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Update on Memorial Stadium upgrades from A.D Troy Dannen

HBK4life

Nebraska Legend
Jan 24, 2004
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North of Lincoln South of Heaven

The immediate focus is now on the East and West Stadium and not the south end zone​

On Thursday, Dannen met with a small group of reporters to outline the plan. In short, the project is still happening, but the map to complete it will change.

“The project remains on track,” Dannen said. “However, the timing and the sequencing is going to be different than I think might have been projected earlier. Going forward, we’re going to really focus the architects on East and West Stadium. The rationale for that quite simply is East and West (Stadium) has the potential to monetize itself.
“The landscape of what’s going on right now, the ability to generate money, I’m going to have a pretty big spot on my budget for new money that needs to be generated. I think there was speculation that the south was coming down at the end of the ’24 season. That is not happening.”

However, “The south end zone project is still a part of the scope,” he said.


None of the work, though, to the East and West stadiums will begin until after the 2025 football season. The plan is to have chair-back seating in the East and West stadiums and tie each seat to a licensing fee. The new premium East and West chair-backed seats would have access to several new in-stadium amenities.

That would also mean a stadium reseat would take place, and NU’s ticket grandfathering system, which went into effect in the 1990s, would end. Currently, a large chunk of Nebraska’s season ticket holders are grandfathered into their original donation fee, while new ticket holders might pay thousands more annually for the same seats.

Previous stories on HuskerOnline have outlined Nebraska’s grandfather ticket pricing, and our studies have found that no other stadium in the country has anything like it in terms of tens of thousands of ticket holders locked into sweetheart seat-donation prices from the 1990s.
“If the East and West project is going to generate money, it’s going to generate it from premium seat licenses for the privilege of accessing those seats, and the amenities that will go with those seats that are going to be different, new, and improved,” Dannen said. “There will be a new price tag on every seat. If that is going to happen, it has to.

“If you ever have a reseat, you have to have at least a year’s notice for your fans. In a perfect world, we’d be looking at something post-’25 into ’26 before really anything tangible inside East and West can happen.”

Dannen continues to explore options with South Stadium​

As the focus moves to the East and West stadium for 2026, what can be done to improve and upgrade the south end zone?

The original plan called for a complete demolition, which would have forced around 23,000 ticket holders to miss at least the 2025 and 2026 seasons while it was rebuilt. Dannen wants to continue to explore options. There are no current plans to add chairback seating to the north end zone because the structure of the aisles won’t allow it.
“What I have not gotten into yet is understanding does South have to come down to rebuild South?” Dannen said. “Does it have to come down all at once? Can it come down in phases? Is there another model of that if we have an extended period of time that the whole thing doesn’t come down, but pieces of it do, and we build around it, and we never really harm the capacity?”

Another point that both Dannen and head football coach Matt Rhule brought up is neither was too wild about creating a giant wind tunnel in South Stadium for two seasons with an open end zone that currently sits 98 rows high.

“Coach and I joked, I think we understand why we were in the option for all those years, because of the wind tunnel effect,” Dannen said. “I think you really have to assess the impact on the competitiveness of the team and how we would play by the other impacts that would come if the south end zone sat empty for a season or a period of time.”

However, one thing you can expect to come to the south end zone is a new video board. You’ll also see new and improved stadium WiFi by this season.
“I do plan to go to the board to get a south end video board before the ’25 season,” Dannen said. “The north board’s old. It’s beyond its useful life. It’s still working but given where the seats are and everything else, it feels like the board needs to be in the south. Then, when we eventually build, we can build around it, or we can take it down, relocate it, and put it back in. That’s another big number that we’ve got to figure out whether it can happen or not. I hope when we start ’25, we’ll have a big board down there.”


Raising the money and the overall pricetag​

We don’t have answers to the overall project’s price tag or money raised thus far.

Dannen did not have answers on either topic, mainly because several unknowns remain. A big one is the role of the third-party group Nebraska Philanthropic Trust.

