University of Texas DKR Football Stadium Expansion and Renovation

[brando]

The Godzilitron is being replaced at DKR with a LED display. It'll be brighter and won't require an air conditioning unit to cool it. They'll also add smaller ribbon boards around the stadium’s seating bowl. It's suppose to be installed by the start of the 2017 season. I remember hearing that the company that installed the Godzillatron is no longer in business so servicing it was tough. I'm not sure if that's true or not.

http://www.hookem.com/2017/04/19/nex...-godzillatron/

The Texas football locker room isn’t the only thing getting a facelift. Next up: Godzillatron.

UT officials are soliciting bids for a company to replace the gigantic south end zone video board inside Royal-Memorial Stadium with an LED display and add smaller ribbon boards around the stadium’s seating bowl.

According to a posting on the school’s project management and construction service website, the projected cost of replacing the aging video board could run anywhere from $4-6 million. The school is asking for sealed bids from companies wishing to earn the business.

Texas generated wild headlines when football coach Tom Herman unveiled new state-of-the-art lockers that will be installed inside the Moncrief-Neuhaus Athletic Center. Each one cost approximately $10,500. A new video board inside the stadium is something that will get fans even more excited.

“The main south display, north field tunnel and all field displays will remain in the same locations and same size,” according to a proposal document available to companies who wish to bid on the work.

“The existing structures and mounting systems will be retained, wherever possible,” it continues. “The Club level ribbon displays on the north and east sides of the stadium will be extended the full length of the building as one continuous display.”

UT’s construction documents state that Godzillaton itself measures 56 feet high and 135 feet long.

UT project manager Jill Stewart said no final company has been selected, but the projected is expected to be completed by the 2017 football season. In fact, the document states that the project should be finished by July 19, 2017, most likely to coincide with the UT’s “Under the Lights” recruiting event.

As part of the proposal, the company chosen would also install scoreboards at the new UT tennis facility. The school is also asking a locker room clock to be installed in the football locker room.

Stewart said LED lighting is clearer, and the school won’t need the massive air conditioning units currently hidden behind the video board to keep things cool. “So there’s a big energy conservation and savings just by changing the type of lightning fixture,” Stewart said.

The locker rooms are getting an update. Here is a rendering of the renovated locker rooms:



Some Demos and Tours:

https://youtu.be/1I47YyYNWGg
https://twitter.com/TexasFootball/st...25450758168577
https://twitter.com/TexasFootball/st...20767468404736
https://twitter.com/RobertShipley2/s...50859034054657

Current Master Plan for UT Athletics: https://s3.amazonaws.com/texassports...March_2016.pdf

Future Changes for DKR:
SOUTH END ZONE
• Expand South End Zone
• Improve customer experience
• Add premium seating with suites, loge spaces, and club spaces
• Add Longhorn Network game-day space
STADIUM IMPROVEMENTS
• Renovate westside concourses, Levels 5, 7, and 11
• New signage, directionals, and informational maps
• Upgrade sound system including sound room—east and west sides
• Improve overall technology in all venues, including video, audio, wi- , and credit card processing
• Add Gate 25 lower plaza of ce
• Add elevator car to gold and silver side
• Renovate Terrace Club pods
• Update sound system and add video wall in Touchdown Club


MONCRIEF-NEUHAUS CENTER TEAM FACILITIES
• Renovate and add locker rooms including student athletes, coaches, and support staff
• Create new of ces for coaches and support staff
• Create a player development suite
• Renovate team and position meeting rooms
• Renovate sports medicine, hydrotherapy, and exam rooms
• Renovate weight room
• Renovate player and staff lounges
• Add media relations room
• Add video editing suite
• Renovate entry lobby
• Add storage
• Expand equipment room
INDOOR PRACTICE FACILITY
• Add permanent indoor football practice facility
• Possibly relocate closer to Moncrief-Neuhaus Center
DENIUS FIELDS
• Build two full outdoor practice elds
• Add camera towers at upper eld
• Renovate natural grass elds

[drummer]

I'll admit, I'm super giddy about the idea of expanding the south end zone.

[lzppjb]

I love stadium expansion. It's the reason I joined this site, actually.

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by drummer

I'll admit, I'm super giddy about the idea of expanding the south end zone.

I'd like to see a south end expansion for the sake of completing the 'bowl'. But like the EC, this could be overkill, more seats than they can ever fill. Even if Texas becomes a legit perennial national championship contender, how many more than the 102K fans can they get to buy tickets to fill the stadium. They certainly can't copy the northern end zone seating, perhaps just the bottom portion. I think UT would be wise to cap out at 108k - 110k max.

