October 19, 2000
This news from BadgerRoy:
The new plans for the UW stadium renovation are quite impressive. The current diagrams call for about 3 levels of skyboxes containing about 30 suites each on the east side of the stadium. The fieldhouse end zone will be closed in, and seats will be added above the student section endzone. The current plans also call for eliminating approximately the first 10 rows of seats (since you can't really see from them anyway). As a result, the net seating increase for the stadium is only about 5500 seats. Obviously the suites will bring in some revenue.
The renovations will be made over a three year period and will heavily focus on improving the stadium experience for the fans. This is all subject to budget approval. If they get approval, they will start the renovations after the 2001 season. The first year will work on the structure on the east side of the stadium. The second year will be the north endzone and concouses. The third year will be west side of the stadium. There are going to be significant improvements to all of the concourses, installation of a large number of new bathrooms and moving the concession stands away from the rest rooms so the lines do not conflict. Apparently there are currently 300 stalls for women in the stadium and they estimate about 30,000 women per game. You do the math.
The main installation will be a new structure that will be built over the road on the east side of the stadium (the road between the Shell and the stadium). The structure will be about 5 stories and will house the suites and the concourses. The renovations will create lower level access to bathrooms and concessions on all sides of the stadium instead of clustering all activity by the upper exits. The road will still run through underneath the building to allow emergency vehicle access.
There will also be significant improvements for the handicapped accessibility to the stadium, as well as the installation of a video replay board on the Field House.
These changes are all being done at about the same time that the preferential seating is being phased in (over a 5 year period).