There are so many reasons why CSU needs to build a new on-campus stadium. Below are the top 5 reasons why CSU needs to Be Bold and get this new stadium completed no later than 2015. BeBoldCSU.org will add data and explicit detail to support these rationales (on our front page)
so that you can make up your own mind about what is best for the football program and more importantly the university in general.
Five Reasons to Build an On-Campus Stadium
1. Ability to develop strong game-day traditions that:
– Unify our community;
– Create lifetime ties with our students;
– Enable us to engage deeply with our alums and donors.
2. Ability Ability to attract quality coaches and athletes: catalyst for football prominence to attract quality coaches and athletes: catalyst for football prominence.
3. Branding: Ability to generate national exposure and recognition for our community:
– Contributes to increasing in-state and out-of-state applicants;
– Delivers opportunity to enhance enrollment standards;
– Contributes to our ability to operate as a financially independent/selfsustaining University.
4. Delivers a positive economic impact to the greater Fort Collins community.
5. Delivers a multi-use facility to our campus and Fort Collins: a landmark gathering place in which we can take great pride.
Additionally, CSU had planned to build an on-campus stadium from the very beginning. In fact, you can hear former CSU President Morgan discuss his vision below (click his quote).
We also have a document that discusses the SOS Hughes group. Here is an excerpt and also a link to the full document:
The “so-called” SOSHughes group has asked a lot of questions of Jack Graham and Tony Frank, despite the repeated calls for patience going through a process to determine what is best for CSU. So we think it is time we start asking questions of the SOSHughes group. When reviewing the comments and letters on the Coloradoan as well as info directly from their website (SOSHughes.org), we find that a lot of double standards may exist and worry that the true intentions of this group may be hidden.
The first questions we find ourselves asking are: Who is SOSHughes composed of? What is their demographic? What % of the group are CSU alumni? What % donate to CSU academics or athletics? What % actually attend CSU sporting events? It appears to us that many members of SOSHughes have little attachment to Colorado State University. Maybe we are wrong. In fact, some members complain about every building or expansion that the City of Fort Collins or CSU plans (not just the stadium). As dedicated CSU Alumni, students, and/or community members, these statements worry us that some may not have the best interests of the long-term future of Colorado State Academics and Athletics at heart. We do and that is why we support this on-campus stadium.
Related articles
- Welcome to BeBoldCSU.Org (beboldcsu.org)
- CSU says no taxes or state fees will be used to build on-campus football stadium (denverpost.com)
Yes, be bold! Boldenough to remain unique and not become a CU clone by building an on-campus stadium. CSU tauts itself as a green university, yet the construction of this on-campusmonstrosity will be nothing more than a blatant, BOLD declaration that CSU really isn’t as green as claimed.To build an on campus stadium, the entire Environmental Research area will be razed. Dozens of healthy trees and plants, which help clear our air and provide other positive benefits, will be demolished. Buildings will be cleared out with all the accompanying construction trash, dust and debris. Meanwhile, a perfectly functional stadium which has under gone approximately $17 MILLION in renovations,will be mothballed. Hughes is unique, it offers flavor to our university, it has tradition and history. The new landscaping has added to the attractiveness of this unique sports stage nestled under the renowed “A”. Why can’t Hughes be multi-use? Any answers? Why do you think a new 40,000 seat stadium will draw fans when the current smaller stadium hasn’t filled to capacity, even during the glorious years of Sonny Lubick’s reign.
How does an on-campus stadium, a lifeless edifice of concrete and steel generate spirit? Mr Graham? On what facts do you base your belief? The point that’s being overlooked, whether purposfully or not, is that its people who
make a place, people interacting that create community and spirit and in the arena of sports, it is fans rallying around a WINNING TEAM which creates excitement, generates national attention, garners media coverage, nets the big $$ and draws the coaches and staff.
Over the years, I have never heard anyone complain about Huges stadium. I have heard a lot of talk about the lousy football team. Lousy teams drive fans away, with the subsequent loss of media coverage and revenue. Check the statistics.
Also, has the psychology of economics, sports and fan support been given any thought, Be Bold? Think about it. The economy stinks, its in the tank. People are losing their jobs, their homes, their ability to provide for themselves and their families. Theylack the extra $$ to spend on entertainment (sports). Think about it; buy bread and pay rent or buy a ticket to see a losing football team?
When people are in a slump, losing what is valuable to them, they need to have some sort of hero, someone or some entity who/ which does battle and comes out the winner. This gives people hope. A losing football team only reinforces the negative which people are already experiencing in their every day lives. Total bummer, man. So, they don’t go to the games! Those are the real issues
behind the drop in support for sports – a bad economy and a lousy team that is losing. BE BOLD CSU, BE UNIQUE, DON’T BECOME a CU CLONE.
