[Navin]

As an alumni and long-suffering Gopher football fan, I'm excited about having a dedicated on-campus stadium. It's great for the team and recruiting, more exciting for the fans, and will really bolster the "campus" feeling that is sometimes lacking at this, the most urban Big 10 campus. We'll all need to get used to watching sports outdoors in the cold again. :D

New renderings were released today, so here they are. What do you think?

TCF Bank Stadium™ (http://www1.umn.edu/stadium/stadium.php)

TCF Bank Stadium will open on September 12, 2009 as the new home of Golden Gopher football. The new collegiate stadium will seat 50,000 and feature a traditional horseshoe shape and a brick facade. The stadium will provide a gateway to the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus and become a center of campus life. The design offers a unique blend of brick, stone and glass consistent with architecture around campus. Architects said it links the heritage and pageantry of Memorial Stadium with TCF Bank Stadium by integrating a traditional stadium wall with a new colonnade, plazas, landscapes and other open gathering spaces. The approved design is for a 50,000-seat facility with the foundation and reinforcements necessary to potentially expand to 72,000 to 80,000 seats. "This is a design that captures the character and tradition of our campus and also embodies the excitement of Gopher football," said University President Robert Bruininks.

http://minnescraper.com/forum/files/m626989standalone_157.jpg

http://minnescraper.com/forum/files/west_rendering_lg_271.jpg

http://minnescraper.com/forum/files/u_minn_stadiumstandalone_815.jpg

Here below is the old Memorial Stadium a.k.a. The Brick House, which the new stadium is attempting to evoke.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/30/Memorial_stadium_1939.jpg

And in case anyone wasn't aware, the Gophers currently play in the HHH Metrodome. They can't get out of the dome soon enough.

Incidentally, this stadium will sit across the street from an Antoine Predock designed building and a few blocks from a Frank Gehry (the Weisman).

[ColDayMan]

I like it.

[Cleveland Brown]

The design looks okay, but it could have been much better. To be honest it looks too cookie cutter retro and lacks detail. It's design is so universal that only a few modifications will make it look like a retro baseball stadium. Overall it's still better than most college stadiums.

Still much better than that dump where the Vikings currently play or that other "horseshoe" in Columbus ;)

[Mikey711MN]

In a somewhat related topic, it should be interesting to see where the "Stadium Village" LRT station will go. That is, according to the preliminary alignment...

http://www.centralcorridor.org/images/LRT.jpg

...the natural location would be at Oak & Washington, but the train would come up from the tunnel essentially at the east end of the stadium. Not that you spend $M's to build a station for a facility used but a dozen times per year though.

[Dream'n]

What does TCF stand for? I know it's a bank but what is the acronym? Do they own this stadium or does the University or the State of Minnesota? If it's not the bank then why is it named after them? Is it a large bank or something that's strictly locale? Does it have a large skyscraper downtown?

Anyway the stadium is cool and I like the fact they've reoriented the opening to the skyline and by the way I use TCF (Twin City Federal) myself.

[jayheel]

Now all you need is a coach. Decent stadium though. I bet the facilities are great too.

[the pope]

The design looks okay, but it could have been much better. To be honest it looks too cookie cutter retro and lacks detail. It's design is so universal that only a few modifications will make it look like a retro baseball stadium. Overall it's still better than most college stadiums.

Still much better than that dump where the Vikings currently play or that other "horseshoe" in Columbus ;)

in reality there hardly is any "memorable" college stadiums out there nowadays built any time after the depression.

[Via Chicago]

What does TCF stand for? I know it's a bank but what is the acronym? Do they own this stadium or does the University or the State of Minnesota? If it's not the bank then why is it named after them? Is it a large bank or something that's strictly locale? Does it have a large skyscraper downtown?

Anyway the stadium is cool and I like the fact they've reoriented the opening to the skyline and by the way I use TCF (Twin City Federal) myself.

I'm sure they paid a nice sum of money for naming rights. No different than pro sports (United Center, US Celluar Field, RCA Dome, etc ect). This used to be pretty much reserved for pro sports, but more colleges are beginning to go that route when building new stadiums. They sponsor dosent own the building, they just get to name it after themselves and the university gets a nice influx of cash.

TCF stands for Twin City Federal. It was founded in Minneanapolis. Its most popular in the Chicago area though, where there are some 200 branches, usually located inside Jewel-Osco grocery stores. Its not national, they only have branches in 5 or so states, mainly centered around the Great Lakes.

