Board of Trustees Approves Bryant-Denny Expansion
by outsidethesidelines on Feb 6, 2009 2:43 PM CST
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PrintSo we have completely whiffed on this story with all of the news surrounding National Signing Day, but there has been some great news regarding the expansion of Bryant-Denny Stadium the past few days, and that news was confirmed today.
The South end zone expansion project was officially approved today by the University of Alabama Board of Trustees. The 80.6 million dollar project will result in an upper deck being added to the South end zone, and that will expand capacity to approximately 101,100. Furthermore, two more jumbotrons will be added in the stadium, bringing the total up to four, and I'm sure there will be plenty more skyboxes added as well.
Construction will begin immediately, and the work should be completed in time for the season opener of the 2010 football season (which has been rumored to be Penn State). In other words, by the time Julio Jones is a junior, the bowl will be enclosed and Bryant-Denny will hold over 100,000 people. Considering that it was barely ten years ago that Bryant-Denny held only approximately 70,000 people, you really have to give credit to the University for the staggering rate at which they have improved the football program's facilities.
Finally, it should be noted that a couple of weeks ago, athletics director Mal Moore did not rule out further additions to the stadium. I would not imagine we will be adding any more upper decks, but I imagine it's only a matter of time before we dig down and move the field down lower, filling up the bottom sides of the stadium with even more seating. Either way, though, it's great to see Bryant-Denny is only getting bigger and bigger.
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yeah my check went out last week
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."
i have heard a couple of rumors for the 2010 opener. I have also seen mention of Southern Cal. WHich is more likely?
Definitely...
It’s definitely Penn State.
And actually, Kirk McNair was talking a week or so back how, when he was roaming around the athletic department, he happened to notice some signs that we had just printed up that were basically billing the opening of the new end zone, 2010, and playing Penn State.
There is nothing official yet, but I think it will happen.
by outsidethesidelines on Feb 6, 2009 3:43 PM CST up reply actions
it is definitely penn state.
i heard it from straight from the mouth of one of your biggest boosters.
Mal Moore
most influential AD since Bryant? Maybe even more? He has:
Overseen the vast expansion of the athletic failities
Steered us through the NCAA probation underworld
Snagged one of the best coaches in America despite everyone and their grandmother giving the Tide basically zero chance to do so (remember all of those “Worst job in College Football” articles?)
Scheduled big named opponents
What else?
Give credit where it’s due. Mal Moore deserves serious props for his tenure here.
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." - Bear Bryant
He's also...
…at least talking about bringing in a championship-caliber HC for Bama basketball. That’d be nice.
by NiceLittleSaturday on Feb 6, 2009 3:53 PM CST up reply actions
dotn forget the "other" sports
like tennis, cross country, softball, baseball, swimming, and of course our gymnastics, that have all competed in the high tier of the NCAA the past few years
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."
Hey guys
Lets everyone pool our money and get an official RBR Box. I think I have a couple of thousand to spare. Anybody else? Think they take checks :)
Auburn fans are like slinkys... not really good for anything but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
They take those...
…at the East Alabama Male College (For Kids Who Can’t Read Good).
by NiceLittleSaturday on Feb 6, 2009 4:28 PM CST up reply actions
I'm glad you see there's more to life
than being really, really, really good looking.
by Nick's Hat Band on Feb 6, 2009 7:48 PM CST up reply actions
Students
Any chance any of those new seats go to the students?
I think...
The plan was (at least about three years back when I was still at Alabama) to eventually move the student section to the northwest corner of the stadium, where it is now in the southeast corner.
The students being in the southeast corner made sense when we used the East sideline and came out of the South end zone, but with us coming out of the North end zone now and using the West sideline, it doesn’t make any sense. I imagine that’s what you will see, and yes they will probably expand the seating capacity slightly.
by outsidethesidelines on Feb 6, 2009 4:36 PM CST up reply actions
RollTide.com...
…has its top football stories today involving the approved stadium expansion, National Signing Day, Derrick Thomas making the NFL Hall of Fame, and the 9 participants in the Super Bowl who played/coached at UA.
Life is beautiful.
by NiceLittleSaturday on Feb 6, 2009 4:34 PM CST reply actions
Mal Moore
said that with the new expansion he is going to increase the number of seats for students. Hopefully we get the rest of the endzone. I got a better idea. Get rid of the greek section. Half the time they are not showing up
Well...
…it is quite a flight from Greece, you know.
by NiceLittleSaturday on Feb 6, 2009 4:39 PM CST up reply actions
I don't know if it's feasible to dig down and add more seats
The seating in the lower bowl goes back very gradually, i.e. it’s not very steep. I wonder if it would affect the sight lines from the top of the lower bowl.
Also, we’re adding field level suites in the south end zone and redoing the visitors locker room so it might affect that although it’s hard to say since the end zone seats are right up against the field.
In the press conference,
Mal said that it would be a possibility to build another deck if needed after the South endzone is completed.
an $80.6 expansion!!!!
i think we need to invest in at least two or another copy editor, whichever is more applicable.
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