$58 Million Lindsey Nelson Stadium Renovation Details

[youcancallmeAl]

Curious, where would said new ball park be located?

A VERY good question. A ballpark that costs 60 million of the prototype of MSU or Ole Miss will not fit in the current confines of LNS. They will either have to find new land at the current boundaries of LNS or build it on a completely new site. The reveal of the site plans will be very interesting.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

View attachment 443404View attachment 443405

RELEASE THE KRACKEN!!

 

[@1RBFjr]

A VERY good question. A ballpark that costs 60 million of the prototype of MSU or Ole Miss will not fit in the current confines of LNS. They will either have to find new land at the current boundaries of LNS or build it on a completely new site. The reveal of the site plans will be very interesting.

I’m speculating here, like most people, but it’s possible to do a renovation. Personally, I think they will do a renovation, but I could be 100% wrong. Does UT own enough land already to put it on the campus? I’m not sure that they do, and CTV has said he wants an on-campus stadium. If you have to go and acquire land, that will cost millions of dollars and eat into the budget.

Much of it depends on how they allocate the budget. For example, how nice (or how many) do you want of X? X is the multiple various elements that you put into a stadium– finishes, equipment, quality of materials, number of suites, number of seats, practice facilities, etc. etc. etc.

Personally I do not think we are ready for a 13,000 seat stadium, like the Dude. You build with an eye on the next expansion, however.

 

[drylo]

I’m speculating here, like most people, but it’s possible to do a renovation. Personally, I think they will do a renovation, but I could be 100% wrong. Does UT own enough land already to put it on the campus? I’m not sure that they do, and CTV has said he wants an on-campus stadium. If you have to go and acquire land, that will cost millions of dollars and eat into the budget.

Much of it depends on how they allocate the budget. For example, how nice (or how many) do you want of X? X is the multiple various elements that you put into a stadium– finishes, equipment, quality of materials, number of suites, number of seats, practice facilities, etc. etc. etc.

Personally I do not think we are ready for a 13,000 seats stadium, like the Dude. You build with an eye on the next expansion, however.

I don’t see why you would leave the current site unless you absolutely had no choice. Surely they could figure out a way to remove that portion of Todd Helton Drive behind the outfield fence and expand into the parking lots out in right field — just seems much more practical than trying to find a whole new site. If you’re building all new grandstands, maybe you can move home plate a little closer to where the mound is today and give yourself a little more room.

 

[taylorvol]

I

For 60 big ones, I don't think we're looking at a mere renovation project. I think we're looking at a completely new ball park, perhaps built on the same site as LNS, but I'm guessing either a different site or one in which the current footprint of LNS is expanded to meet the standards of a stadium like MSU's. I'm thinking we'll have something akin to that stadium, and you can't put that footprint within what is now the LNS site boundaries.

I'm giddy with excitement. Can't wait to see more details of the big picture.

hear you but keep in mind that MS St was technically a huge renovation to the tune of $68M. I just don’t know where they’d put a néw stadium considering how land locked the campus is. I don’t think we need the enormous size of Dudly Noble with 15K seats. I‘d prefer to keep it no larger than 7K so we can keep the intimacy but add better amenities for the players, improved concessions, restrooms, an indoor turf infield for practice rain or shine, etc.

 

[taylorvol]

I’m speculating here, like most people, but it’s possible to do a renovation. Personally, I think they will do a renovation, but I could be 100% wrong. Does UT own enough land already to put it on the campus? I’m not sure that they do, and CTV has said he wants an on-campus stadium. If you have to go and acquire land, that will cost millions of dollars and eat into the budget.

Much of it depends on how they allocate the budget. For example, how nice (or how many) do you want of X? X is the multiple various elements that you put into a stadium– finishes, equipment, quality of materials, number of suites, number of seats, practice facilities, etc. etc. etc.

Personally I do not think we are ready for a 13,000 seat stadium, like the Dude. You build with an eye on the next expansion, however.

100% agree.

 

[taylorvol]

By way of comparison, FL’s new baseball stadium cost $65M and seats 10K,
MS St cost $68M and seats 15K, Ok St cost $60M and seats 8K.
Smokies Old City new stadium will be $80M and will seat 7.5K

 

[youcancallmeAl]

I

hear you but keep in mind that MS St was technically a huge renovation to the tune of $68M. I just don’t know where they’d put a néw stadium considering how land locked the campus is. I don’t think we need the enormous size of Dudly Noble with 15K seats. I‘d prefer to keep it no larger than 7K so we can keep the intimacy but add better amenities for the players, improved concessions, restrooms, an indoor turf infield for practice rain or shine, etc.

