Silly contest on twitter. We are in Semis vs. Marshall (currently losing 81-19). Go Vote!
https://twitter.com/FlightofaEagle/status/1014173999465672705
Silly contest on twitter. We are in Semis vs. Marshall (currently losing 81-19). Go Vote!
https://twitter.com/FlightofaEagle/status/1014173999465672705
Go vote... for Marshall? Their stadium is much nicer than ours.
As much as I hate to say it, JAS is in the last half of stadiums in the CUSA, even with the vast improvements. In an arms war, we got started late and really don't have a completion plan.
I know it's not in C-USA but the nicest college stadium I have been in is SMU. Even their bench seats have backs. Only the professional stadia I have been to are really outstanding with individual seats, etc. JAS is probably better than a lot of the other stadia I have been in but a lot of those are really old like TAMU, Texas and Kansas. Rice Stadium is only 66 years old but is not as good as the Joe unless you like peeing against a wall. I think the Joe is holding up well for a 50 year old stadium. I don't think the stadium really affects our attendance. Have you ever heard anyone say "I'm not going to a Tech game because the stadium is so shabby"?
I like Aillet because it offers the single most important factor...it's the place we get to see the Dawgs play the most! Other than that obvious quality, it also offers great viewing. The stands are close to the field with clear lines of view. No poles or other obstacles in your way. There have been significant improvements at Aillet, a lot recently. Yes, there is room for more improvements. Keep moving forward!
Come join me on the eastside South 40! Still standing the whole game...bad knees and all.
Go Dawgs!
The truth is we didn't have a plan to start with much less a completion plan. We made crucial mistakes in the very early days of Dooley's tenure as AD when our former president set limitations of what could and couldn't be done with the stadium. We're likely going to pay a price for it for the next 25 years or more.
Blaming Dan Reneau won't fly going forward. Dan Reneau is now in the history books at LA Tech. The leadership we've put in place since he left has been charged with moving the program forward on all levels. There are no excuses. If the stadium needs to be changed or upgraded, then the current leadership should get it done. If they can't do it, they need to get out of the way and let someone else do it.
speaking of improvements to joe aillet stadium, why don't we have an up-to-date picture on our official website?
http://www.latechsports.com/facilities/latc-jas.html
On a side note we have started on our new engineering building. This is the first of many slabs poured.
Do we have a facility expansion/improvement master plan specifically for the Joe?
Our problem is lack of money. The student facility enhancement fee is a HUGE factor in our program in that it is used to pay off the bonds that were issued to construct the south end zone facility. The bond payoff annually is about $650,000, 20yr or so to go, which leaves around $500,000 annually of the student fee that has been used to upgrade parking, etc. Thats a pretty hefty amount but we have to keep in mind that the pressbox and suites required a loan from the foundation to the athletic dept for about $11,000,000. That amount was projected to be paid off by suite rentals, etc but that hasnt really materialized so we must refrain from spending the excess student fees holding them basically in escrow to cover the press box expansion. What a complicated web we have woven.