MASSIVE NEWS, MEADE RENOVATION COMING

[RhowdyRam02]

This news deserves it's own thread. In the 2023 capital budget thread I said there might be a potential bombshell coming in the 2024 capital budget, and it is here.

"Athletics Complex Renewal
The Governor recommends $54.1 million in FY 2024 - FY 2026 to renovate the Meade Stadium East Grandstands and the Slade Outdoor Track and Field. The financing includes $43.3 million from the RI Capital Plan Fund and $10.8 million from university funds."

I heard a rumor the last football game of the season to this effect, but it's such big news I wanted to make sure before I posted anything. Because we are funding the project this way, it will NOT be going before voters! A massive day for URI!

Assuming this passes, you'd have to imagine demolition of the East stands could begin immediately after our last regular season home game on November 11th. Obviously there will be a lot more news coming down the pipe about construction and potential displacement of the team/games, but could we have a mostly new Meade Stadium in time for the 2026 season?

Also big news that after being unusable for 20+ years we will finally have an outdoor track

[RF1]

If it doesn't have go to a voter referendum, it actually might have a chance of happening. Seems like they are going to fund it more akin to these other projects: RI Convention Center, McCoy Stadium expansion, partial payment for the Ryan Center, and purchase & renovation of the former Providence Civic Center. All their funding was approved by the RI General Assembly without having to go before a vote of the general public.

[ATPTourFan]

Awesome news!!

[RIFan]

Fingers crossed!

[Brian Forster]

heard this at the Elon game also.
Anyone got a direct link to official release?

[Rhodysk]

This is how the civic center and their renovations were done without a public vote. So it will happen!!! Get the shovels ready!!

[Bartoburger]

This is great! Getting ready for the FBS push in the next 10 years! Hopefully the new capacity will be bigger than 8k.

[Rhody72]

Clearly, both facilities are in need of a major upgrade. Not sure how this will make our football program more successful.

[ATPTourFan]

[Jdrums#3]

Sounds like a great job by our new President, Thorr and state government in support of the states flagship university. Awesome news!

[RIFan]

I hope it seats 10k and has a modern scoreboard.

[ATPTourFan]

I hope it seats 10k and has a modern scoreboard.

I would think modern digital signage is a minimum requirement. A modern facility with seat back chairs usually decreases capacity vs bench seating.

[rambone 78]

I hope it seats 10k and has a modern scoreboard.

I hope that too...will bring our facilities where they should be to help us compete on a more level playing field in the CAA. With a larger capacity it will then require more parking....the domino effect.

ATP, I would guess the new stands will have to be either longer or add end zone seating to make up for the extra space needed for chair back seating.

[RF1]

I highly doubt the majority of seating in a renovated stadium would be chair back. This type of seating is typically restricted to just lower level mid field sections for the fatcats and that will probably be the case at URI. A previous thread had proposed renderings which support this.

viewtopic.php?t=9151

[RhowdyRam02]

This is how the civic center and their renovations were done without a public vote. So it will happen!!! Get the shovels ready!!

It has to make it through the legislative budget process, but this is a great first step

[adam914]

Definitely exciting to see this, long overdue. Has there been any indication yet that it might include additional things like scoreboard or other improvements? I noticed it only says "Meade Stadium East Grandstands" in the part quoted above.

[Brian Forster]

"Clearly, both facilities are in need of a major upgrade. Not sure how this will make our football program more successful."

OMG.

[PeteRI]

Can any of our football players shoot, pass, rebound and defend? Asking for a friend ...

[RhowdyRam02]

heard this at the Elon game also.
Anyone got a direct link to official release?

https://omb.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur ... Budget.pdf

Page 75 of the PDF, page 65 of the document. $18.75 million in funding in fiscal year 24, the same in fiscal year 25, and $16.6 million in fiscal year 26

[RhowdyRam02]

Definitely exciting to see this, long overdue. Has there been any indication yet that it might include additional things like scoreboard or other improvements? I noticed it only says "Meade Stadium East Grandstands" in the part quoted above.

