So the idea is that Folsom only holds 58k because people can't get up to Boulder easy enough to fill 75k?
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Facilities Plans...
- Thread starter BlackNGold
- Start date
First of all, it only holds 50k now.
And I do believe that one of the big struggles has been accessibility of getting to Boulder on a Saturday from Denver. Another thing that will help a lot will be if they ever complete the 470 by connecting Broomfield to Golden, especially if coupled with the light rail for the NW corridor.
Well, tenchically it only holds about 53,000, but I think the point Nick was trying to make is that there's a logistical limit to how many people can realistically go to a game in Boulder right now. Traffic, parking and mass transit issues cap that number at about 65,000. Try to put any more seats in the stadium, and it would create some real logistical issues if it were to sell out. However, if there was a disruptive change to how people get to Boulder, then the top end capacity could be increased.
How fast are those damn trains?
Might help a little, but there are thousands of rooms just outside Boulder in Louisville, Broomfield and Longmont right now. It will be interesting to see if increased Boulder City capacity will provide a corresponding increase in attendance. I suspect it will be minor if any.
I get what you guys are getting at, but I just don't see either of those being big attendance drivers. Just keep winning and scheduling marquee OOC games and attendance will take care of itself, including the idea of adding more seats.
Demand has to equal supply, for sure. That hasn't been the case for several years.
If we ever get to the point where we are regularly selling out a 65k stadium and have a waiting list for season tickets, I hope some of the logistical details will have been worked out by then so we can legitimately look at additional expansion. It would be very cool to out draw the Denver Broncos. I don't know if it's even possible, but a guy can dream.
If we ever get to the point where we are regularly selling out a 65k stadium and have a waiting list for season tickets, I hope some of the logistical details will have been worked out by then so we can legitimately look at additional expansion. It would be very cool to out draw the Denver Broncos. I don't know if it's even possible, but a guy can dream.
It's not one or the other, though. They've added parking on campus with the IPF garage. I suspect we'll see even more when they tackle the re-do of all that CU land north of Boulder Creek. St. Julien's was an important addition for Boulder hotel capacity (plus Hyatt Place) and we've got like 5 more coming. Hwy 36 has been expanded. There's a lot of progress toward making Boulder a small city that can handle a lot more visitors with a lot more coming and the potential for some crazy things like a bullet train or hyperloop.
Without all that there's a limit to a football game weekend in terms of how many people can come in and have a great experience, no matter how good the team is. It's a big part of why CU never sold out a season during McCartney's run. (Also why things like stadium amenities, scoreboards, audio systems and wi-fi access are important.)
But all that stuff's also not going to fill a stadium. The on-field performance is the primary driver for that.
I thought I remembered hearing RG say it isn't about adding more seats in the market today as much as finding ways to monetize each seat more fully. I.E. the seats with bars and stools near the end zone etc. they're competing with my comfy ass couch and giant tv and cheap beer. To do that they have to create an incredibly rich experience. Adding seats come way after that.
Am I not remembering that position correctly or was it BS that I should have seen through?
Am I not remembering that position correctly or was it BS that I should have seen through?
He's right. But there's also a range to that. What if Folsom was 30k seats. Clearly too small. I also think 50k is too small and limits the upside. RG's priority has got to be maximizing the current footprint before looking at the west side. It's the correct focus. But if things are done properly, by the time the west is ready to be financed RG will hopefully see season ticket and sold out attendance figures that justify increasing capacity to over 60k -- more premium seating on the west but capacity increase from more of the cheap seats that Folsom lacks.
I think the pain in the ass Boulder is to get on and out of is definitely something that hurts the fan experience for the non die hands. I get up there 4-5 hours early to drink and tailgate so I don't have to deal with it and this year was awesome because we didn't lose at home so there were always some celebrating going on after but these games are definitely not built for convenience for those random fans that want to go see a game for the first time.
I've never found it to be that hard. No worse than, say, getting out of Red Rocks after a concert. We went to the rodeo at the coliseum this year and it was a much bigger pain in the ass than a CU game.
Coming from the north is a breeze. I usually work Sat mornings on game day. I leave Longmont exactly one hour before kickoff. Diagonal to Iris to Broadway to arapaho, park at boulder high and hike up the hill in my seat before kickoff. Just as easy leaving and getting home.
From the mousetrap in denver i25 north to hwy 52 west to diagonal and then join the route in the paragraph above will get you to boulder high in 1 hour with a lot less stress. Sometimes longer is quicker.
From the mousetrap in denver i25 north to hwy 52 west to diagonal and then join the route in the paragraph above will get you to boulder high in 1 hour with a lot less stress. Sometimes longer is quicker.
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We always tailgate by wolf law so there is only one way out and it is always awful getting out. The basketball traffic on weekdays is notoriously awful as well.
The Drive for 105M is currently sitting at 101M. RG wants to hit 115M
Folsom sound system is a priority project, but is going to cost a couple mil.
Balch Fieldhouse needs upgraded
Naming rights in the works for the stadium (not the field), the champions center, and the CEC.
Balch being upgraded instead of torn down and replaced is interesting.
The extent of the "Upgrades" is unknown at this point. Keeping the same foundation/footprint and maybe facades but gutting the rest could be seen as an "Upgrade"
Hopefully they make it a more usable and profitable space. I don't know what the best use of that space would be, but there has to be plenty of smart people who can come up with something.
I think that's got to be looked at as an interim thing. What can be done within the budget that's increases the usage and profitability of the Balch space? How can it be something that's not embarrassing?
For a temporary fix, maybe they need to gut it completely, renovate it so it's at least presentable, put in "permanent" concessions and souvenir shops, make the TV viewing better (like actually broadcast the TV feed of the game, not the ****ty stadium feed) and keep it a beer garden.
CB17Cubed
Well-Known Member
Would love to see something like this for Balch. Don't think they should ever replace the facade of it. As far as other things, sound system needs to be replaced, and I would like to curve the NW corner into the Dal War and have a tunnel there. In regards to stadium size, I don't think we ever need a stadium more 60k.