This would require relocating 6 frat houses to the current LNS site, which might not fit in the budget. But it acccomplishes everything else you would want, including future expansion.

 

[Zvols]

This would require relocating 6 frat houses to the current LNS site, which might not fit in the budget. But it acccomplishes everything else you would want, including future expansion.

This is an interesting idea but you’d be spending a lot of money to buyout those fraternities.If you’re doing that, I’d leave it where it’s at, tear down the frats by the entrance, block off Pat Summit and Todd Helton Dr and expand from there. I’d shoot for 7000 seats, but leave space to add more if you choose. Maybe a SRO area near left field foul pole that could eventually include seating.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

This is an interesting idea but you’d be spending a lot of money to buyout those fraternities.If you’re doing that, I’d leave it where it’s at, tear down the frats by the entrance, block off Pat Summit and Todd Helton Dr and expand from there. I’d shoot for 7000 seats, but leave space to add more if you choose. Maybe a SRO area near left field foul pole that could eventually include seating.

The problem is the location of the parking area that the RR owns just on the other side of TH drive. It pierces into the area we want for the park. In the attachment, a possible location of TH drive through the parking lot in orange (would require RR OK) could loosen up the point of impingement. That really opens up the site. Or, alternatively, relocate TH drive as shown in red, or both, That would keep the RR happy and the road network up to snuff. This would require relocation of three frat houses to have the site large enough for amenities, parking, training facilities, etc.

 

[tennesseeduke]

I think this will be a HUGE renovation of LNS similar to what was done at MS St. They continued playing at MS St during the renovation at 75% capacity at a cost of $68M.

They said on Ainge show yesterday that it’s a new stadium. Apparently he knows several of the money backers for it.

 

[tennesseeduke]

Curious, where would said new ball park be located?

I’m sure Danny boy is already working that deal!

 

[@1RBFjr]

The problem is the location of the parking area that the RR owns just on the other side of TH drive. It pierces into the area we want for the park. In the attachment, a possible location of TH drive through the parking lot in orange (would require RR OK) could loosen up the point of impingement. That really opens up the site. Or, alternatively, relocate TH drive as shown in red, or both, That would keep the RR happy and the road network up to snuff. This would require relocation of three frat houses to have the site large enough for amenities, parking, training facilities, etc.

(BTW, nice computer work) The only thing more immovable than Mount Rushmore is a railroad. They've got all sorts of special federal protection.

At one point, many, many years/coaches/ADs ago, the announced plan was to rotate everything 180 degrees (current home plate would become centerfield warning track, for example). The plan was obviously abandoned, and they decided to do some renovations on LNS. I don't recall what the advantages were at the time.

 

[IndianaVol13]

I'll definitely have to make a trip to Knoxville after this new stadium is built.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

(BTW, nice computer work) The only thing more immovable than Mount Rushmore is a railroad. They've got all sorts of special federal protection.

At one point, many, many years/coaches/ADs ago, the announced plan was to rotate everything 180 degrees (current home plate would become centerfield warning track, for example). The plan was obviously abandoned, and they decided to do some renovations on LNS. I don't recall what the advantages were at the time.

Yep, those railroads are very zealous of their property. The most desired sun orientation for a baseball field is the third base line pointing more or less north. For that to happen at LNS, home plate would have to be right where that crook in TH drive is located. So that won't work, given all the territory that is needed around home plate entrance zone. And it would make the entry less accessible to students walking from campus. IF the RR would allow TW drive to be straightened out, that might fit, but it would still be awkward as an entry sequence vs parking, etc.

 

[taylorvol]

They said on Ainge show yesterday that it’s a new stadium. Apparently he knows several of the money backers for it.

Interesting but i just don’t know where there’s space on campus to put it unless they demo fraternity row.

 

[WallyBalls]

One random, small thing I'd love to see in the renovation is an Out of Town/ SEC Scoreboard somewhere in the outfield. It would be a cool touch.

Hell, make it manual and I'll sit out there and run it for free (as long as I can bring my own cooler).


I'm interested to see if one of those dorms listed in the request is slated for near LNS. That could change a lot of things if its the rumored baseball setup...

As it is, I think there's enough real estate around the park to do a quality renovation/expansion, especially if you take the parts of Pat Summitt and Todd Helton Dr directly around the stadium.

