Taft Stadium

[Pete]

From https://twitter.com/OKCPS_Athletics:

[skanaly]

So I'm a little confused, because this doesn't look like the renderings. I thought there was going to be goal line seating, and now there's field goals? What's going on here? Isn't looking much like a soccer field

[Pete]

The endzone shown in that photo is the one to the left below.

When the Energy plays at Taft (as opposed to high school football) they will cover the track and put up tents and temp. stands:

[Pete]

BTW, the Energy season runs from March to mid-September, so there will only be a couple of weeks of overlap with HS football.

[skanaly]

Thanks for clearing up, makes sense now

[John Knight]

So I'm a little confused, because this doesn't look like the renderings. I thought there was going to be goal line seating, and now there's field goals? What's going on here? Isn't looking much like a soccer field

There will be goal line seating, they just haven't started on that yet. I had a meeting with them this week and they will be working on Taft up until the week of it looks like. They have a lot to do in a short amount of time but it will be complete by April 18th (1st home game).

[bombermwc]

So I'm a little confused, because this doesn't look like the renderings. I thought there was going to be goal line seating, and now there's field goals? What's going on here? Isn't looking much like a soccer field

Remember, first and foremost, this is a high school football/track stadium. Soccer is secondary here.

[shawnw]

As long as it's actually treated that way. The alumni association rarely lets Northwest Classen use Hudson Performance Hall for school activities. What was the point?

[Plutonic Panda]

Renovations to Oklahoma City?s Taft Stadium underway | KFOR.com

[turnpup]

I'll sure be glad when they asphalt/concrete the front parking lot. There's been a ton of red dirt blowing everywhere, and it seems like I always wind up driving past there right after I wash my car.

[Pete]

The Energy play their first home game on April 18th, so I'm sure they'll have everything pretty wrapped up by then.

[shawnw]

wow, that's a lot to do still though... (how it looks from the street anyway)

[mkjeeves]

My understanding is the general contractor has until midsummer to complete the project but is working to make it game ready by April.

[Pete]

They were supposed to be finished early this year; this project is months behind schedule.

[mkjeeves]

They were supposed to be finished early this year; this project is months behind schedule.

Could be. Could be GC has extentions to the original timeline for weather, design issues, owner directed changes and so on.

[Pete]

I just looked back at the original timeline that was presented to OKPS and it called for a December 2013 (!) completion date.

Worse case, they were supposed to be done before football season this past year.

Not trying to blame the contractor, just pointing out how wildly off schedule this project has gone.

[mkjeeves]

Yep. Sometimes it's the contractor and sometimes it's lot of stuff. I know the press box won't be complete, was redesigned at some point, probably after that 2013 date.

[mkjeeves]

For instance:

Dated January 2, 2014.

In March 2013, MA+ Architecture was granted a variance to construct the press box for
Taft Stadium at a height of 45'-0", which matched the height of the existing press box.
The professional soccer group that is contracted to lease Taft Stadium has requested a
few changes to the original design, including changing the rise and run of the new
bleachers to create sight lines more consistent to professional sports. These sight line
changes raised the height of the back aisle of the bleachers, which in turn affected the
sight lines from within the press box. The new press box height is now 49'-6" tall.

http://www.okc.gov/agendapub/cache/2...5111830299.PDF

It probably should have read the new press box design is now 49'-6" tall. I don't think they had done any actual work on it yet on that date.

[shawnw]

First rule of project management: Double your estimated timeline, come in on time or possibly early and look like a hero.

[mkjeeves]

In the news today related to the Taft:

As recently as Friday afternoon, Brian Kelly expressed confidence his semi-pro football team would be playing its home games at newly renovated C.B. Speegle Stadium beginning next month.

Monday night, that confidence turned to disappointment for Kelly, the coach of the OKC Bounty Hunters, after the Oklahoma City district school board voted 7-1 against leasing the facility to the team for the 2015 and 2016 seasons.

“I didn't see this coming,” Kelly said.

Board members approved the recommendation of Superintendent Rob Neu, who said having the Bounty Hunters occupy Speegle on the campus of Capitol Hill High School would delay the completion of the stadium in time for the start of the fall sports season.

“They have a place to play, that they've been playing at,” Neu said, “and we can enter into an agreement with a completed stadium next fall.”

The renovation at Speegle is nearly complete; only the stadium's northside bleachers remain under construction, according to Keith Sinor, the district's athletic director.

“MAPS is concerned. Their concern is the issues that we've had at Taft (Stadium) with the delays there, with trying to get a tenant in during the course of construction,” Sinor said, referring to the Oklahoma City Energy FC, a professional soccer team that is scheduled to play its first home game at Taft on April 18.

“Their concern is that the same thing will be going on at Speegle. I think they're just trying to keep all distractions out from the project there.”

Oklahoma City school board blocks semi-pro football team from playing games at Speegle Stadium | News OK

[Laramie]

Saw that article in this morning's Oklahoman. All the more need for the city to get its own soccer & American football stadium built on the riverfront; not sure if the Bounty Hunters could afford the rent or lease though.

Not sure what level of professional football the Bounty Hunters would provide. There could be more leagues planned for the semi-pro level like an NFL2. Doubt seriously if the NFL would need a development league since the colleges & universities provide them with the same.

Anyway, OKC could use a facility for soccer, American football and large gatherings. Some of the soccer franchises now play in baseball stadiums which have temporary configurations for soccer and football with terrible sight lines.

[mkjeeves]

We don't need any more public funded sports facilities. It sounds like the schools will lease it to them when the project is complete. That's good. They can earn the revenue and get more use out of facilities we already own. It also sounds like they might have learned something on the Taft project.

[onthestrip]

Someone needs to get a pic of the west side stands. It looks really cool with all the green chair backs with a huge OKC spelled out in white. You can see parts of it through the openings when you drive by.

[Pete]

Here you go:

[AP]

I believe there is a pic in the Energy thread.