The NU Board of Regents contracted the Omaha group led by Sue Morris for $5.5 million to spearhead fundraising efforts for the project over the top of Nebraska’s in-house foundation and development offices.

“They still have the contract with the board,” Dannen said of Nebraska Philanthropic Trust. “I’m not sure at this point in time whether we will actively fund raise until we have a real project, until we have the drawings, until we know what’s viable, until we know what the costs are, and frankly until we know what the other effects outside of the department, the other effects of the enterprise are going to have on our ability to either carry debt or have other expenses in the budget.
“I’m not sure we’ll be doing a whole lot other than discussing the project versus actually asking because we just don’t have something right now to ask for other than support the concept.”

Thursday, Dannen also made it clear that there have been zero conversations about asking for public dollars for the stadium project.

“I anticipate at some point in time, I will ask everybody for everything,” Dannen said about raising money for the project. “Once we have a project, once we have a financial model that doesn’t compromise our ability to compete in the new world of college athletics. Really, if I’m on the other side and I read all the antitrust settlement stories right now, before you come ask me for money, I need to know what’s going to happen to the department.

“I need to know how the college athletic department is going to run and function before I’m going to financially support it. There are a lot of unanswered questions that I think our development folks would need to be prepared to answer before we get to that point.”

An on-campus hotel and entertainment district is no longer on the radar​

When Alberts first began planning for his initial $450 million stadium project, one of the places he looked at for inspiration was Wrigley Field.

Omaha native Tom Ricketts owns the Chicago Cubs. Since purchasing the Cubs, Ricketts has acquired nearly all the property around Wrigley Field to create an entertainment district and built a boutique Marriott hotel across the street from the ballpark.

Alberts had grand plans of doing something similar at Nebraska, attempting to find and create new revenue streams.

Dannen said creating Nebraska’s own on-campus entertainment district is currently not on his radar.

“It’s not on my personal radar right now. I’m staying in Haymarket. I feel like we’ve got Wrigleyville two blocks away. It’s an amazing area,” Dannen said. “Now, is there more to come? I will tell you my focus is right now on getting the stadium up to speed and if things come that are around it, there will be private people who want to invest. If they feel like there’s a return, they will seek to invest around the stadium but I’m not contemplating building an entertainment district and a hotel in order to get the stadium done.”

Also, don’t expect to see alcohol sales inside Memorial Stadium for the 2024 football season, although, “There will be a point in time in which I’m sure that we will go to the board and ask for that consideration,” Dannen said. “Certainly not this year. When I was at the meeting where the board approved it for baseball, there was talk about a more comprehensive look at alcohol. We sell alcohol at all of the facilities that we do not own, in which Nebraska plays athletics. Not at the ones that we do own.

“The other comprehensive look will be for those events that are coming in, as we talk about how do we utilize the stadium and monetize the stadium beyond the seven Saturdays or whatever per year, alcohol will have to be sold in order for those events to take place. They won’t come if you don’t. I think there’ll be a broader analysis, not specific to football that needs to take place.”


 
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In addition to the modified plan we learned about for Nebraska’s East and West Stadium, NU athletic director Troy Dannen also gave an update on other facility upgrades.

The big one that is being addressed immediately is NU’s track. Because of the construction of Nebraska’s Go Big Project, the Husker track and field program has not had a stadium to compete in the last two seasons.
Head coach Justin St. Claire just won his second consecutive men’s out Big Ten title, while the women’s team finished second. He was also named the Big Ten’s track and field coach of the year. However, the negative of the Go Big Project construction is they have not been able to host a track meet in Lincoln for two years. That is being addressed immediately. RFPs have gone out, and construction is expected to begin immediately on permanent seating around the Husker’s new track on Innovation Campus.
Dannen said the facility will have permanent seating for 2,500 and can add more temporary seating down the road. The total cost is expected to be $9 million. The biggest priority moving forward is to have the facility ready to host the Big Ten outdoor championships in 2026.