 

[HalfullVol]

$60MM is an incredible amount of $$ to spend on renovations to LNS.

Stadium is already there - somebody(s) would be making a mint if this were just renovation.

Agree with earlier mention that this is NEW BALLPARK $$

 

[beefvol44]

Boy, I really hope it is a new park. That would be so awesome. Next, renovate the southside of Neyland concessions please lol.

 

[fryeguy93]

Had a plan once to remove Tom Black Track and put baseball there.

then build a track complex elsewhere that would include indoor and outdoor facilities in same plot. Perhaps near the soccer stadium where Lee Stadium is located.

Tracks are rarely used for intercollegiate meets these day so that’s a huge hunk of rarely used acreage.

baseball would then be smack in center of dorms and softball could move to LNS and the smaller footprint makes sense.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Had a plan once to remove Tom Black Track and put baseball there.

then build a track complex elsewhere that would include indoor and outdoor facilities in same plot. Perhaps near the soccer stadium where Lee Stadium is located.

Tracks are rarely used for intercollegiate meets these day so that’s a huge hunk of rarely used acreage.

baseball would then be smack in center of dorms and softball could move to LNS and the smaller footprint makes sense.

I still say the fraternity housing in the fraternity row area is incompatible land use given it's location directly on the campus. They were out in the boonies in early 60's, and that was fine then, but now on-campus real estate is way more valuable and scarce. It is a very low density housing use, unlike high rise dorms, and an inefficient use of scarce space. They should be relocated for other more important campus needs, including the new baseball stadium.

Where to put them? The area between Caledonia, Cumberland, Volunteer Blvd, and 18th(or 19th) Street. That area is residential in character and in need of re-investment. The University owns a lot of that vacant land. I think that's a feasible solution.

 

[cardvolfan]

I still say the fraternity housing in the fraternity row area is incompatible land use given it's location directly on the campus. They were out in the boonies in early 60's, and that was fine then, but now on-campus real estate is way more valuable and scarce. It is a very low density housing use, unlike high rise dorms, and an inefficient use of scarce space. They should be relocated for other more important campus needs, including the new baseball stadium.

Where to put them? The area between Caledonia, Cumberland, Volunteer Blvd, and 18th(or 19th) Street. That area is residential in character and in need of re-investment. The University owns a lot of that vacant land. I think that's a feasible solution.

The area between Reese Hall and Cumberland. I didn’t know there was a lot of vacant area to re-locate anything. If so, that would be great. Personally, I think the stadium will be renovated. Tennessee had a commitment of 34 million from donors even before the Regionals last year. At that point, it was a foregone conclusion that renovation was a foregone conclusion.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

The university has been gradually kicking off fraternities and revoking their charters for the past 5+ years as I’m fairly certain they want fraternities gone, so it wouldn’t shock me if they decided to find a way to use that real estate for a new stadium.

I know of at least 3 fraternities who have had their charters revoked (mine was one of them) and won’t be up for reconsideration until 2024 or 2025. With several empty houses, it seems like a perfect excuse to try and repurpose the land.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

The area between Reese Hall and Cumberland. I didn’t know there was a lot of vacant area to re-locate anything. If so, that would be great. Personally, I think the stadium will be renovated. Tennessee had a commitment of 34 million from donors even before the Regionals last year. At that point, it was a foregone conclusion that renovation was a foregone conclusion.

Take a tour through that area, it is definitely run-down and a bit on the blighted side. Back in the day it was a thriving neighborhood for faculty and administration with many fine houses and gardens and lawns. But it has declined since then to a hodge podge of rental housing, vacant lots, etc. It's similar to Fort Sanders in it's history. There are a few fraternity and sorority houses in that area now. I think it would be a perfect place for fraternity living.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

The university has been gradually kicking off fraternities and revoking their charters for the past 5+ years as I’m fairly certain they want fraternities gone, so it wouldn’t shock me if they decided to find a way to use that real estate for a new stadium.

I know of at least 3 fraternities who have had their charters revoked (mine was one of them) and won’t be up for reconsideration until 2024 or 2025. With several empty houses, it seems like a perfect excuse to try and repurpose the land.

Bingo. I wonder what the legal and financial details to removing them would be? Or if the fraternities would object and fight? Those structures were built 60 years ago, so it's not like they have most of their usable structural life left. I think if it makes sense financially, it's a no brainer to move the fraternities out of that area.