FIX THE TEAM, SAVE HUGHES. DON’T RAM an ON-CAMPUS STADIUM DOWN FT.COLLINS’ THROAT.
?????????? Cu Clone? Where do people come up with this stuff?
Over 90 % of the universities across the nation have on campus stadiums. As far as being unique, it’s not, it’s a cookie cutter of UTEPs design. I like going to games as much as the next guy, but Hughes fails to bring the community , alumi, students to connect with the university. At Hughes its about only going to a football game. Universities with on campus stadium are about a way for fans, alum and town folk to celebrate the university, it’s acedemics and athletics. Thanks for pointing out the reason for a new stadium. Hughes doesn’t cut it. and never has caught the excitment of the city of Fort Collins .
One of CSU’s great features is its open space. Why would we want to ruin that with a stadium?!
By the way, who’s behind this site (financially)? I’m guessing it’s whoever would profit from an on campus stadium.
Sorry this group is funded solely by donations from fans not business
First:
It shows strength in belief and character to allow open discussion from those opposed on a site that is “pro stadium”. The SOS folks on their site do not and have disabled comments. I find this the most honest display of how the SOS folk really feel about an “open process”…they are open to a process that they like or supports their narrative.
Second:
No one wants to be a “CU clone”…and as an alum I resent that insinuation, as I could say those “against” want CSU to fail, and do not respect CSU…which is closer to the truth then wanting to be a clone of another school.
The stadium is not really for the team…yes they will get a very good benefit out of it, but it is for CSU fans, and alums. It will reconnect many of them to CSU and the campus, which many now just go to Hughes, or maybe just to campus, but rarely both on game day. So the stadium is much bigger picture than football, and even athletics; it is about connecting with and reconnecting CSU with alums and those who are and were part of her…which in turn creates fans of CSU well beyond athletics.
Also, this “win first” trope….no one is saying that if we build this we are guaranteed to win more…that is ridiculous. But, what it can do is create favorable conditions for winning to take place…i.e…attracting top talent, coaches, teams…which in turn can lead to wins, which can lead to a higher profile for the University.
So using the “win first” logic…we should tell our students prove you can graduate first, BEFORE we provide you the “tools to succeed”
Improving Morgan Library doesn’t guarantee us more graduates, or PhD’s. BUT is creates an environment that is favorable for those things to happen.
No one is asking you “Jablonovsky” for a dime. Yet you feel compelled to tell others how and where to spend their money. If you are so concerned with the plight of those struggling…to which I commend you and agree, then donate to those worthy causes, or even volunteer. Mr. Vangermeech could likely use help in his support efforts of the poor in other nations.
Also, as CSU is one of the tops in Ag Engineering, Forestry, Landscape Architecture, I think they are more than well equipped enough to handle trees, green space, environmental issues…etc…as they ALREADY HAVE for the other dozen buildings that were built ON the CSU campus over the past decade.
If you are going to trot out statistics, then please make time to pure over the extensive research, numbers and due diligence CSU has performed on this issue, you may learn something in the process.
Here is a stat: 60% of those against the stadium HAVE NEVER and DO NOT donate/support CSU in ANY form.
$17 million was a waste as it was window dressing, a paint job on Pinto, as Hughes, being built on the soil it is, has continual cracks and structural issues that will need repaired into perpetuity…talk about throwing money away, and wasteful spending…AND NOT Green.
Are you Jablonovksy or Blargo 5000, alums, or donors to CSU athletics, or academics? And Blargo, are you someone who “profits” from not seeing this built, what is your “pay off” for being opposed? Sophomoric retort, and void of any constructive thought.
If you both are alums and donors, then you have a voice, but if not, then this discussion does not involve you nor should you have any say. Proximity and a dislike of something does not rise above those who truly have invested and support CSU whether athletics, or more important academics.
Proud alum and supporter of athletics, academics, and CSU’s greater missions and research.
Go Rams!
But see, this is the problem, you say these things but are not being honest to the readers… The true is that the plan for the stadium is not going to touch the Environmental Research Center. The plan is to use money as part of the stadium to enhance it and make it an icon to display the heritage of CSU as well as prvide a new greenhouse with all the perks and whistles. Why can’t Hughes be multi-use, you ask… there is a city ordinance that prohibits Hughes from being used for anything but football, and the field is set up in a way that the concrete walls wont fit a soccer field.
