Lindsey Nelson Stadium,

#726
#726
Sevierville was a nightmare for the team. They had to bus out there and due to traffic were late. Did not get to take batting practice on the field and very little infield/outfield. Locker rooms were not good for them. Half the crowd did not show up until the 4th inning due to traffic. Can't imagine how bad it would be early in the season when they play the early Friday and midweek games due to weather. I know the coaching staff and players did not want to go back after that experience. It may have been good for fans but was not for the team.
 
  • Like
Reactions: volfannga, HeadVol77, WallyBalls and 5 others
#727
#727
fryeguy93 said:
You know.

We could solve an awful lot of problems starting in February if the Vols could play at the newly named Covenant Health Park.

They could continue work on LNS without for the season or working around games

The fans would not have to enter through temporary gates and closed streets

UT could sell suites a year early

More fans could attend

Bars are closer

I bet the UT President could work a pretty good deal.

I wonder if the new park could be ready by February?

There’s really not a lot of overlap in ncaa and minor leagues seasons. And since the southern league has gone to 6 game series, it makes it easier for the teams to work around each other.

Perhaps even easier, I bet Sevierville would kill a man to host UT all season. That place with all the parking would be packed! That Tennessee Tech midweek game in 2022 was insane.
Click to expand...
I missed the announcement of the ballpark naming. Any word on if the team gets a new name or are they sticking with Smokies?
 
  • Like
Reactions: chuckiepoo
#729
#729
preacherman20 said:
Sevierville was a nightmare for the team. They had to bus out there and due to traffic were late. Did not get to take batting practice on the field and very little infield/outfield. Locker rooms were not good for them. Half the crowd did not show up until the 4th inning due to traffic. Can't imagine how bad it would be early in the season when they play the early Friday and midweek games due to weather. I know the coaching staff and players did not want to go back after that experience. It may have been good for fans but was not for the team.
Click to expand...
I believe the Smokies were not prepared at all for that night. They were not yet in their season and could not believe college baseball game would draw that many.

Hosting a UT baseball game 4-5 times per week for several months would get them up and running.

Plus, it was clear many of attendees that night had rarely- if ever, been to a Smokies game. The interstate east and west bound was a parking lot as no one was obviously aware of the back roads to the stadium.

I feel comfortable in saying they'd sell more concessions, souvenirs, and tickets with UT playing 38 games there than they would with 38 Smokies games.

I can see a HUGE inflatable Smokey standing above an outfield wall now. Packet parking lot with tailgating. Packed concourse.
 
#731
#731
LouderVol said:
fwiw, the way I read this part: "The project team encountered several issues and unforeseen conditions associated with stadium site work and the relocation of surrounding utilities."

my opinion is two possibly related ways.

1. unforeseen conditions is a cavern, forcing them to relocate more than they thought, including existing utilities they weren't thinking of.
2. unforeseen conditions is a utility line. you would think that utility companies would know where everything is, and there is some real "master" document showing EVERYTHING, but in reality there isn't anything like that. It could even be an "abandoned" pipe/conduit, but for whatever reason the utility wants it kept. I have had projects held up for months while the contractor called every utility provider they could think of, they all denied it was theirs's, and the contractor ends up cutting it. just to have one of those utility companies reach back out afterwards complaining the GC cut their line. one time that happened probably less than 1 mile from this site too....
Click to expand...
I’ve worked in the utility industry my whole career. If an engineering / design / GC company can’t call 811 and get all utilities identified / located before a project is started, then they are inept. The utility company I worked for did keep in depth records of their facilities. If a utility is contacted and they don’t locate their facilities then you assume no liability for cutting them. Now it’s possible one of the utility companies agreed to a relocation plan then bugged out and didn’t do the work in a timely manner as that occasionally happens. If that’s the case then the folks running the renovation project should make that known publicly and name the specific utility then watch how their level of urgency increases.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Orangeburst, chuckiepoo, HeadVol77 and 2 others
#732
#732
walkenvol said:
I’ve worked in the utility industry my whole career. If an engineering / design / GC company can’t call 811 and get all utilities identified / located before a project is started, then they are inept. The utility company I worked for did keep in depth records of their facilities. If a utility is contacted and they don’t locate their facilities then you assume no liability for cutting them. Now it’s possible one of the utility companies agreed to a relocation plan then bugged out and didn’t do the work in a timely manner as that occasionally happens. If that’s the case then the folks running the renovation project should make that known publicly and name the specific utility then watch how their level of urgency increases.
Click to expand...
I agree, if the construction/design team didn't reach out first, its on them. my first point, before I got too verbose, was that there are more ways for a problem to have arisen with the underground.

its not just the liability aspect. its dealing with the fallout. if its a tight schedule like this, even just a two week delay can be a BIG issue for construction.
 
