The Star-Ledger reported Thursday that rising costs for materials like steel, concrete, and fuel will force Rutgers University to scale back on its $102 million expansion plans for Rutgers Stadium.
The addition of 1,000 new mezzanine seats has already started and is still slated to be completed in time for the Scarlet Knights' home opener against Fresno State on Sept. 1.
The problem for Rutgers officials is the addition of 13,000 new seats, a recruiting lounge, game-day locker rooms, a new media room, and a new entrance for fans in the south end zone.
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Completion for the expansion was set for the start of the 2009 season. With the rising costs of materials, Rutgers is now looking at options to possibly scale back with the expansion because the overall price was underestimated.
The expansion of Rutgers Stadium has been met with harsh criticism from many residents in New Jersey because of the budget crisis in the state.
Rutgers plans to borrow $72 million in bonds that will be repaid through stadium revenue. The other $30 million must come from private donations.
Rutgers athletics director Robert Mulcahy said in the article that the university is examining the new estimates and is looking at other options with the construction.
Mulcahy also acknowledged reports that there may be a few things unfinished with the mezzanine seating by the first game, but he still said "the seats will be ready" in time for Fresno State.
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about 1 month ago
Here's a fund raising option. Play Notre Dame (in a stadium that already has enough seats).
from about 1 month ago
That's not an option. Playing one game in Giants Stadium will not make you enough money to fund a stadium expansion.
Another thing is Rutgers is the only real team with guts to tell the Irish to back off. ND is not a great program anymore. They should not decide where they play their "road games". The Irish don't want to come to Rutgers because last time they almost got beat by an awful RU squad.
ND fans need to come back down to life and realize that in the time ND has lost all these bowl games in the past years while the past doormat of CFB, Rutgers, has won two (more than the Irish in that time).
So heres some advice ND... stop parading around other teams telling them where they can play you if its not in South Bend, and realize you are no longer a top CFB program.
By the way anyone realize Rutgers beat NAVY at home when Notre Dame LOST!!!
Touch that "Play Like A Champion" sign all ya want, you need more than a little leprechaun to tell Rutgers where to play.
from about 1 month ago
Really? Let's examine what you've said.
First, the option was for not 1 but 3 games in Giants Stadium which wouldn't by itself fund stadium renovations, but would more than likely cover the inflationary discrepancy in the estimate.
Second, your "real team with guts" (and only one good season ever) turned down the Irish because most of New Jersey's top high school prospects have been heading to ND already.
Third, is beating Navy really a feather in your cap? Try doing it 43 times in a row. We can continue this discussion if Rutgers ever gets to five.
from about 1 month ago
From every article I have seen about this series, the offer was 3 games at ND, 1 at RU, and 1 and Giants Stadium. If you have the article that says 3 games at GS I would love to see that.
Second RU's, "one good season ever"? I hope you're kidding. If you do not know anything about another schools history (which you obviously don't cause you are only going soley on the late 90's for RU football) then don't say anything at all.
Of course though ND has the great history right? Listen all ND fans can go ride there horsemen to another bowl berth in which ND can lose another bowl game since they like doing that so much. But don't worry last year was the first year in a while the Irish lost the Commander and Chief Trophy. I'm sure you will get it back once you beat NAVY "away" at the Ravens Stadium.
about 1 month ago
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3366349
Maybe you're right and ESPN is wrong, I wouldn't be surprised. You still haven't said anything to convince me why the series wouldn't have made financial sense for Rutgers; just a bunch of cliche "for the next month and a half I can still claim my team's better than ND...blah, blah, blah."
about 1 month ago
The issue with the finances with games at GS is it is not possible for the money made from those games to go directly to the expansion...
This isn't possible because as everyone knows almost every school loses money on its football program. This is due to paying coaches, paying for team hotels, dinners, flights, buses, recruiting, practices, bowl trips, and many other things that go into running a program. The money goes to these things first, then something like the expansion if any money is remaining.
Take Ok State for example. They are getting private funding from a donor and the money has nothing to do with ticket sales. Same with Virginia Tech a few years ago with their expansion.
The problem from the beginning has been the NJ government not backing RU and no backup in provate donations. When the Stadium expansion is complete within 4-5 years Rutgers will begin to make revenue off its football team by expanding to 56,000 seats. If Rutgers wanted to wait to make money off the ND series by only giving ticket revenues to the expansion plan, then as you were saying they would have to wait at least 3-4 more seasons.
Since the expansion has already started and the bonds were given out to RU there is no need to play in Giants Stadium. Rutgers would rather play on campus and make it's revenue from 56,000 people without having to travel 40 minutes away from home.
Believe me I would love to see RU play ND again. But not in Giants Stadium. It's extremely similar to why RU doesn't play Penn State anymore. With Rutgers being a solidified program today, which they truly are, there is no reason to leave its campus. PSU or ND would never listen to anyone else where they play their home games.
about 1 month ago
Cool, Adam. When I read your article, my knee-jerk reaction was to point out the turned down ND series, but you've made some good points. Being a Seattle resident, I just had to watch the Sonics leave under similar circumstances.
I don't entirely like ND's neutral site plans, because they ask for their opponents to play at ND. I think a more respectable approach would be a one time only midseason bowl if you will. I know they've made similar plans with Washington State and Arizona State, but because Rutgers is in the Big East, the powers that be wanted something more like a series.
from about 1 month ago
I completely understand. I think we both agree it would be a fun series to enjoy. I like what they have done with ASU but I think looking at the overall picture now wasn't the time for Rutgers to accept the ND series.
I think what could be best is if Rutgers continues to be successful and go to bowls and sells out the stadium with 56,000 people every weekend then I think ND would come to Rutgers and i think it would be huge for RU/ND/CFB in general and of course TV rating would be through the roof.
I think in general if Rutgers continues to sell out at home once they get to 56,000 people there will be a lot more big name teams coming to play at Rutgers.
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