Stadium Stuff

[WildcatNkilt]

Schulz talking facility upgrades:

In the long term, we also want to enhance our football stadium in a way that would allow us to use the facility year-round by a broader part of our campus.

Finally budgeting for the retractable roof huh?  Or does that mean more classrooms to be used by the University?

[sonofdaxjones]

Schulz talking facility upgrades:

In the long term, we also want to enhance our football stadium in a way that would allow us to use the facility year-round by a broader part of our campus.

Finally budgeting for the retractable roof huh?  Or does that mean more classrooms to be used by the University?

Where was this quote??

[Saulbadguy]

Schulz talking facility upgrades:

In the long term, we also want to enhance our football stadium in a way that would allow us to use the facility year-round by a broader part of our campus.

Finally budgeting for the retractable roof huh?  Or does that mean more classrooms to be used by the University?

Where was this quote??

Secret e-mail only sent to cool people.

[WildcatNkilt]

What Saul said.

[pissclams]

sounds racist

[WildcatNkilt]

3rd part of the Schulz/Janssen interview (K-State Sports Extra)

    

K-State Sports Extra

Q&A
 
Schulz Q&A Part Three
 
 
Also See: Time to Volley
 
 
August 27, 2010
 
 
Editor's Note: Today Mark Janssen of "K-State Sports Extra" completes his three-part visit with Kansas State University President Kirk Schulz.
 
 
By Mark Janssen
 
 
Sports Extra: Kirk, a year ago you said you would be a hands-off President when it came to athletics. Did you end up spending much more personal time on athletics than you expected?
 
Schulz: Yes I did spend more time with athletics. We have instituted a new governance structure in our KSA Board and, of course, the macro issues of the Big 12 Conference are very important to our University. But John and I have settled into a good rhythm. We talk about scheduling, but I'm not telling John who to schedule. We talk about facilities, but it's his job to put a plan in place. We're just making sure we're on the same page.
 
I can't do this job (Presidency) and that one, too.
 
SE: Doing a better job of using athletics to sell the University ... are you trying to work in that area?
 
Schulz: Definitely. I don't have a problem at all with putting our athletic programs out front as our marquee brand. Now, we have to figure out ways to use those teams to promote everything else we have going on campus. Just like when Coach Snyder built our football program into a national contender when he first arrived, and the national attention Coach Martin and Coach Patterson have brought to our institution, we need to take advantage of those television appearances and platforms to promote the entire University.
 
This year I want each person in the stands to learn one new thing about the institution, so at the end of the football season, this captive audience of 50,000 has learned six new things about Kansas State. It sounds simplistic, but when we have that captive audience, or when we're on national TV, we need to send out a message as to who we are. We want to create some ah-hah moments for this year, and the years to come.
 
When you see that 15- to 20-second snippet video on TV this year during telecasts, we will have online people available for that 17-year-old high school student to chat with. That student watching on TV can immediately go to the main K-State page and actually chat with someone in our admission's office, whether it's in the morning, or 10:30 at night.
 
SE: Kirk, the Big 12 Conference is tremendously competitive when it comes to facilities. Do you have some upgrades in mind for the near future?
 
Schulz: As we have talked about this year, the basketball training center is our top athletics facility priority. We must get that done. We have two national-type programs, so we need to support them. In the long term, we also want to enhance our football stadium in a way that would allow us to use the facility year-round by a broader part of our campus. As John and I have talked about, we want to always be looking at ways to improve the overall experience for all of our students, and I am pleased that we are doing things such as the seating and cosmetic enhancements at Ahearn Field House, the interior improvements to the Vanier Complex, and the opening of our new clubhouse at Colbert Hills will certainly be very beneficial to our golf programs.
 
SE: Kirk, any special words to the K-State faithful as we begin a new athletic season?
 
Schulz: Come see us and support our teams and our athletes. K-Staters showing up can make a huge difference. When our players come out and don't see an available seat, that lifts you. That's what we want for every one of our teams.
 