“That also went out to bid with the idea that it could be phased if the pricing came in at a number that was a surprise. I consider the track to be part of the completion of the Osborne Legacy Complex,” Dannen said. “When we have to relocate a facility to build another, part of that is completion of the relocation.

“I know we might not have had stands there and everything else, but the facility is not meet capable yet. We need to make it meet capable. We got a two-time defending Big Ten champion, and the ’26 Big Ten Championships are here. We got to get this finalized and finished.”

The final steps of transitioning into the Go Big Project are happening now​

Over the last several weeks, we’ve seen the football team slowly transition into the new facility.

The locker room, training, and recovery areas were completed this past fall. The weight room officially opened during spring practice in March. And now Matt Rhule and his coaching staff have fully moved into their new office space.


“Football moved over there the week after spring ball,” Dannen said.

“You got a lot of the assistants on the road, so it’s helping. Some are here. You get them moved in while they’re not here.”

The other key pieces are the academic center and training table.

Dannen said the academic center will be transitioned to its new space by the end of the month, while the new training table won’t open until later this summer.

“Academics are the last week of the month. They’ll transition,” Dannen said. “The training table will still serve here for the summer. We’re about to award the provider. The RFP came in. I don’t know that that’s done, done yet, but it might be today. Then they’ll have some ramp-up time.

“I think when the athletes come back for fall camp and fall sports, we’ll start serving out of the new space. We’ll be on a little bit of a limited use here in the summer as we make the transition. We’ll still be in the current space for the summer.”


Backfilling West and North Stadium​

With West Stadium now completely vacated, Dannen’s plans for its future upgrades will fit right in.

Dannen announced his plans to upgrade East and West Stadium seating with chairbacks and premium amenities this week. One of those amenities will probably include upgrading the vacated West Stadium space and converting it to an entertainment area on game day. This was always part of the vision former Chancellor Ronnie Green shared in 2019 when the Go Big Project was first announced.

“We have a lot of relocating of people that’s ongoing right now with the movement out into the Osborne Legacy Complex,” Dannen said. “Part of that will be the development staff ticketing. Moving into that academic space right now, which goes hand in hand with providing that to be a donor experience, since that’s where they’ll be housed. You would have to provide different access to that than we have right now.

“That’s part of when you look at program scope for the architects, how do we turn that into something that’s accessible on game day?”


Meanwhile, the former football offices in North Stadium are expected to be taken over by Husker Vision, the radio network, and Nebraka’s social media and creative teams.

The former weight room in North Stadium has already been taken over by Nebraka’s Olympic sports programs.

“I don’t know who gets Matt’s office, we haven’t decided that yet,” Dannen joked.

Dannen also added that upgrading the facilities for the baseball and softball programs around Haymarket Park is another immediate priority for the athletic department. Another is the dated Devaney Center pool used by the Husker women’s swim program.

“It would certainly be on the list, as would baseball softball facilities that are dated and not up to par with what we expect our programs to be,”
Dannen said when asked about a new swimming facility. “There’s quite a little bit of capital work out there. One, we just haven’t sat down and really put the list together, let alone start to prioritize it. The track became the priority because of its tie to the Osborne Legacy Complex, and it’s really a completion of that facility.”


 
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Don't know if the change in plans are for the better or the worse but it's clear that new leadership has certainly changed things. Maybe Trev left due to resistance to his plans/vision.
Probably a part of it. The whole Wrigleyville thing may have been Trev trying to hard and getting out over his skis. We already have the Haymarket.
 
I was told paying the Ty Robinsons of the world would put the kibosh on all this

hmm
 
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Upgrading or moving the North end zone video board and or getting one in the South end zone is a good first step in 25. Whatever that little HS box thing is N the South end zone is ghetto as fvck.
 
