OU Gaylord Family Memorial Stadium

[bombermwc]

Not sure how many folks have seen the empty seating around the students sections each time too. They may sellout games, but the aren't filling to capacity. OU actually benefits by not having everyone show up, so as long as the place fits the bill, why mess with it? I always thought they severely limited their expansion when the made the east upper deck as small as it is. They maximized the cashflow on suites, but at the expense of butts in seats.

[BG918]

My seats have been on the 40 yard line in the west side upper deck ever since that deck was built. I promise you I would not be happy with an endzone upper deck seat after all of the money I've donated to them over the years. There would be a mass revolt among donors if that happened. The general esthetics of the stadium have improved greatly after the last renovation but I see no particular need to have the west side match the east side just for that purpose. Texas did not do that with their last expansion.

You would still have your westside upper deck seats but for one season they would likely be temporary bleachers while they are constructing the new upper deck. In that case the current Santee Lounge would be converted to suites with the current slub seating turned into general seating in the lower bowl. The club would then move above the suites and still be covered with another level of suites and the press box above that with the new upper deck on top to match the eastside (minus the overhang). So in one project you have doubled the number suites, built a new press box, expanded the club level, and preserved the upper deck seating. It would also involve a new brick and glass exterior to match the eastside exterior, the side that faces campus.

That project and the south endzone expansion, which would nearly double the size of the Switzer Center underneath, would result in the stadium having a capacity of nearly 100,000 and would be the nicest stadium in the country. It already is the toughest place to play in the country but could use a facelift for its older areas (westside, southside) to match the beauty of the newer areas (eastside, northside).

[ljbab728]

You would still have your westside upper deck seats but for one season they would likely be temporary bleachers while they are constructing the new upper deck. In that case the current Santee Lounge would be converted to suites with the current slub seating turned into general seating in the lower bowl. The club would then move above the suites and still be covered with another level of suites and the press box above that with the new upper deck on top to match the eastside (minus the overhang). So in one project you have doubled the number suites, built a new press box, expanded the club level, and preserved the upper deck seating. It would also involve a new brick and glass exterior to match the eastside exterior, the side that faces campus.

That project and the south endzone expansion, which would nearly double the size of the Switzer Center underneath, would result in the stadium having a capacity of nearly 100,000 and would be the nicest stadium in the country. It already is the toughest place to play in the country but could use a facelift for its older areas (westside, southside) to match the beauty of the newer areas (eastside, northside).

That could all be accomplished to add a new press box and additional suites without demolishing the west side upper deck. I see abosulutely no need to have the east and west sides match exactly just to say doesn't that look nice. I guess I still remember when areas of the concourse were dirt and the east side was called pneumonia downs so I'm very please with the improvements. I'm all for continued enhancments but not just to make everthing in exact conformity.

[Chicken In The Rough]

You would still have your westside upper deck seats but for one season they would likely be temporary bleachers while they are constructing the new upper deck. In that case the current Santee Lounge would be converted to suites with the current slub seating turned into general seating in the lower bowl. The club would then move above the suites and still be covered with another level of suites and the press box above that with the new upper deck on top to match the eastside (minus the overhang). So in one project you have doubled the number suites, built a new press box, expanded the club level, and preserved the upper deck seating. It would also involve a new brick and glass exterior to match the eastside exterior, the side that faces campus.

That project and the south endzone expansion, which would nearly double the size of the Switzer Center underneath, would result in the stadium having a capacity of nearly 100,000 and would be the nicest stadium in the country. It already is the toughest place to play in the country but could use a facelift for its older areas (westside, southside) to match the beauty of the newer areas (eastside, northside).

I love this idea. It accomplishes everything I hoped to see in the stadium. I don't care if it is the biggest in the country, I just want to see it pushed up to around 100,000 seats along with all the other amenities. Imagine how freakin loud it would be if it were bowled in.

[Bunty]

I would be in favor of just building a new stadium altogether. Maybe something that doesn't look all mish mashed and thrown together in a hodge-podge of styles.

OSU got like a new stadium from Pickens without moving it, but then the old OSU stadium never got all that mish mashed and thrown together.

[earlywinegareth]

OU spring game pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/earlywi...7626389385321/

Boomer!