I think things are pretty set in place and they're going to solicit ideas on things like concessions or other game day things. It's a good marketing ploy to have the fan base feel like they're involved in structural things, but I just can't see them actually taking fans opinions on major changes like sinking the field etc ( though I'm a big fan of that idea!)


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I'm going to show up at the Richmond meeting, just to hear what is known so far. Hopefully, they have some basics they can share, anyway.

The document that surfaced early last year seemed like an RFP, and they seem to be on schedule. So hopefully things are well on the way. Maybe I'm a bit too optimistic.


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Today's the Richmond meeting, and tomorrow the one in Williamsburg. Will be interesting to see what comes out this afternoon, though I can't make it so hopefully someone on here will share some insight.

I plan to attend the meeting at W&M Hall on Thursday evening and will post my impressions here.

Better concessions, upgrading the bathrooms, new seats (more roomy and possibly more with backs), and better audio were discussed in length at the Richmond meeting and seem to be the priority of the initial upgrade.


Capacity (more or less).. Not sure


No plan to move the track and lower the field for better site lines at this time.

Sounds like fan experience stuff, which makes sense. Hopefully those changes are made along with whatever structural changes come along. Sessions like this are good to get the fan base involved, but the structural decisions are made by experts and based off of available financial resources.

On lowering the track, I'm a big fan of that idea as it's a great way to increase the experience and atmosphere while not having to do much expansion of the stadium footprint. That being said, I realize it's probably unrealistic given the cost and logistics of moving the track somewhere else.

No big deal to move the track to Dillard (next to ball field-plenty of room).

It requires a decision to change-need I say more!

(07-17-2014 08:13 AM)wanm65 Wrote:  No big deal to move the track to Dillard (next to ball field-plenty of room).

It requires a decision to change-need I say more!

Where exactly next to Dillard is there plenty of room?

We have:

- Baseball Field
- Soccer/Lacross Field
- Soccer Practice Field (that we use the edges for for expanded parking)
- Parking
- Dillard itself

Unless I'm missing something, there's not a wide expanse to fit an entire track - which would need the same amount of space you need for, oh, a football field.

Not trying to be too snarky, but I get frustrated when people just throw stuff out there.

Now, there may be space somewhere. I'm all for the track being moved, but I have no idea where you would put it at the Dillard complex.

To me, the best place to put it would be to wrap it around the field hockey pitch so you have the stands there for those who choose to attend events. that also has it in the vicinity of the throwing area. Not sure how field hockey pitches work, if a regulation pitch fits inside a standard track. That would also wipe out a good chunk of what used to be (may still be) Busch grass field used for many IM sports. Ultimately, this is all academic since I don't think moving the track is on anyone's radar screen.

(07-17-2014 08:40 AM)hktribefan Wrote:  To me, the best place to put it would be to wrap it around the field hockey pitch so you have the stands there for those who choose to attend events. that also has it in the vicinity of the throwing area. Not sure how field hockey pitches work, if a regulation pitch fits inside a standard track. That would also wipe out a good chunk of what used to be (may still be) Busch grass field used for many IM sports. Ultimately, this is all academic since I don't think moving the track is on anyone's radar screen.

Putting it around Busch is the best option and relatively easy. Unfortunately, they recently replaced the turf there.

I believe this would alter the shape of the track, however, since Soccer/Field hockey fields are much wider than American Football fields, which I think is the way they look in Europe. Not sure how that would play with NCAA.

Soccer fields don't have standard dimensions, and some are wider than others. Olympic stadiums usually have soccer fields inside a track, and those fields are used for soccer throughout the games. This is the same at stadiums around the world that are dual use. Though I don't know if field hockey has standardized dimensions that would prohibit being put inside a track.

The current track cost over a million dollars...have no idea whether it can be moved to begin with and, if so, the costs involved with that. Does it roll up? Would it have to be removed with pickaxes? Is it impossible to move?

It really doesn't matter...they are not going to move it.

Here is the report on the meeting at W&M Hall re Zable Stadium upgrades.

Timeline: Tribe will play football in the present stadium for the next two seasons. At the end of the 2015 season, construction will begin on the stadium improvements. The plan/hope is the "new" stadium will be ready for the 2016 football season. There are no firm plans yet but the specs are out for bid by architectural firms to respond with a proposal/plans for the improvements.

The major changes will affect only the West side of the stadium, but there will be some minor changes to the East side.

Capacity: There will be no change in seating capacity; there may be a few more, or a few less seats depending upon the architectural proposals.

Bathrooms: There will be a lot more bathrooms, mostly on the West side but a few on the East side [maybe]. #of bathrooms is dictated by FEDERAL REGULATIONS.

Railings: Rails on the stadium steps will be installed on both sides of the stadium - this met with a round of applause from the group asembled at W&M Hall [average age - 75].