No indication yet, but Meade improvements and the Slade outdoor track project is a combined $54.1 million. How much can an outdoor track facility redo cost? Lets say $6.1 million, which seems high. That still leaves $48 million for improving Meade. Have to think a scoreboard and other amenities can be fit in with that amount even with rising costs

[RF1]

heard this at the Elon game also.
Anyone got a direct link to official release?

https://omb.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur ... Budget.pdf

Page 75 of the PDF, page 65 of the document. $18.75 million in funding in fiscal year 24, the same in fiscal year 25, and $16.6 million in fiscal year 26

For those too lazy to look it up:

[Billyboy78]

Can any of our football players shoot, pass, rebound and defend? Asking for a friend ...

[Blue Man]

Phenomenal.

I was hoping McKee's appearances at many URI games, Archie's presser, and his general "appearance" of support for URI was going to translate into something.

This would be the first Governor to actually support URI in any meaningful way since Linc. Awesome.

[adam914]

Definitely exciting to see this, long overdue. Has there been any indication yet that it might include additional things like scoreboard or other improvements? I noticed it only says "Meade Stadium East Grandstands" in the part quoted above.

No indication yet, but Meade improvements and the Slade outdoor track project is a combined $54.1 million. How much can an outdoor track facility redo cost? Lets say $6.1 million, which seems high. That still leaves $48 million for improving Meade. Have to think a scoreboard and other amenities can be fit in with that amount even with rising costs

Yeah that makes sense, I was thinking the same thing. $48 million sounded like a lot for just the stands! So hoping there is more to come. Exciting times!

[adam914]

Phenomenal.

I was hoping McKee's appearances at many URI games, Archie's presser, and his general "appearance" of support for URI was going to translate into something.

This would be the first Governor to actually support URI in any meaningful way since Linc. Awesome.

Between that and Parlange, things really are looking up around here in terms of commitment levels from everyone involved.

[Blue Man]

Definitely exciting to see this, long overdue. Has there been any indication yet that it might include additional things like scoreboard or other improvements? I noticed it only says "Meade Stadium East Grandstands" in the part quoted above.

No indication yet, but Meade improvements and the Slade outdoor track project is a combined $54.1 million. How much can an outdoor track facility redo cost? Lets say $6.1 million, which seems high. That still leaves $48 million for improving Meade. Have to think a scoreboard and other amenities can be fit in with that amount even with rising costs

Yeah that makes sense, I was thinking the same thing. $48 million sounded like a lot for just the stands! So hoping there is more to come. Exciting times!

I could be totally wrong but I thought the drawings that we saw for the new east stands were in the $10-20M range. I'm assuming there's much more planned - video boards, maybe a horseshoe type design.

Either way, this is awesome.

[Blue Man]

Phenomenal.

I was hoping McKee's appearances at many URI games, Archie's presser, and his general "appearance" of support for URI was going to translate into something.

This would be the first Governor to actually support URI in any meaningful way since Linc. Awesome.

Between that and Parlange, things really are looking up around here in terms of commitment levels from everyone involved.

I think the 2nd one has a lot to do with it. Parlange from the jump has been a believer in the power of athletics to be a window for URI to the outside world.

It pisses me off that Carothers and Dooley had the same ability but just wanted to be seen at events and not actually contribute anything meaningful.

Marc Parlange is already the best president that URI has had for athletics in it's history. The fact that the Carothers banner still hangs is an embarrassment.

[Bartoburger]

UNH's renovation of their football stadium was $24 million back in 2015-2016. I know they added lights, new turf, and fixed stands on the other side of the field. So maybe this money will go towards more than just the track and east side stands. I am hoping this renovation makes it so Meade Stadium will hold URI's entire student body for events. That would mean a much bigger capacity.

[RhowdyRam02]

Phenomenal.

I was hoping McKee's appearances at many URI games, Archie's presser, and his general "appearance" of support for URI was going to translate into something.

This would be the first Governor to actually support URI in any meaningful way since Linc. Awesome.

Between that and Parlange, things really are looking up around here in terms of commitment levels from everyone involved.

I think the 2nd one has a lot to do with it. Parlange from the jump has been a believer in the power of athletics to be a window for URI to the outside world.

It pisses me off that Carothers and Dooley had the same ability but just wanted to be seen at events and not actually contribute anything meaningful.

Marc Parlange is already the best president that URI has had for athletics in it's history. The fact that the Carothers banner still hangs is an embarrassment.