 
We hope you enjoy K-State Sports Extra. We would like to hear your comments and any story ideas for future emails, so fire them our way. Contact either Mark Janssen at [email protected], or Kansas State Director of Athletic Communications/SID Kenny Lannou at [email protected].

[Pete]

There are a few posters who know exactly what Shulzy is referring to....I am not an insider, but I do know it is not the field he is talking about.  

[WildcatNkilt]

There are a few posters who know exactly what Shulzy is referring to....I am not an insider, but I do know it is not the field he is talking about.  

More east-stadium like classrooms.  Fantastic.  If that means improving the hideous press-box I'm down.

[dmartin]

we're gonna put a track around the field.... 

[WildcatNkilt]

we're gonna put a track around the field.... 

All great stadiums have tracks....and new jumbo-trons supported by file cabinets.

[pissclams]

the KATPAK Towers are finally coming

[WildcatNkilt]

the KATPAK Towers are finally coming

I really hope that means we'll host more Monster Truck events.   

[dmartin]

more goo goo dolls!!!

[MadCat]

Let's see how this plow handles Fieldturf.

[mcmwcat]

soccer 

[MadCat]

Cannabis farm during the offseason...will help with recruiting as well. 

[sonofdaxjones]

Polo Matches.

[g2brg]

Schulz talking facility upgrades:

In the long term, we also want to enhance our football stadium in a way that would allow us to use the facility year-round by a broader part of our campus.

Finally budgeting for the retractable roof huh?  Or does that mean more classrooms to be used by the University?

I hope he's talking about those east side upper deck restrooms!

[Pete]

Schulz talking facility upgrades:

In the long term, we also want to enhance our football stadium in a way that would allow us to use the facility year-round by a broader part of our campus.

Finally budgeting for the retractable roof huh?  Or does that mean more classrooms to be used by the University?

I hope he's talking about those east side upper deck restrooms!

Those ARE included in the next wave of expansions.  There are conflicting rumors out of there about the scope of the next wave of football enhancements...ranging from $25M to $50M.   The $50M may be accurate over a period of time, perhaps with "Phase 1" including the $25M.

I've heard this from three different "sources" now...I use that term loosely, I'm obviously not a journalist or whatev, and the one constant is that the Administration wants to expand the West side pressbox and facilities extensively.  Ideas that I have heard are to expand the box upward and side to side to extend down the entire length of the field (like Va Tech).  They want large facilities on the West side for meeting rooms and luxury football game extras (bar/grill, stadium "club" type stuff).  It would be a "complex" of sorts.

[Pete]

Here is what is in my mind's eye

[MeatSauce]

I could go for this.  Blacksburg gets rowdy.

[MadCat]

Super NEZ

[ArchE_Cat]

I think the Dev Nelson portion involves extensive demo. They don't want the press box to look like they just stuck crap on each side of the existing. What was originally proposed for the east is not what was built  . They don't want that happening with any new facilities projects.

["storm"nut]

I think the Dev Nelson portion involves extensive demo. They don't want the press box to look like they just stuck crap on each side of the existing. What was originally proposed for the east is not what was built  . They don't want that happening with any new facilities projects.

I don't think building crappy is in John or Kirk's vocabulary but they want more for less so we shall see.

[sonofdaxjones]

I hesitate to use the term done deal in the economic climate we are in right now.   However barring a complete financial meltdown, I hear from various sources that Round 1 consisting of Basketball Practice facility, new football playing surface, east side upper level restrooms, and limestone around the lower seating bowl are pretty much done deals.   I hear that the Basketball Facility will start construction sometime in the next half a year, and with the football stadium stuff being finished before the start of the 2011 season.      

I hear that Round 2 with the West Side of football stadium is being aggressively pursued but I have no real details beyond my own personal speculation of suites, club etc. etc.

In terms of wanting "more for less" I hear they're trying to get all this done while the construction industry is desperate for business and bonds are cheap.