  • Like
Reactions: walkenvol and chuckiepoo
#738
#738
I’ve been in the Knoxville area a lot over the past few weeks, and I’ve been shocked by the lack of construction activity at LNS. The progress has been painfully slow despite the lack of rain and almost perfect weather. I’m starting to wonder if this project will be completed by the start of the 2026 season. I know the utilities were a major issue…. well, at least the equipment was buzzing yesterday.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6284.jpeg
    IMG_6284.jpeg
    240.3 KB · Views: 61
  • Like
Reactions: fryeguy93 and chuckiepoo
#739
#739
  • Like
Reactions: taylorvol, Ernest T. Vol, chuckiepoo and 1 other person
#740
#740
MAD said:
Check out this article from Knoxville News:

Why Tennessee baseball Lindsey Nelson Stadium renovation budget proposal increased to $105.1 million

www.knoxnews.com

Why Tennessee baseball Lindsey Nelson Stadium renovation budget proposal increased to $105.1 million

The proposed budget for Lindsey Nelson Stadium could increase by nearly $10 million as the Tennessee baseball stadium undergoes renovations.
www.knoxnews.com
Click to expand...

In Randy Boyd I trust, but golly, that’s a lot of money, considering that the new Smokies Stadium had no existing infrastructure and LNS does/did. There will be more seats but I don’t know how many people will be able to afford them. Progress is progress I guess.

GBO!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rushin Orange Collusion, chuckiepoo and MAD
#741
#741
vol66 said:
In Randy Boyd I trust, but golly, that’s a lot of money, considering that the new Smokies Stadium had no existing infrastructure and LNS does/did. There will be more seats but I don’t know how many people will be able to afford them. Progress is progress I guess.

GBO!!!
Click to expand...
The seats will sell but may not be the ones who were here before Tony. The clientele will become a lot different as the prices go up.
 
  • Like
Reactions: WallyBalls, greasemachine, StrangeVol and 5 others
#743
#743
vol66 said:
In Randy Boyd I trust, but golly, that’s a lot of money, considering that the new Smokies Stadium had no existing infrastructure and LNS does/did. There will be more seats but I don’t know how many people will be able to afford them. Progress is progress I guess.

GBO!!!
Click to expand...
That’s my question. How were they able to build the new Smokies Stadium for ~$110M but a renovation will cost $105M?
 
  • Like
Reactions: chuckiepoo
#747
#747
@1RBFjr said:
I’m not sure, but I don’t think the land cost is included in that figure for the Smokies stadium. Again, I could be mistaken.
Click to expand...
True but it would be even more questionable IF the land cost was included for the Smokies Stadium. I assume it was just build costs. It just seems very odd that a brand new stadium was built for essentially the same cost as a major renovation on an existing stadium. Oh well, I’m happy that both are being built but just seems like the costs at LNS are at a premium compared to the Smokies.
 
#748
#748
preacherman20 said:
The seats will sell but may not be the ones who were here before Tony. The clientele will become a lot different as the prices go up.
Click to expand...
It will be similar to the TN fans folks that sat near me last night at the Bama game who never clapped or cheered the entire game. They were there to drink and be seen. I’m afraid the LNS “hornet‘s nest” might turn into a corporate “wine and cheese“ crowd.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LouderVol, tbwhhs and chuckiepoo
#749
#749
taylorvol said:
It will be similar to the TN fans folks that sat near me last night at the Bama game who never clapped or cheered the entire game. They were there to drink and be seen. I’m afraid the LNS “hornet‘s nest” might turn into a corporate “wine and cheese“ crowd.
Click to expand...
Neither our freshman nor his three roommates have gotten a student ticket to any games yet, and it’s common place according to the various parent Facebook pages.

It was annoying for the all important Kent State game they sold lots of tickets to high school bands, but enrolled UT students couldn’t get tickets.
 
  • Like
Reactions: taylorvol and chuckiepoo
#750
#750
@1RBFjr said:
Neither our freshman nor his three roommates have gotten a student ticket to any games yet, and it’s common place according to the various parent Facebook pages.

It was annoying for the all important Kent State game they sold lots of tickets to high school bands, but enrolled UT students couldn’t get tickets.
Click to expand...
Yes, that really chaps me as every student should be able to attend football games. Your Kent St example isn’t a good look for UT.
 
  • Like
Reactions: chuckiepoo and @1RBFjr
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top