[lzppjb]

I read somewhere that they may just do the bowl, which won't add many seats at all. It'd be replacing some of the existing west & east grandstands (so they can make the curve), and it'd replace the semi-permanent bleachers under Godzillatron. Texas can't pass up the opportunity to add luxury suites, so that will probably match the north end. I just doubt they'll add an upper deck.

I could see the middle spot where a luxury suite would go actually being the coach's office overlooking the field. And instead of an upper deck, it could be some club for donors like is now on top of Moncrief.

[drummer]

I think it *could* fill if they were national champion contenders again, but it probably wouldn't regularly fill. If they wrapped around in the same way it was done on the north end, it'd put it up to 120K or so, I'm guessing (feel free to correct my guesstimation there, folks).

That said, I think lzppjb is correct - I think it's going to wrap around and have boxes and some seating at most. I don't think it'd be full-on like the north end. My source on this is reading something, somewhere, sometime with a basic schematic...could've been the Master Plan for UT Athletics?

[urbancore]

Originally Posted by the Genral

I'd like to see a south end expansion for the sake of completing the 'bowl'. But like the EC, this could be overkill, more seats than they can ever fill. Even if Texas becomes a legit perennial national championship contender, how many more than the 102K fans can they get to buy tickets to fill the stadium. They certainly can't copy the northern end zone seating, perhaps just the bottom portion. I think UT would be wise to cap out at 108k - 110k max.

I feel like they could lower the bottom tier ticket prices and they would fill up. Right now, it is an expensive day to go to a game. From door to door roundtrip, I spend north of $500 to take my family when it's all said and done.
I would go more often, if i could scoop some cheap seats for $25/each.

[MichaelB]

I just really really hope they don't turn the college game experience into a "pro" experience.
Too many adds or too many Electronic surfaces just kills the vibe.
One of the reasons I really dislike going to pro football games.
The Team, the Crowd , The Cheers/yells, The band. All part of the energy. It's happening in some college stadiums, the greed is killing the traditions.
I'm not much of a traditionalist... but some things are just better when people are front and center.

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by the Genral

They certainly can't copy the northern end zone seating, perhaps just the bottom portion. I think UT would be wise to cap out at 108k - 110k max.

Actually, they can (if they still choose to). It was in the original master plan for the stadium. The expansion would complete the bowl and copy the north end zone - creating a seating capacity of 115,000+.

However, that masterplan is about 20 years old. From the latest I have heard, they will end up bowling off the south end zone (eventually). But, it will not look exactly like the north end zone. It will include different features that do not currently exist in the north end zone. Times have changed and universities, donors, clients, vendors, recruits, coaches are continuing to want/adapt to the newest, greatest thing.

[brando]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

I love stadium expansion. It's the reason I joined this site, actually.

Me too! Check out this website: http://www.ballparks.com

Originally Posted by drummer

I think it *could* fill if they were national champion contenders again, but it probably wouldn't regularly fill. If they wrapped around in the same way it was done on the north end, it'd put it up to 120K or so, I'm guessing (feel free to correct my guesstimation there, folks).

That said, I think lzppjb is correct - I think it's going to wrap around and have boxes and some seating at most. I don't think it'd be full-on like the north end. My source on this is reading something, somewhere, sometime with a basic schematic...could've been the Master Plan for UT Athletics?

They released an updated master plan last year where the new south end zone has just a lower bowl, then suites, then the scoreboard.

It's not just about adding more seats, it's about adding much better seats. The current north end zone is occupied by the band and various UT spirt organizations. It's very very small. This is a high quality add. Existing stands: https://www.rateyourseats.com/shared...-4-19-2014.jpg

The new North end zone will be connected to the existing east stands so we have a continuous bowl from up to where the west stands and north stands meet. The looks of all of the new sections of the stadium are so nice but the side facing campus is such shit.


Here is the updated plan: https://s3.amazonaws.com/texassports...March_2016.pdf

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by Dcbrickley

I would go more often, if i could scoop some cheap seats for $25/each.

I would too, and I prefer the Aggies. But that would make my Longhorn wife happy if we could go more often. We used to scoop up tickets on game day for about 25 bucks each at HEB, 20 yard line upper west side deck near the top.
I think the way to go would be to complete the bowl with a bottom seating section, stacked with 3 floors of suites, food courts and a standing room only roof top viewing section. Bring the total seating capacity to 108,486 seats.

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by the Genral

I would too, and I prefer the Aggies. But that would make my Longhorn wife happy if we could go more often. We used to scoop up tickets on game day for about 25 bucks each at HEB, 20 yard line upper west side deck near the top.
I think the way to go would be to complete the bowl with a bottom seating section, stacked with 3 floors of suites, food courts and a standing room only roof top viewing section. Bring the total seating capacity to 108,486 seats.

No. Gotta go bigger than the Big House. This is Texas! Hee, hee...