[Navin]

I think Dream'n knows who TCF are and was making a sarcastic criticism of the arrangement to sell the naming rights. I'm not thrilled by it either. The little ™ in the name is obnoxious.

With regard to the LRT stop, this prior site plan envisions an underground station next to the stadium. I'm not sure how official that is...

http://www.startribune.com/media/2006/12/07/18/1stadium1208.standalone.jpg

The stadium will be built years before the central line opens, so I'm sure the Stadium Village station is subject to revision.

[the pope]

well i had no idea who TCF was and what it stood for. Come to think of it, i always scratched my head driving past a branch in SE Michigan.

[Navin]

Is it me or did Dream'n include "Twin City Federal" in his very post? Well, I'm not sure I made any sense of it, but I thought he was doing a "faux" reaction since those are the questions someone outside Minneapolis (and unfamiliar with the naming rights deal) would ask, plus he's a TCF customer. He's a local as far as I know. :shrug:

Anyway, TCF is a regional bank that paid naming rights for $35M so the stadium is saddled with that name for 20 years. Yes they are headquartered in downtown Minneapolis, but, no, not in a skyscraper. The TCF tower is about 15 floors or so.

[Stephenapolis]

Twin Cities Federal my ass! Twin Cities Fraud is more like it. I hate that bank. I have had nothing but trouble with them. As to their name on the stadium. I am fine with that. The team that will inhabit it will probably be a fraud too. ;) If it were not for TCF adiing the $35 mil to this stadium, I doubt it would have been approved to be built. Plus it will be nice to have outdoor football again.

[Texan101]

Damn! Looks very sharp.

[OhioGuy]

It does look like a baseball stadium, but I like it. Certainly a million times better than where they play now.

[skyfan]

Minny should have hit up some more wealthy alums and whoever gives the most gets the stadium named after them. Corporate naming sucks in general, ,but in college sports it is plain sacrilegious

[Wheelingman04]

It looks nice to me.

[Mikey711MN]

I think Dream'n knows who TCF are and was making a sarcastic criticism of the arrangement to sell the naming rights. I'm not thrilled by it either. The little ™ in the name is obnoxious.

With regard to the LRT stop, this prior site plan envisions an underground station next to the stadium. I'm not sure how official that is...

http://www.startribune.com/media/2006/12/07/18/1stadium1208.standalone.jpg

The stadium will be built years before the central line opens, so I'm sure the Stadium Village station is subject to revision.

That's quite the master plan! Look at all those future halls/buildings along the north side of the stadium! And I really like the idea of a transit station at the end of transitway and inline with an LRT Station. On that note, though, there is nothing at all final about the Stadium Village station location...IIRC, there are just now some meetings scheduled to discuss potential locations, and surely this is the U's preference.

[Raraavis]

It just needs a roof and a heater.

[Hayward]

The majority of Ann Arbornites here in Michigan bank with TCF. Not surprising since my U of M student ID has the TCF logo on it and doubles as a debit card.


Anyways. The stadium is alright. I think it's overall form is great and I'm glad there is some open sitelines above the seating. As for a "retro appearance" (and I have nothing wrong with stadiums doing that) I feel it is too watered down. I'm not sure if it actually evokes character of Memorial stadium at all.

[Navin]

Re: Evoking Memorial Stadium

I share your criticism, Wolverine. I don't think it's quite there. Apparently the intentional similarities are:

-The Stadium will honor Memorial Stadium by having an exterior that has arches around the entire facade (like Memorial Stadium).

-The outer wall will feature 87 concrete placards (like Memorial Stadium) on the outer wall, and each will have a Minnesota county name carved into them, to signify that this is the state's stadium, and that everyone is welcome.

You can see the brick arches at surrounding the base in this rendering:

http://minnescraper.com/forum/files/west_rendering_lg_271.jpg

[Stephenapolis]

One simple observation. Even in the rendering the Gophers can't fill the stadium. :D

[Wheelingman04]

^:haha:

[F18bkr]

Looks like the perfect college football stadium! Nice

[nomarandlee]

Looks very cool. I can't think of the last time a major program opened up a brand spanking new football stadium. I love that it looks out into the skyline, that should be a rule of thumb for every urban stadium by now. I am a bit surprised it can't expand larger then 80k but maybe the officials think Minn. football will never get to Mich or OSU levels.

Is the dome likely to get demolished when the Vikes get a new home? What is the word on their new stadium efforts?