I need to stick up for Dooley here. He allowed Thorr to come up with an innovative contract offer to keep Dan here before we went to the tournament. His leadership showed what a successful basketball program in the modern era could look like for us, and that made it easier for Thorr to sell President Parlange on what a successful athletic department as a whole could do for the whole university.

Also, let's not forget the transformative measures Dooley took. Under his leadership we really revamped our academic buildings. It's a lot easier to get athletics spending through when your academic buildings are in proper shape. Further, he got our own Board of Trustees through. If we were still under the Board of Governors I don't see any way this proposal ever gets to the Governor's desk for consideration.

Yes, President Parlange is doing great, but he can run because Dooley walked before him

[Blue Man]

Between that and Parlange, things really are looking up around here in terms of commitment levels from everyone involved.

I think the 2nd one has a lot to do with it. Parlange from the jump has been a believer in the power of athletics to be a window for URI to the outside world.

It pisses me off that Carothers and Dooley had the same ability but just wanted to be seen at events and not actually contribute anything meaningful.

Marc Parlange is already the best president that URI has had for athletics in it's history. The fact that the Carothers banner still hangs is an embarrassment.

I need to stick up for Dooley here. He allowed Thorr to come up with an innovative contract offer to keep Dan here before we went to the tournament. His leadership showed what a successful basketball program in the modern era could look like for us, and that made it easier for Thorr to sell President Parlange on what a successful athletic department as a whole could do for the whole university.

Also, let's not forget the transformative measures Dooley took. Under his leadership we really revamped our academic buildings. It's a lot easier to get athletics spending through when your academic buildings are in proper shape. Further, he got our own Board of Trustees through. If we were still under the Board of Governors I don't see any way this proposal ever gets to the Governor's desk for consideration.

Yes, President Parlange is doing great, but he can run because Dooley walked before him

All valid points.

But still "innovative" meant delaying actually doing anything for Dan, kicking the can down the road, and saying "we'll allow you to figure out the funding."

Dooley did plenty of good from an infrastructure perspective.

But from an athletics perspective, Parlange showed how easy it was to actually get things done. The stroke of a pen.

Who knows how different things would be if he had the same level of commitment 5 and a half years ago - the first NCAA run - he could've moved university funding to support the practice facility, an increase in the assistant coaches pool, and everything else Parlange was able to do for Archie.

I just have a problem with the presidents who want to be seen and lauded at athletics events and don't up the commitment no matter how failing our athletics facilities were. Parlange was embarrassed from his first soccer game attended and made this a priority.

[Jdrums#3]

Between that and Parlange, things really are looking up around here in terms of commitment levels from everyone involved.

I think the 2nd one has a lot to do with it. Parlange from the jump has been a believer in the power of athletics to be a window for URI to the outside world.

It pisses me off that Carothers and Dooley had the same ability but just wanted to be seen at events and not actually contribute anything meaningful.

Marc Parlange is already the best president that URI has had for athletics in it's history. The fact that the Carothers banner still hangs is an embarrassment.

I need to stick up for Dooley here. He allowed Thorr to come up with an innovative contract offer to keep Dan here before we went to the tournament. His leadership showed what a successful basketball program in the modern era could look like for us, and that made it easier for Thorr to sell President Parlange on what a successful athletic department as a whole could do for the whole university.

Also, let's not forget the transformative measures Dooley took. Under his leadership we really revamped our academic buildings. It's a lot easier to get athletics spending through when your academic buildings are in proper shape. Further, he got our own Board of Trustees through. If we were still under the Board of Governors I don't see any way this proposal ever gets to the Governor's desk for consideration.

Yes, President Parlange is doing great, but he can run because Dooley walked before him

I agree, 02. I was in Pres Dooley’s company many times and I was on the periphery of much of the infrastructure plans and improvements during that time. He blazed an excellent trail for President Parlange to build on.

[RI_Bred]

Wonder if it will have wi-fi?

[NYGFan_Section208]

Wonder if it will have wi-fi?

That's the part that's going to be up for vote? Already voted down multiple times at the Ry?

[Rhodymob05]

Definitely exciting to see this, long overdue. Has there been any indication yet that it might include additional things like scoreboard or other improvements? I noticed it only says "Meade Stadium East Grandstands" in the part quoted above.