I can understand having seat backs in the east and west first but not having a firm answer on the south is disappointing. It needs to be torn down , it's going to be panful but it's a must. Just do it .
Blow Up GIF by NETFLIX
 
Upgrading or moving the North end zone video board and or getting one in the South end zone is a good first step in 25. Whatever that little HS box thing is N the South end zone is ghetto as fvck.
It's a camera man perch, and it's better than what a lot of stadiums have. Husker video, the weeks network, and the opposing teams camera man all hang out up there filming. In the upgrade to south stadium they'll obviously put a spot for cameras up there that's nicer and better, but relativity wise it's better than a sketchy platform like it used to be and better than a lot of other big ten stadiums
 
😆 🤣 a relative of my wife isn't going to be happy. He has an apartment not far from the stadium that he said he can see the big screen. Not anymore if it moves to south side. Maybe they can have video on both sides of the screen 🤔. Sun won't be hitting it if in the south. Hopefully we get a top quality sound system this time. We've taken several swings at it and haven't gotten it right yet
 
Dannen's approach just has a different "feel". I think it is because he had so many podunk stops in his career, plus he officiated several sports. He seems to want to look out for all the kids...track athletes, softball, swimming, etc. Yes, football is king, but that can be accommodated by little things such as moving the sideline as well as the big things. In that regard, I expect to see grass in Memorial sooner than later.
 
I can understand having seat backs in the east and west first but not having a firm answer on the south is disappointing. It needs to be torn down , it's going to be panful but it's a must. Just do it .Tzi
I think there could be feasible ways to retrofit south stadium without tearing it down. You could add a tier of concessions and restrooms underneath the seating at an elevation of about half way up. You could create a mezzanine to where people didn't have to go all the way down to field level of concessions and restrooms. Build a 2 story building essentially with a couple of new entrances in to the seating at about midlevel. Tearing it down seems loopy to me.
 
😆 🤣 a relative of my wife isn't going to be happy. He has an apartment not far from the stadium that he said he can see the big screen. Not anymore if it moves to south side. Maybe they can have video on both sides of the screen 🤔. Sun won't be hitting it if in the south. Hopefully we get a top quality sound system this time. We've taken several swings at it and haven't gotten it right yet
Really? I'm fine with the current screen and sound system. We're spoiled.
 
Really? I'm fine with the current screen and sound system. We're spoiled.
Yes we are. But it was really telling at the vb day in Nebraska. No more speakers than scotty McCready had his sound was far clearer cleaner and sharper than the stadium speaker coming from the big screen. Sometimes on a breezy day it's extremely hard to hear

I'm kinda surprised about big screen
 
Surprised we aren’t hearing a bit more squawking about the new seat pricing. It will probably be substantial.
 
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I was told paying the Ty Robinsons of the world would put the kibosh on all this

hmm
Nebraska can probably do both but Dannen is not sounding like he’s flush with cash.

He’s already talking about bringing seat prices 35 years into the future to make East and West viable. He’s talking about maybe doing a phased approach for South because they don’t want to lose revenue from 23k ticket holders for two years.

And then he had that quote about finding projects that have a financial model that allows us to stay competitive in the NIL era.

These are not the words of a man sitting in 3 billion dollars and not a care in the world. He seems to be jig sawing it together just fine but even at a die hard school like Nebraska trade offs are being made.
 
Yes we are. But it was really telling at the vb day in Nebraska. No more speakers than scotty McCready had his sound was far clearer cleaner and sharper than the stadium speaker coming from the big screen. Sometimes on a breezy day it's extremely hard to hear

I'm kinda surprised about big screen
You’re talking about a professional musicians sound system based down on the field. It’s a way different animal than trying to blast a million jiggawatts over 80,000 screaming fans. Yeah they can probably make the sound system better but when is enough enough? Now get off my lawn.
 