A new 42K person stadium will draw fans because it is in the center of the community, it is with-in walking distance of 10s of thousands of students that live near campus, it is also easily accessible by all forms of public transportation. Also, even a half full stadium would mean 10s of thousands of alumni and future alumni are on-campus for games, that helps the future of academics at CSU. You kind of show support for the stadium with your comment that even in the glory years of Sonny, we had trouble filling Hughes. That is because winning was not the problem, the location of Hughes was the problem.
How does an on-campus stadium generate spirit? You obviously have never been to an on-campus football stadium. YouTube The Grove at Ole Miss. It was voted the #1 tailgating place by Sports Illustarated and #2 by ESPN. It is almost identical to The Oval….
Yes, winning will help, but a new stadium will help winning too… A new stadium will vastly help recruiting players as many players decide where they want to play based on the facilities. And if you goal is to win, then building a new stadium supports your goal.
My seats are directly next to missing mass of concrete with exposed rebar at Hughes stadium. If you have never heard anyone complain about Hughes, then obviously you are not attending games there and obviously you have never been to any other stadium to compare it to. CSU needed to spend the money a few years ago just to renovate it enough to get us to this point and the years it will take to actually build the new stadium.
“When people are in a slump, losing what is valuable to them, they need to have some sort of hero, someone or some entity who/ which does battle and comes out the winner.” Exactly, which is why donors are stepping up to support the team and university by building this stadium. We want to make them winners. We want to make sure the university is successful, and it is because of the economy that the stadium will NOT be paid for with taxes or student fees. Also, think of all the construction workers that will be employed by a new stadium, and all the local Fort Collins businesses that will have foot-traffic to support their businesses, that you don’t get out at Hughes.
Be bold enough to not settle for mediocrity. Be bold enough to appreciate progress. Be Bold and Build It!
Sounds like some well thought out reasons to build the stadium. BE BOLD. BUILD IT
Two points:
1. An on campus stadium will drastically cut down the amount of drunk driviers on game day in Fort Collins. (no need for research on this one, just think about it) Students will walk to game instead of driving and we all know they will continue to drink plenty.
2. People that go to the games will choose to spend pre and post game at various eating and drinking establishments, thus boosting the local economy. Again, think about it.
3. Since everyone else terms like “eveyone I talk to” or “I have not talked to anyone”… I though I should say that “eveyone I talk to” (specifically alums that live out of state) say that they will come to multiple games if this thing is built.
BUILD THIS STADIUM!!
*3 points
[...] One of the tabs on the organization’s website presents an article entitled “Why Build?” (http://beboldcsu.org/why-an-on-campus-stadium/). Posted on April 12, 2012, the article states five reasons that an on campus stadium should be [...]
[...] supporting the on campus stadium besides Tony Frank and the athletic department. After looking at http://beboldcsu.org/why-an-on-campus-stadium/ and the article from the Coloradoan “On-campus football stadium supporters ask CSU to ‘Be [...]
Someone on this website should look up the definition of ad hominem fallacy. Attacking the SOS people does not strengthen your argument. Disputing their concerns might though…
Thanks for your comments Lindsey. We feel like we’ve taken a pretty non-aggressive stance toward SOS and mainly calling them out on their statements of inaccuracies. We have refrained from name calling, condemned anyone defacing SOS signs etc.
Hi Lindsey…you are correct about attacking those who disagree…but I disagree completely with your statement that “disputing their concerns” is possible. Most in the “opposed” group (calling them SOS is misleading and a fallacy as most have never attended a game at Hughes, and they do not care nor want to save it, especially if they have to pry open their wallets to do so) have no concerns nor care for anything CSU, as acknowledged by the research that showed 60% of those against an on-campus stadium DO NOT support CSU financially in athletics, OR academics!
So, if we are to have an open and honest dialogue, it also requires those hiding behind the SOS banner to come forth and answer as to why they do not support CSU their dollars, yet expect and demand a say in the effort. That is akin to complaining about election results and demanding accountability, but not being accountable enough on their end to vote! Also, it requires the SOS folk…those who truly want to save Hughes Stadium, to come up with their plan and fund drive to do so. Neither of those things has happened, nor will they.
As the SOS group (and yes there are alums and a few donors among them…those few should have their concerns and thoughts considered and be heard) needs to come up with solutions. NO, and DON’T are not answers, suggestions, and solutions.
CSU should not have to take up the cause for a stadium, while appeasing those of whom the majority do not give a damn about CSU, nor support her missions athletic, and more important academic (they preach academics yet give nothing…the majority who support the stadium donate BOTH to athletics AND academics).
The line of demarcation is very clear and simple:
If those opposed do not support Colorado State either athletically, or more important academically, then they have no say and should not be at ANY table debating or discussing this issue.
