoying it can be to wait in line for a hotdog or popcorn, (insert all beer sales arguments and references here) and I wonder if the U could/will use that space for some extra venders. A few stands on that upper area would be very convenient for those in the upper half of the upper seating area, and would help ease conjestion in the lower/main concourse. Does anyone have any info on this? Thoughts?

 

[GoGophers2005]

It is only there for accessible seating. There is a walkway all the way around the top, except when it abuts up against the loge area. There will not be any vendors in this area.

 

[GoGophers2005]

Congestion should be minimal in the concourse.

 

[GoAUpher]

Okay, I looked at a bunch of pictures from the stadium and could not clearly see how wide the area above the upper seating is, if it all open, or if the majority of it is fenced off. I have to imagine it is pretty wide to accomodate for future expansion, and I was just wondering if they are going to keep that area only as a walkway to get to those bench seats, or allow for people to use that as an extra place to stand and watch the game, meet-up, etc. I only think of this because we all know how annoying it can be to wait in line for a hotdog or popcorn, (insert all beer sales arguments and references here) and I wonder if the U could/will use that space for some extra venders. A few stands on that upper area would be very convenient for those in the upper half of the upper seating area, and would help ease conjestion in the lower/main concourse. Does anyone have any info on this? Thoughts?

Any fan can use this upper concourse to reach their seats, but there will be no vendors/bathrooms on this level.

 

[markymark98]

Any fan can use this upper concourse to reach their seats, but there will be no vendors/bathrooms on this level.

That's pretty much what I thought, but am glad to have some confirmation. Also, I wasn't trying to imply that the main concourse would be crowded, just trying to throw out an idea for even less conjestion. We all know shorter lines and easier access to vendors means more revenue for the eventholder. If I can walk up 20 rows and buy a coke from a stand with 5 people in line I'm more prone to make the trip than going down 15 rows and buying a coke from a window with 10 people in line.

 

[MinnyGopherfan]

Is there another concourse?

So, is there a second-level concourse, like in the dome. Or does the stadium just have one concourse shared by both levels? If so, that could be crowded. I know it's wider, but all 50,000 on one level? Just wondering if anyone who has toured would know.

 

[GoAUpher]

So, is there a second-level concourse, like in the dome. Or does the stadium just have one concourse shared by both levels? If so, that could be crowded. I know it's wider, but all 50,000 on one level? Just wondering if anyone who has toured would know.

There is a second concourse. It is not covered and can be accessed by 1) the elevators or 2) by walking up the seating area steps. Its primary purpose is to offer accessible seating and an alternate route for attendees to reach their seats. The concourse is not available above the sections on the Home side as the concourse in that area is reserved for premium seat holders (b/c it accesses the DQ club room).

 

[forestlaker]

1. All gates have elevators. Gates A-E.
2. All elevators go to the upper level.
3. Gates D and E are on the Home side.
4. My seats are in 237 next to the loge area.
5. I'm assuming from talking to the ticket office before choosing my seats, that I can take the elevator up and wallk a couple rows down rather than walk from the concourse up all the the stairs.
6. The Gate D elevator comes up behind the loge area.
7. Premium seating have their own entrance and elevator separate from Gates D and E.

Have I missed something?

 

[GoAUpher]

1. All gates have elevators. Gates A-E.
2. All elevators go to the upper level.
3. Gates D and E are on the Home side.
4. My seats are in 237 next to the loge area.
5. I'm assuming from talking to the ticket office before choosing my seats, that I can take the elevator up and wallk a couple rows down rather than walk from the concourse up all the the stairs.
6. The Gate D elevator comes up behind the loge area.
7. Premium seating have their own entrance and elevator separate from Gates D and E.

Have I missed something?

Nope, pretty good summary. I know Gate D folks can get to the upper concourse via elevator b/c there is accessible seating from Sec 236 onward towards the students...this includes the area around Gate D. I'm not positive about Gate E (there isn't any accessible seating above 245/246 but that doesn't mean their isn't an upper concourse available in those sections). What you can be sure of is that there is no upper concourse for anyone between the goal lines (sections 237-244) on the Home Side as the upper parts of those sections are filled by Loge Boxes/Outdoor Club Seats.

 

[MinnyGopherfan]

Elevators!

Those elevators will be a great help to those of us who sit in the second to the top row in section 211!

 

[oak_street1981]

The upper concourse is covered and is the area

inside the large windows above the colonnade running from the large scoreboard all the way around to where the premium areas begin just past the small scoreboard.

Perhaps I am wrong, but,

If that is not the upper concourse, what is is this massive open space?

 

[GoGophers2005]

The space behind the glass is absolutely nothing...its just glass open to the concourse below. I took a tour well over a year ago and asked the guys out there if they knew why there was so much unused space in the stadium and they didn't have an answer for me.
I do think it is going to be nice bringing in some daylight with those windows down to the concourse though. Even though the concourse can look out into the football bowl, the concourse will be flooded with natural light and I believe if the weather does get cold in November for a game that having the concourse shielded on one side will help out a ton.