No indication yet, but Meade improvements and the Slade outdoor track project is a combined $54.1 million. How much can an outdoor track facility redo cost? Lets say $6.1 million, which seems high. That still leaves $48 million for improving Meade. Have to think a scoreboard and other amenities can be fit in with that amount even with rising costs

If it’s just a track then even 6 million is very very high. I’d assume they are upgrading other track sports such as throwing or jumping events. Either way, the vast majority is going towards Meade.

[RhowdyRam02]

I think the 2nd one has a lot to do with it. Parlange from the jump has been a believer in the power of athletics to be a window for URI to the outside world.

It pisses me off that Carothers and Dooley had the same ability but just wanted to be seen at events and not actually contribute anything meaningful.

Marc Parlange is already the best president that URI has had for athletics in it's history. The fact that the Carothers banner still hangs is an embarrassment.

I need to stick up for Dooley here. He allowed Thorr to come up with an innovative contract offer to keep Dan here before we went to the tournament. His leadership showed what a successful basketball program in the modern era could look like for us, and that made it easier for Thorr to sell President Parlange on what a successful athletic department as a whole could do for the whole university.

Also, let's not forget the transformative measures Dooley took. Under his leadership we really revamped our academic buildings. It's a lot easier to get athletics spending through when your academic buildings are in proper shape. Further, he got our own Board of Trustees through. If we were still under the Board of Governors I don't see any way this proposal ever gets to the Governor's desk for consideration.

Yes, President Parlange is doing great, but he can run because Dooley walked before him

All valid points.

But still "innovative" meant delaying actually doing anything for Dan, kicking the can down the road, and saying "we'll allow you to figure out the funding."

Dooley did plenty of good from an infrastructure perspective.

But from an athletics perspective, Parlange showed how easy it was to actually get things done. The stroke of a pen.

Who knows how different things would be if he had the same level of commitment 5 and a half years ago - the first NCAA run - he could've moved university funding to support the practice facility, an increase in the assistant coaches pool, and everything else Parlange was able to do for Archie.

I just have a problem with the presidents who want to be seen and lauded at athletics events and don't up the commitment no matter how failing our athletics facilities were. Parlange was embarrassed from his first soccer game attended and made this a priority.

I think we're in pretty solid agreement for the most part. I will say, Parlange can mostly do it with a stroke of a pen because Dooley set him up with a University specific Board of Trustees, we can't undersell how important that measure was. Also, there was real doubt whether this would make it into the Governor's budget, even after being signed off on by President Parlange and the Board of Trustees

[RhowdyRam02]

Wonder if it will have wi-fi?

I think you're saying this mostly tongue in cheek, but that's actually an interesting question. Could they set up some type of wifi system as part of this project that would cover wifi for Ryan Center and Meade Stadium? Also, could this be the solution to the replay issue? They say they can't currently do replays because they don't have the space, however I'm pretty sure a video board will be part of the Meade Stadium improvements and obviously we'll need a new press box. Could the Meade press box have a space that handles replays for Meade and the Ryan Center?

[RhowdyRam02]

Definitely exciting to see this, long overdue. Has there been any indication yet that it might include additional things like scoreboard or other improvements? I noticed it only says "Meade Stadium East Grandstands" in the part quoted above.

No indication yet, but Meade improvements and the Slade outdoor track project is a combined $54.1 million. How much can an outdoor track facility redo cost? Lets say $6.1 million, which seems high. That still leaves $48 million for improving Meade. Have to think a scoreboard and other amenities can be fit in with that amount even with rising costs

If it’s just a track then even 6 million is very very high. I’d assume they are upgrading other track sports such as throwing or jumping events. Either way, the vast majority is going towards Meade.

Yes, sorry, it specifically says outdoor track and field, I've just been using track for shorthand. This should be an entire renovation of that complex

[RI_Bred]

Wonder if it will have wi-fi?

I think you're saying this mostly tongue in cheek, but that's actually an interesting question. Could they set up some type of wifi system as part of this project that would cover wifi for Ryan Center and Meade Stadium? Also, could this be the solution to the replay issue? They say they can't currently do replays because they don't have the space, however I'm pretty sure a video board will be part of the Meade Stadium improvements and obviously we'll need a new press box. Could the Meade press box have a space that handles replays for Meade and the Ryan Center?