If they do support CSU with dollars, either to academics, or athletics, then those folks need to be heard, BUT they also MUST come up with viable solutions, be willing to pay for them, without expecting the rest of us to pay for what they want, when no one supporting the stadium is asking for any money from those opposed.
It is the height of arrogance to tell private citizens how to spend their discretionary dollars, and what CSU can do and build on ITS private land. It is also the height of arrogance to turn down a potential $200M gift that would create jobs, improve infrastructure, and create an on-campus environment attractive to alums whether fans of sports or not to connect and reconnect with the university on a larger scale then just a football game; and of course excite and energize the fans that pay a good portion of the freight in support of their college and programs.
I am looking forward to that discussion, but respectfully, I won’t hold my breath waiting.
To get some more facts about the stadium visit the website: http://www.colostate.edu/stadium/faq.aspx
These frequently ask questions should answer a lot of the misconceptions that are out there. We do appreciate the opposition and believe that they have added a lot to strengthen this process such as it was their work with our support that led to PERC in fact being enhanced by the stadium, as well as both opposition and supporters have united around the fact that this stadium must be privately funded. But it is time that they start providing people with facts as well as respect the fact that it is the people that are most passionate about CSU, CSU athletics, and the future that are willing to do what it necessary to not settle for mediocrity and instead do what it takes to make CSU great.
BE BOLD! BUILD THE STADIUM!
I am a CSU alum (Class of 1988) and a Denver area resident. My family has had season tickets to the Broncos since 1965 and I’ve attended just about every Bronco home game since 1975. I’ve also attended football games at many pro and college stadiums across the country. I am a football fanatic and absolutely love the game day atmosphere and excitement. With that said, as much as I love CSU and Fort Collins, you couldn’t pay me to attend a game at Hughes Stadium. It’s the absolute worst Division 1 college staduim in the country without argument. There are nicer high school stadiums in this country than Hughes. It’s time for a change. It’s time for an new on campus staduim. I promise you that the alumni in the Denver area support this new staduim and will make the trip north to support CSU. I certainly pledge my support and will definently attend several games a year in a new staduim.
Thanks for the message Denver Area Alumni! We certainly hope Dr.Frank makes the right decision and look forward towards moving forward in this process! BeBold and Build It!
The drawing above depicting how an on-campus stadium would look is slick. Lots of open space around it, trees, etc. The problem is, where is the rest of the campus? Did the library get razed to make room for this? And where’s the parking garage? A drawing can be misleading. There’s not enough space to sufficiently hold both a stadium and parking. I went to CSU. I liked the openness of the campus with a view of the foothills and the ‘A’. An on-campus stadium would spoil that, not to mention creating a cluster f— on game day.
Also, expect parking prices to go up drastically if this happens.
I’m all for building a new stadium, but at the current location with the foothills in the background. Why do we have to take CU’s approach anyway? Traffic and parking is a mess on game day.
Rich, the picture above is not the rendering of the stadium created by Populous. Check out our home page for those renderings. The library is not a the stadium site as the site is on the South-side of campus at the parking lot at Pitkin and Lake, off of Meridian Avenue. CSU has plans (whether the stadium is built or not) to build 3-4 parking structures on-campus as well as there is a field behind the Hilton that could hold approximately 2000 cars and is only a couple blocks from the stadium site. There is also just as much parking on-campus as out at Hughes, plus access to public transportation and walking distance for most students (unlike Hughes). Parking prices were included in the feasibility study on August 9th and represented prices similar to current game day pricing. Regarding traffic, there are bigger better roads for people to come to campus then there are for them to go to Hughes Stadium. New West Fest was held only a few miles away from Campus and had roughly 2-3 times as many people attending as would attend CSU football on game day. Seemed to work out alright for that event. Keep in mind too that roughly 35K people attend CSU on a daily basis as it is. That number is not much different then the occupancy of the stadium. And with regards to CU… we are not taking their approach, we are taking the approach of all 101 universities that have an on-campus stadium. If you have noticed though, CU (despite losing to CSU, playing an FCS football program, and having consecutive losing seasons) still managed more then 48K paid attendance at their last home game. That is a lot of people injecting revenue into local businesses, dedicating money to the university, buying tickets which creates revenue for the university, etc. The reason we take the on-campus approach, is because it has proven to work. That is also why 8 other universities with off-campus stadiums are also pursuing this approach. 8.5% of alumni donate to CSU, while most universities with D1 football programs are in the teens and higher. That is a lot of money that CSU is losing out on that could be used for great things for academia. To get those donation, you need people passionate about CSU….. taking them off-campus and not giving them a reason to return to campus, does not help.
[...] group in support of building a new stadium, Be Bold, will likely speak and those opposing, Save Our Stadium Hughes, also plan to speak. Coloradoan [...]