Press Box: There will be a fancy new Press Box and "Luxury Suitues" on the upperlevel of the West side, to be serviced by two elevators as well as stairs.

Temproary end zone seating: It is planned that these will continue as is; except that the Presidents Box will be moved over to one of the Luxury Boxes on the West Side.

The running track is going to stay where it is and no consideration is being given to "lowering the field" to improve sight lines. However, the congestion caused by the current "player entrance" onto the field is being given consideration???

The eventual seating capacity is up in the air because GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS require more seating space per person than is curently allocated in the stadium.

That's all I can remember for now, if anybody has any other questions, reply to this post and I'll try to answer.

Forgive me if this has already been answered. Does this mean the West stands are going to be torn down & rebuilt new a la JMU or is it simply a situation where you add on to the current skeleton without demolishing it?

(07-17-2014 10:03 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  Forgive me if this has already been answered. Does this mean the West stands are going to be torn down & rebuilt new a la JMU or is it simply a situation where you add on to the current skeleton without demolishing it?

I think it depends on the bids from the architectural firms, from the sound of the meeting. I think everything is on the table assuming that it can be completed on time and within the budget.

(07-17-2014 09:59 PM)62Indian Wrote:  Here is the report on the meeting at W&M Hall re Zable Stadium upgrades.

Timeline: Tribe will play football in the present stadium for the next two seasons. At the end of the 2015 season, construction will begin on the stadium improvements. The plan/hope is the "new" stadium will be ready for the 2016 football season. There are no firm plans yet but the specs are out for bid by architectural firms to respond with a proposal/plans for the improvements.

The major changes will affect only the West side of the stadium, but there will be some minor changes to the East side.

Capacity: There will be no change in seating capacity; there may be a few more, or a few less seats depending upon the architectural proposals.

Bathrooms: There will be a lot more bathrooms, mostly on the West side but a few on the East side [maybe]. #of bathrooms is dictated by FEDERAL REGULATIONS.

Railings: Rails on the stadium steps will be installed on both sides of the stadium - this met with a round of applause from the group asembled at W&M Hall [average age - 75].

Press Box: There will be a fancy new Press Box and "Luxury Suitues" on the upperlevel of the West side, to be serviced by two elevators as well as stairs.

Temproary end zone seating: It is planned that these will continue as is; except that the Presidents Box will be moved over to one of the Luxury Boxes on the West Side.

The running track is going to stay where it is and no consideration is being given to "lowering the field" to improve sight lines. However, the congestion caused by the current "player entrance" onto the field is being given consideration???

The eventual seating capacity is up in the air because GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS require more seating space per person than is curently allocated in the stadium.

That's all I can remember for now, if anybody has any other questions, reply to this post and I'll try to answer.

Regarding capacity then - given the acknowledgement of the new suites on west side and maintaining the end zones - the upper level of new seats above the suites that were on the original drawings must not be in the final plans. That was another 3,000 seats.

No decision has been made on retaining the end zone seating. It's important that people communicate their desire for end zone seating to be retained. It was shared that someone wanted end zone seating gone so they could view the full architecture of Zable without seating in the way. If end zone seats are gone the atmosphere at Zable will be awful. If you haven't expressed your opinion on this email both Bobby Dwyer and Terry Driscoll. rtdwye@wm.edu and Terry through Jamie Labianco at jllabi@wm.edu.

Terry Driscoll indicated early in the meeting that the bleachers might be eliminated or reduced in size.

The vast number of those present strongly felt the bleachers should remain---folks agreed they added to the atmosphere in Zable and were filled during sellouts.

Driscoll asked for a show of hands and about 60% supported this...my impression is that
this will be revisited and the bleachers--in some form--will remain.

If the bleachers remain we may see capacity rise slightly from 12,250 to perhaps 14-15,000.

Several folks rightly pointed out the strong growth of not just Williamsburg but James City and
York Counties, as well as the scheduled rise to over 7,000 in W&M's undergraduate student population (plus close to 3,000 graduate students) and W&M's Alumni base approaching
100,000 in the next five years.

Why not add additional seats, several pointed out, to anticipate this growth. No, we won't sell out every game, but an extra two thousand seats when we do sell out produces more revenue.

A major fund-raising effort will be made to substantially add to Walt Zable's bequest and,
Driscoll indicated that yet-unannounced major $$$ sums for the project have already been secured.

Others pointed out the need for much stronger marketing of Tribe football throughout the entire geographical marketplace (something that is all but non-existant right now!), upgraded
food in the revamped stadium, and stronger offerings of Tribe items for sale in the stadium.

Whether the latter paragraph will actually occur is, in my opinion, doubtful.

I read in one of those .pdfs that circulated that with a second deck those seats would cancel out the bleachers. So when they say seating would stay the same they are right. Though as many point out, the bleachers give a great atmosphere and should be kept. Bleachers and the second deck out capacity around 15k, not a stretch to fill that with a growing alumni base and some marketing.


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