[LMich]

It's not a bad design, but is very cookie-cutterish and forgetable at the same time. I mean, even making the vertical lines slightly decorative would have done alot. Just look at UofM's Michigan Stadium reconstruction for the retro, or even the expansion of MSU for the more modern look.

[Stephenapolis]

I am all for this stadium. My only regret is that it is being built because the University was so shortsighted 25 years ago. The Brick House was a great stadium. It did need major renovation though. And that was what eventually killed it. The U thought it would be more cost effective to share the HumptyDump rather than pay to keep the Brick House in shape and renovated. It did seem to make some sense back then, but in hindsight we all know the truth now.
As for the design. It is fine. I think the size is more than appropriate. Until the Gophers can be competitive, there is no need for a larger stadium. I think the retro design does work for them. Most would probably prefer something more dramatic, but there are tight purse strings on this project too. Our Alumni tend to donate more towards non-sports issues.

[Mikey711MN]

Looks very cool. I can't think of the last time a major program opened up a brand spanking new football stadium. I love that it looks out into the skyline, that should be a rule of thumb for every urban stadium by now. I am a bit surprised it can't expand larger then 80k but maybe the officials think Minn. football will never get to Mich or OSU levels.

The stadium will be structurally designed for expansion to 70k - 80k, but for now, 50k will be enough.

[NanoBison]

All I know is, that is great looking football stadium and makes us envious up here in Fargo. The Fargodome is better than the Metrodome for college football. But this new stadium, you guys will have a nice home. I look forward to coming down again, with another 20,000 fans to see the NDSU-UofM football matchup when this thing gets built. Great football game and great view of downtown Minneapolis. Go Bison!

[ColDayMan]

.

[vgmLiquid]

Is the dome likely to get demolished when the Vikes get a new home? What is the word on their new stadium efforts?

The Vikings are still looking for locations to build a stadium however I think their lease in the metrodome is through 2011 if I remember corectly. I think what they will end up doing is build their new home on top of the current metrodome site since any other site would require changing roads and some infrastructure (if it were built downtown or pretty much anywhere). They would then be forced to play at the gopher stadium temporarily until the vikings stadium was completed. That is at least my thought on what they intend to do.

[Stephenapolis]

^
That does seem to the strongest posibilty right now. There is a chance that the new Vikings stadium could go next to the dome too. It is still all in negotiations.

[Mikey711MN]

That does seem to the strongest posibilty right now. There is a chance that the new Vikings stadium could go next to the dome too. It is still all in negotiations.

I believe an urban planning firm has been retained by the Sports Commission(?), the Vikings(??), or the City(???) to develop a master plan for that entire area with a new stadium in mind.

Quite frankly, it would surprise me greatly if they built it anywhere downtown other than on the Metrodome site. However, there are some potential places slightly west of downtown (e.g. Farmer's Market) that have been floated over the years IIRC.

[samoen313]

While certainly not a bad looking stadium, its by no means a necessarily good looking one either. You'd think they might try to draw attendance by designing something more cutting edge like the Cardinals Stadium in Arizona or Sprint Center in KC (which both pale in comparison to a whole gaggle of european stadiums). I understand the throwback appeal of the old stadium but there is certainly enough red brick on the main U's campus as it is.

[Navin]

Here are aerials of the other Big Ten stadiums for reference...


Illinois
http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/north_america/united_states/illinois/champaign_memorial1.jpg

Indiana
http://www.iub.edu/tour/cvrsimg/trstad.jpg

Iowa
http://football.ballparks.com/NCAA/Big10/Iowa/aerial.jpg

Michigan
http://www.collegecharlie.com/files/mich_stad_aerial.jpg

Michigan State
http://www.bestsportsphotos.com/images/stadiums/spartan_stadium.jpg

Northwestern
http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/north_america/united_states/illinois/evanston_ryan1.jpg

Ohio State
http://www.collegecharlie.com/files/ohio_stadium2.jpg

Penn State
http://www.alumni.psu.edu/hub/photos/images/PSU_BEAV.JPG

Purdue
http://www.in.gov/film/images/locations/Ross_Ade_Stadium.jpg

Wisconsin
http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/north_america/united_states/wisconsin/madison_camp_randall1.jpg

[SmileyBoy]

It looks like it's worth $286 million.

Great job, Gophers. :tup:

Now if NDSU can build a stadium like that about half the size in the next 15-20 years, we'd be headed to the Mountain West.:D

[MequonWI]

hahaha
NDSU...they recruited me.
Its a pretty boring stadium design but so long as the Badgers continue to thrash them I don't care.