Definitely was being tongue in cheek, but if you Think Big, this would be something to consider for sure.

[RF1]

If the two options are these two recent concepts, I like Option #2. I also think it would better work with the west stands and adjacent Ryan Center.

So we have this fairly none newsworthy tweet from Rhody Football designed to show recruits more about URI football. No big deal, right?



Wrong? Click on the adobe link and go about three quarters of the way down. First you see a large picture of what Meade would look like with renovated East stands and they present two options for what that could look like.

Option 1:







And option 2:







Obviously they can't be particularly close to having shovels in dirt if they still have more than one design option they're showcasing, but as the first publicly available new concept of what an upgraded Meade could look like since approximately December of 2001, this is an interesting step

[R.Kelly150]

I like option 2 better. But I think the 2001 rendering with the end zone seating on both sides would look awesome.

[RF1]

I like option 2 better. But I think the 2001 rendering with the end zone seating on both sides would look awesome.

That option worked best with the Ryan Center design.

meade stadium concept.jpg (39.77 KiB) Viewed 5476 times

[bigappleram]

I always prefer the "bowl" type stadium (like in the 2001 renderings) even if it's smaller -- Stony Brook has a great version of that.
Feels like college football the most to me. But that may be beyond the scope of what is budgeted for.

[jcru]

That "2001" rendering was buried on the URI site, I remember Bruce Murray helped me locate it. I want to say it was created before 2001, it was a sketch, basically, by HOK who designed the Ryan Center, and naturally wanted the contract for the football stadium too. almost like an add-on.

It gained a lot of traction in 2001 because of Stowers and the season he had. You remember how bad the stands were, they were condemned. so when we saw this, we were like, hell yeah, let's do it.

Nowadays, I'm not really all that picky. Any of these designs, including the 2001 design will do, but let's just get the ball rolling and do something.

[jcru]

At least all of the renderings show a field that can only be used for Football and possibly Soccer and that's it. There is no track.

Same concept as the Ryan Center, they wanted a facility that did not double as a hockey rink, but instead build stand-alone facilities instead. And I think long term, that has been the wiser move.

[jcru]

I think I like the split tier seating a little bit more, by virtue of the fact that the back, shown in the first photo where the guy is taking a picture of the back of the stadium with his camera, isn't like a high school stadium. Where you can just walk all the way down to the bottom, behind the stands, to where it meets the ground.

[OBRAM]

I like option #2.
It would be good to make the press box area big enough to hold functions in a planned room there somewhere, but I guess that's too much to ask for. Also football offices, video room, conference room. These plans Options #1 and #2 are the bare minimums plans, not really knock-your-socks-off plans like the Ryan Center was for Basketball.

[Bartoburger]

The track should only cost roughly 5 million. For around 50 million, I think URI could complete at least one end zone seating area. I think the 2001 rendering is top-notch, even over 20 years old. Looks like the capacity of Meade if the complete build-out for the 2001 model would be around 16-18k. I still believe FCS/Bowl Subdivision D1 football will be gone in the next 10 years as D1 bowl division team's win will only count against other bowl division schools for the 12-team playoff. This means schools such as URI will either go D2 or move up. I would not be surprised if the entire CAA football eventually moves up to the bowl division.

[ElmCityRhody]

bowl is the way to go

the rest are high school

ZzzzZZZzzzzZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Rhodysk]

I think it’s so important to have end zone seats along with a decent size east stands. I would like the length be 20 yard line to 20 yard line. With a nice size press box possibly with luxury boxes to sell.
End zone seat I would like to see maybe 20-25 rows high but the length of the whole end zone. Even 6-7 feet off the ground comparable to west stands against ryan center.
A new replay score board on top of end zone stands not pushed in the back between pine trees.

That’s my wish list.
I’m sure a drawing will come out probably by august when tickets need to be sold.

[Bartoburger]

Good point regarding when the new renderings for the East Side stands/renovation will be presented to the public. I think we all can agree that any of the plans on here are an improvement from the current state of Meade Stadium. College athletics is an arms race, and most of the FCS/D1 programs are behind the rest of the country/conferences' quality of football programs. The next renovation will put URI on par with southern schools in the CAA football conference. URI hopefully will start supporting their athletic programs and keep up with this "arms race" of college athletics.