Ball Moving On FAU 'Carrier Dome-esque' Stadium

MeanGreen61 · October 12, 2005

From the Sun Belt Delphi board.

Ball moving on FAU ‘Carrier Dome-esque’ stadium

Review committee holds first meeting; bidders to present proposals on Oct. 31

Published Tuesday, October 11, 2005 1:00 am

by By Dale M. King

The play clock has started on the review process for a domed stadium on the Boca Raton campus of Florida Atlantic University.

A committee headed by Athletic Director Craig Angelos held an organization meeting Monday.

And after wrapping up some questions and technical matters, the panel decided to hear presentations Oct. 31 in the university’s Board of Trustees room from the three companies interested in developing the stadium and other campus amenities.

The Carrier Dome at Syracuse University still seems to be the model for the new home of FAU’s Owls football team – and possibly the basketball team as well.

Angelos said Oct. 31 has special significance. On Oct. 31, 2003, a contingent of officials from FAU and Boca Raton visited the upstate New York school to tour the Carrier Dome that was built in 1979.

“It might be poetic because it is the anniversary of our trip to the Carrier Dome,” said FAU finance chief Ken Jessell.

Though FAU President Frank Brogan did not attend Monday’s meeting, he previously said that the three bids for the stadium job are “Carrier Dome-esque.”

Angelos said the university has been kicking around the idea of a sports stadium since the school’s football team was organized in 1999.

He said the school has toyed with arenas of various sizes and configuration. But the Syracuse University gridiron seems to be the odds-on favorite.

The Carrier Dome, Angelos said, “is a very plain, domed stadium without many frills.” He said it is “something that may be viable here.”

Officials met with the companies that designed and built the Carrier Dome “and asked them how much it would cost to build it in Boca.” They came up with a figure of $106 million, Angelos said.

When it came time to determine how to pay for it, the school came up with the idea of a public-private partnership.

FAU advertised for bids on July 1, giving potential developers 60 days to come up with a plan.

Of 43 possible applicants, three submitted bids. All include a 40,000-seat domed stadium to be built somewhere on campus. But Global Development Partner offered up an ambitious plan for an “Athletic Innovation Village” consisting of the stadium, a $130 million cancer research center, two hotels, housing for some 2,500 students, a conference center, office space and parking garages.

The firm’s package also includes a museum that would be dedicated to the Army Airfield that was located on the property during World War II.

The bid from Innovative Development Partners of Tampa suggests a $117 million stadium with a “tension-supported fabric roofed dome.” The firm would also build 694 housing units with 1,486 beds for students at a cost of $53 million. On its rendering are sites for a future parking garage and future conference center.

KUD International LLC of New York says in its bid it will work with FAU and the city of Boca Raton to determine what types of commercial business can use the site.

Cost estimates for the three proposals range from $190 million to about $250 million, said Brogan.

The review committee will meet Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. to prepare for the presentations that will be held the following Monday starting at 8:30 a.m. Each firm will be given an hour to explain their proposal and up to 45 minutes for questions. The panel hopes to complete all presentations in one day.

The committee’s goal is to make a recommendation to Brogan who will then present it to the Board of Trustees.

SilverEagle · October 12, 2005

Public private partnership? How does (or could) that potentially work with public Universities in Texas?

NM Green · October 12, 2005

You know it is articles like these that give me hope about our league. Just look at FAU and Troy. The potential and energy these 2 programs bring to the SBC give me even more optimism about the future. Right now the SBC is the "dog" league in college football; however, it burns me to hear the negativity when our sister programs are not sitting on their duffs waiting for CUSA to come calling. I am one SBC fan who appreciates that they are not sitting around, and neither is North Texas. Our attendance to date is a prime example of how we are building all the pieces separately and eventually are going to string them together to make that long awaited splash. Can you imagine our facilities, conference titles, NFL drafted players and OCC wins occurring all at once! That could be the Marshall or Fresno State type splash we are looking for. We can't undo the losses but we can move forward.

I look at the WAC which has teams from all over the West spattered across the bottom ten. Idaho still doesn't have a plan for a new stadium. NMSU's honeymoon is already just about over. Hawaii's new stellar DEFENSE with Glanville at the helm has given up about 150 points in just a few games. The power that is Boise almost got beat by the power that is Portland State. Folks at this rate the SBC is not that far behind the WAC.

As a league if we keep building towards the future we will be just fine right here. Our league is tougher than it was even one year ago, and if we send the right team to the Bowl we just might get good national pub. Grow a 2nd bowl and watch the magic occur.

Its hard work and we are in a dog fight this season. However through each challenge comes growth. We will emerge stronger and better from this early season gloom.

Okay I'll put my pom poms down now. Keep the Mean Green spirit burning.

GMG

GreenEddieNT · October 12, 2005

You know it is articles like these that give me hope about our league. Just look at FAU and Troy. The potential and energy these 2 programs bring to the SBC give me even more optimism about the future. Right now the SBC is the "dog" league in college football; however, it burns me to hear the negativity when our sister programs are not sitting on their duffs waiting for CUSA to come calling. I am one SBC fan who appreciates that they are not sitting around, and neither is North Texas. Our attendance to date is a prime example of how we are building all the pieces separately and eventually are going to string them together to make that long awaited splash. Can you imagine our facilities, conference titles, NFL drafted players and OCC wins occurring all at once! That could be the Marshall or Fresno State type splash we are looking for. We can't undo the losses but we can move forward.
I look at the WAC which has teams from all over the West spattered across the bottom ten. Idaho still doesn't have a plan for a new stadium. NMSU's honeymoon is already just about over. Hawaii's new stellar DEFENSE with Glanville at the helm has given up about 150 points in just a few games. The power that is Boise almost got beat by the power that is Portland State. Folks at this rate the SBC is not that far behind the WAC.
As a league if we keep building towards the future we will be just fine right here. Our league is tougher than it was even one year ago, and if we send the right team to the Bowl we just might get good national pub. Grow a 2nd bowl and watch the magic occur.
Its hard work and we are in a dog fight this season. However through each challenge comes growth. We will emerge stronger and better from this early season gloom.
Okay I'll put my pom poms down now. Keep the Mean Green spirit burning.
GMG
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The only reason FAU is doing this is because they want into CUSA or the Big East(well at least coach Howie thinks they've got a shot). They have even less faith in the SBC than we do.