Meanwhile, at ULL.....

[GermDawg]

They're gonna end up in the same situation ULM is in, debt up to their eyeballs and barely covering the interest, the funds to pay back the loan are coming from a student fee of 450k and season ticket sales & licensing fees generating $1.2mil. What happens if/when they have a couple of bad seasons back to back and season ticket sales drop? I hate how long it takes this admin to do stuff but one thing I will give is that we don't put ourselves deep in debt without a for sure revenue stream/payback.

[rebelboi]

watch ULL defaulting on their loan and it ends up hurting their credit rating

[GermDawg]

watch ULL defaulting on their loan and it ends up hurting their credit rating

They won't default, but they will have to make up the amount from their annual budget.

[don63]

There is already part of the fund present. They are not starting from zero. Honesty, I don't know the amount. But, I believe that some of the student funds have been collecting for a few years and Coach Hud raised around a million (?) on a fundraising visit to build a new weight room. I think this could be part of the fund. I'm sure EagerEagle will fly in and correct everyone in this thread.

[RealityCheck]

They're gonna end up in the same situation ULM is in, debt up to their eyeballs and barely covering the interest, the funds to pay back the loan are coming from a student fee of 450k and season ticket sales & licensing fees generating $1.2mil. What happens if/when they have a couple of bad seasons back to back and season ticket sales drop? I hate how long it takes this admin to do stuff but one thing I will give is that we don't put ourselves deep in debt without a for sure revenue stream/payback.

Exactly why the press box redo should have been the #1 project on the list...it would come with a built-in revenue stream if you add luxury suites there before adding any in the south endzone. Plus the press box is the most visible part of the stadium from the outside.

[Dogsince65]

The softball field work is looking really impressive, actually.


http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BJHBTnwCYAIvr_s.jpg:large

Heard the Quidditch field is almost ready, just short on brooms

[ITdrummer]

Never understood why softball fields don't have grass in the infield. Looks awesome though.

[OLDBLUE]

Never understood why softball fields don't have grass in the infield. Looks awesome though.

Makes that "big old" ball turn green. Tan is better?

[chew4219]

The money for the initial phase, groundbreaking likely in August, comes from student fee passed in 2003 that will cover the South Endzone expansion. Also the money required for the Track/Soccer improvements have been in hand for over two years ($3 million), they were just waiting to complete the Master Plan first in order to set priority of improvement schedules. The majority of the money for the 70,000 square foot expansion to the Moncla IPF was raised by HUD within the first three months of his hiring ($5 million plus), but for the same reason as the Track/Soccer facility it was delayed. The total for all projects in the Phase I is right at $21 million including contingency funds.

The rumor around insiders, not big money insiders, but those close to the program is that we have several guys coming on board with the type of support that the Davison family provides La Tech. They are expecting to have 3/4 of the money required for Phase II by the time we are completed with Phase I. But we have heard that before and the money fell through so we will see. We will not be in debt after Phase I, but Phase II will require us to sell bonds. The only way that does not happen is if Joey Durel can pass a hotel/restaurant tax of 1% like they did in Lake Charles for McNeese. But Durel has gone on record that he would support that idea.

[chew4219]

Never understood why softball fields don't have grass in the infield. Looks awesome though.

Yeah me neither, but the field looks really good.

[PawDawg]

Never understood why softball fields don't have grass in the infield. Looks awesome though.

True Hops
Better Drainage
Less Maintenance

[The Historian]

Exactly why the press box redo should have been the #1 project on the list...it would come with a built-in revenue stream if you add luxury suites there before adding any in the south endzone. Plus the press box is the most visible part of the stadium from the outside.

The press box was #1 on the list. This is what Dooley wanted to be built first. But it involved either borrowing funds or floating revenue bonds, and he was turned down on both. Honestly, there is almost a paralyzing fear on the 16th floor when it comes to borrowing money, and right now would be the perfect time to do it. And the one thing I am certain about when it comes to Tech is how easy it would be to sell club seating and suites in a new press box.

[KSDAWG]

The press box was #1 on the list. This is what Dooley wanted to be built first. But it involved either borrowing funds or floating revenue bonds, and he was turned down on both. Honestly, there is almost a paralyzing fear on the 16th floor when it comes to borrowing money, and right now would be the perfect time to do it. And the one thing I am certain about when it comes to Tech is how easy it would be to sell club seating and suites in a new press box.

It's an untapped revenue stream that every other school has had for the last 20 years. People wonder why we are broke? It's because the 16th floor thinks small town on everything.

[Ragin4U]

And not a Tarp in sight!!

[HogDawg]

And not a Tarp in sight!!

Ummm..........it's a drawing.