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by ILUVSAT

No. Gotta go bigger than the Big House. This is Texas! Hee, hee...

I get that UT fans would say that, however, the largest crowd on record was only 102,315, compared to 110,631 packed into Kyle field. As I was just writing this I realized that if A&M can draw that big of a crowd, then perhaps Texas could if the seating was available. Note that both these record crowds were above their official seating capacity. Aggie fans seem to be less fickle than UT fans and tend to support their team more during down seasons, but even I have to admit, there's not much else going in College Station. I will reluctantly join my wife for a Longhorn home game from time to time, and always hate the logistics of getting there. 10K more seats (if filled) will only add to the stress. And while I'm sure if they add that many, or there abouts, it will be a bit easier to get seats, sellouts will still be rare and those thousands of empty seats won't flatter the Horns. There's no need to compete with the better team for bragging rights, yes, the Aggies, in this matter.

[lzppjb]

Did I click into some bizarro world where aggy is considered the premier team in Texas?

Aggy fans fill their stadium in down years because they are used to down years. They've had many more of them in their history than Texas.

A&M is the school that keeps adding onto that Frankenstein monster they call Kyle Field in order to be bigger than Texas. Years ago, they literally narrowed the seats so they could have more capacity than DKR.

Did you know for years after they built that 'Zone' monstrosity, those sitting at the top of it could not see the back of the endzone below them? It was blocked...by the stadium itself. Only in College Station.

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

Did I click into some bizarro world where aggy is considered the premier team in Texas?

Hehehehehe, that was waaaay too easy. I knew I could draw a rant out of someone...your's was pretty good lzppjb, but may I just add to it...this is no premier team in Texas at the moment.

[lzppjb]

Originally Posted by the Genral

Hehehehehe, that was waaaay too easy. I knew I could draw a rant out of someone...your's was pretty good lzppjb, but may I just add to it...this is no premier team in Texas at the moment.

I agree with that last statement.

[Owlhorn]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

Did I click into some bizarro world where aggy is considered the premier team in Texas?

Aggy fans fill their stadium in down years because they are used to down years. They've had many more of them in their history than Texas.

A&M is the school that keeps adding onto that Frankenstein monster they call Kyle Field in order to be bigger than Texas. Years ago, they literally narrowed the seats so they could have more capacity than DKR.

Did you know for years after they built that 'Zone' monstrosity, those sitting at the top of it could not see the back of the endzone below them? It was blocked...by the stadium itself. Only in College Station.

No they don't. Before the SEC they had horrible attendance

[jg6544]

When the Horns can consistently draw 100k to their home games and not leave huge gaps of empty seats for the benefit of the t.v. cameras, then they might talk about enlarging the stadium, but not before. Doesn't do the program any good to have the team playing at home regularly in a stadium that's 10% or 20% below capacity.

I know why it won't happen, but I wish they'd move the band and the student section to the east stands between the End Zone and, say, the 40. College football should be for and about the students, not a bunch of fatcat Exes.

[brando]

Originally Posted by jg6544

When the Horns can consistently draw 100k to their home games and not leave huge gaps of empty seats for the benefit of the t.v. cameras, then they might talk about enlarging the stadium, but not before. Doesn't do the program any good to have the team playing at home regularly in a stadium that's 10% or 20% below capacity.

I know why it won't happen, but I wish they'd move the band and the student section to the east stands between the End Zone and, say, the 40. College football should be for and about the students, not a bunch of fatcat Exes.

Texas averaged just under 98% capacity last season. A new south end zone would be adding quality seats. No upperdeck, no nosebleed seats.

I don't really understand your point about the fat cat executives and the east end zones. The band seats at the current north end zone are pretty good. I used to sit there in college since my gf was in a UT spirit org.

[jg6544]

Originally Posted by brando

Texas averaged just under 98% capacity last season. A new south end zone would be adding quality seats. No upperdeck, no nosebleed seats.

I don't really understand your point about the fat cat executives and the east end zones. The band seats at the current north end zone are pretty good. I used to sit there in college since my gf was in a UT spirit org.

The operative word in your first sentence was "averaged". The stadium was packed for Notre Dame; nearly 10000 fewer for UTEP; almost 97k for Iowa State; about 1k more than that for Baylor; about the same for WVU; second-best crowd of the year for TCU (somewhat surprisingly). One sellout all year isn't going to justify the expense of building in the south end zone and when the stadium is 5k below being sold out, it shows. When there is patently a demand for more seats, the stadium should be enlarged, but not before. At most, I can see doing permanent south end zone seating something like they did at Ohio State.

My point re. seating is that students and the band should be in the east stands where the game is being played, not stuck in the end zones where it isn't. I never once had to sit in the end zone or the south end bleachers when I was in school and that's how it ought to be.