NACMA Listserv Archive--New Facilities
Oct. 22, 2007
Question: I am on a committee to oversee renovations in our basketball (The Pit) and football facilities. I ask that any of you whose department have opened/renovated facilities please give me one great thing that was included (something unique?) in the plan...and or one thing that you wished was added/included. -Kurt Esser, University of New Mexico
Responses: We created a Family Fun Zone located INSIDE our football stadium filled with inflatables, face painting, balloon artistry and a concession stand. It is located in an open concourse area that overlooks the football field. The parents (fans) may be seated in their reserved seats, enjoy the game and look up from their seats and see their children playing in the Family Fun Zone. We also have security and monitors for the inflatables. The seats are located in the elbow of the lower bowl and continues midway through the north end zone.
As far as an unique idea goes, I do not know of another area as unique as this, in D-1 football. It remains a popular choice in it's second year.
-Brad Smith, MIddle Tennessee State University
You have probably already thought of this but we are really trying to give the donors who funded the project the first experience in the new space...we have our Legends Center opening next week and the donor event will really be the ribbon-cutting versus something else that might be more public but less relevant to those who funded the project. We also did photo galleries when our basketball arena was being renovated since most people had no idea what was happening on the inside since the outside walls stayed intact. All I can think of at this moment.
While I don't know the scope of your oversight, I can tell you that the re-location of everything during construction, as well as the plan to move back in the building was a HUGE undertaking and one that is usually underestimated in terms of what is involved. We also hit our staff hard when the new spaces opened that they needed to be taken care of. -Leslie Wurzberger, University of Washington
We have a club area with a buffet before every game that we were able to sell the naming rights to. It is all glass with about 80 seats outside of the first level which is an area we can use as a super suite or block off for private parties. The second level if not over the whole area just close to the glass overlooking the court and their are bar top table there and the bar in the club remains open throughout the game but you can't leave with alcohol.
-Shawn Becket, PITT-ISP Sports Network
I hope this helps.
My only suggestion is to make sure you have a kick-butt sound system. If you don't, it's really noticeable. If you do, it's really noticeable. Also, try to get the light shutters so you can dim the lights without waiting 15 minutes for them to come back on. You may have these already included, and I may be having "small school" mentality, but those are things we really wish we had.
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