 

[GoAUpher]

The space behind the glass is absolutely nothing...its just glass open to the concourse below. I took a tour well over a year ago and asked the guys out there if they knew why there was so much unused space in the stadium and they didn't have an answer for me.
I do think it is going to be nice bringing in some daylight with those windows down to the concourse though. Even though the concourse can look out into the football bowl, the concourse will be flooded with natural light and I believe if the weather does get cold in November for a game that having the concourse shielded on one side will help out a ton.

I'm pretty sure GG05 is right. That 2nd level of glass looks like it's high up there, but keep in mind that all fans have to go UP a large flight of steps from the outside to reach the main concourse. Compare that to the photos we've all seen with the very high ceilings of the concourse of you can see how there isn't room for a second concourse behind that glass. More importantly, there is no access from the level of that glass to the seating bowl. The only access is from the bottom of the 2nd deck (the main concourse) or from the top of the 2nd deck where the accessible seating is. A concourse in that location also wouldn't make sense for expansion as it wouldn't offer access to the top deck.

 

[oak_street1981]

I guess I'll see it for myself in a couple of weeks, but

looking up the stairway at the NE entry gives some view of those windows up above, and it looks like there is lot of space between the area above the concession windows, all the way back to where the windows are.

That must be at least a 45 foot wide area, and in the closed end behind the student section it is a much larger (wider) area.

My guess is that there could be long stairs and escalators running the same direction as the exterior walls, and leading up to the top level that would be below the yet unbuild final deck.

 

[GoGophers2005]

I believe when they add the addition the plan is for everyone in the new addition to use the same aisles that are currently in place. So that would mean there would NOT be any additional stairs up to the new seats. I believe it will almost be seamless from what you see now when they build the additional seats.

It's not like they are going to be adding 20 rows to each section...I believe it would only be 10 or so rows that would need to be added.

 

[GoAUpher]

looking up the stairway at the NE entry gives some view of those windows up above, and it looks like there is lot of space between the area above the concession windows, all the way back to where the windows are.

That must be at least a 45 foot wide area, and in the closed end behind the student section it is a much larger (wider) area.

My guess is that there could be long stairs and escalators running the same direction as the exterior walls, and leading up to the top level that would be below the yet unbuild final deck.

You could very well be right. I'm not sure how that space might be used in the future, but I'm pretty positive from the info I got on my tour plus what other posters like GG05 have chipped in that its not being used as a concourse currently.

GG05 is also right that they won't need to expand the walls to accomodate the upper deck so any stairs/escalators would have to be added into the current main concourse area.

 

[AeroGopher]

I believe when they add the addition the plan is for everyone in the new addition to use the same aisles that are currently in place. So that would mean there would NOT be any additional stairs up to the new seats. I believe it will almost be seamless from what you see now when they build the additional seats.

It's not like they are going to be adding 20 rows to each section...I believe it would only be 10 or so rows that would need to be added.

From everything I've heard, the expansion would add an entire new third deck with the upper concourse also being in the open-to-the-field design. From what I've seen so far in person and in drawings, it would be possible to add escalators from the main concourse to the second concourse. Part of the reason why the second concourse currently doesn't extend past short of halfway to the exterior boundary is because that area that's currently fenced off is (hopefully) a temporary ceiling for the open space below. They could add a set of two escalators to the gate A (NW) open end so that you wrap around after climbing the gate A grand staircase to the left and board the escalator on the open end, and take it up to the second concourse. Also there is a vertical circulating ramp in the NE corner already built into the building. I'm not sure what it currently services, other than possibly an alternate means of exiting the building. This could be easily extended up to the second concourse as well. As far as the expansion's design, comments from athletics people have all made it sound like the design will be seamless with the rest of the stadium. However I've heard the smaller scoreboard will never get demolished. My guess is they'll mimic in many ways the press/suite structure but instead of suites and lounge areas there will be a deck of seating with at least 20 rows. I be willing to bet money the expansion initially is built on top of the visiting sidelines, corner to corner, and a second phase would extend it further behind the closed-end endzone sections. Of course when the expansion happens the second concourse will almost definitely closely resemble the main concourse. Having closely watched the stadium being built, I'm convinced this was smartly designed to easily add a third deck.

 

[forestlaker]

Doesn't it seem that the height of an additional level on the NW-NE would have to be higher than the Press Box on the South side?

 

[GoAUpher]

Doesn't it seem that the height of an additional level on the NW-NE would have to be higher than the Press Box on the South side?

Not if the 3rd deck overhangs the 2nd by a decent amount maybe?

 

[AeroGopher]

Doesn't it seem that the height of an additional level on the NW-NE would have to be higher than the Press Box on the South side?

Not if the 3rd deck overhangs the 2nd by a decent amount maybe?

I think it would look a little silly if it did. My guess is it won't. I wonder if they'll do a sun-shield overhang with the lights built in like on the south side. If and when this gets done I think we call all agree that it will look awesome.

 

[GoAUpher]

I think it would look a little silly if it did. My guess is it won't. I wonder if they'll do a sun-shield overhang with the lights built in like on the south side. If and when this gets done I think we call all agree that it will look awesome.

A 3rd deck would have to hang over the 2nd level at least somewhat...its the only way to make sure the addition looks seamless to the current exterior. There is more space on the upper concourse then what it being opened now, but not enough to fit an entire 3rd deck w/o overhang (IMO).

Whatever the plan is, like you I have no doubt that it will look fantastic!