You’re talking about a professional musicians sound system based down on the field. It’s a way different animal than trying to blast a million jiggawatts over 80,000 screaming fans. Yeah they can probably make the sound system better but when is enough enough? Now get off my lawn.
I hear you. I wish I would have taken a picture of his set-up. His didn't take up any more space than what it appears is speakers in the screen
 
I hear you. I wish I would have taken a picture of his set-up. His didn't take up any more space than what it appears is speakers in the screen
Sound systems are beyond the scope of what most people can appreciate. For what the sound system is supposed to do in the stadium, ours is fine. I sing with a group that has several former professional musicians and one guy did all the sound for the Tyson Center in Sioux City. We actually have a guy at my church who in college was the sound engineer for WCCO. He’s in his 70s now but he pulled out all his gadgets and spent a day working with our sound board at our church so we could broadcast on Facebook. The results were a HUUGE improvement. Theres just so much variance depending on what you’re trying to project, volume, and how many bodies are in a room.
 
I was told paying the Ty Robinsons of the world would put the kibosh on all this

hmm
People only have so much money to give. I’d rather it go in to the talent vs then how cool the south end of the stadium looks. Players and coaches win games and in today’s world that’s where the money should go. In today’s day an age facilities take a back seat to cheddar. Wouldn’t it for you if you were 18-22? I’d rather $100k+ then playing in a cooler stadium.

Dannen has won me over already way more then Trev business wise in getting this program going into the modern business of football. He said “1. First it has to help us win 2. does it get us talent and help retain it. “ NIL is the game now. It just is. Open your mind to capitalism

And make note that Trev didn’t last much longer after Nebraska finally opened its check book to NIL. IMO Either Trev was on the take to make sure the university kept pouring concrete or he’s dumb or he’s anti-NIL. My gut tells me was on the take because he went someplace that doesn’t shy from NIL and he left his loved “Nebraska” for more money.

ITS Jims and Joes not where your butt goes
 
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The game day experience is super dated too. The music is predictable and boring. Update that and the maybe the band will follow as well
 
Disappointed in the ticket news. Seems a slap in the face to a bunch of people and I think it’ll bite them.


And no I dont have these tix.
 
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Sound systems are beyond the scope of what most people can appreciate. For what the sound system is supposed to do in the stadium, ours is fine. I sing with a group that has several former professional musicians and one guy did all the sound for the Tyson Center in Sioux City. We actually have a guy at my church who in college was the sound engineer for WCCO. He’s in his 70s now but he pulled out all his gadgets and spent a day working with our sound board at our church so we could broadcast on Facebook. The results were a HUUGE improvement. Theres just so much variance depending on what you’re trying to project, volume, and how many bodies are in a room.
RollingLaugh
 
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Regarding giant video screens, I've always felt that there should be a screen on the south end just like on the north end. IMO it's kind of ludicrous to use cost/money as the barrier when so much is spent on everything else. With all the games on TV these days, you need that ability to show replays, etc. to ALL the stadium fans.
 
I like this new approach. Seems far more sane to me. South Stadium is indeed a pain in the ass. But for 30 years my dad had season tickets in south stadium and he and I went to every game from 1970-2000. And we were thrilled to be there and just made sure we quit drinking liquids a few hours before game time so we didn’t have to negotiate getting to the bathrooms. But here is the point: we were willing to put up with South Stadium just for the privilege of being at the game because the product on the field was worth watching.

Our beloved program has been unstable for 20 years or so and in the total shitter for the past 10. Let’s focus on winning games and improving the product on the field. And that means not pissing away hundreds of millions on better stadium amenities and encouraging donors to give that money to NIL instead. The focus should be on getting better athletes to NU rather than more comfortable crap for spoiled fans who won’t come to a game if it isn’t as comfortable and convenient as their living room. F$ck them.

Good on the Chiefs fans for voting down tax financing for a new quadrillion dollar stadium. At some point we just need to say “the stadium is what it is. We will make moderate upgrades here and there but it is not going to be grandiose. So come to the games if you want. And if you don’t want, then fine. Stay the **** home”.

Get grass in memorial stadium right away. That is an athlete favorite thing as well. Then start winning again. How refreshing would that be?
 
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