OT: USF wants to spend $340 million for an on-campus stadium.

[DJ Spanky]

Can USF afford the Bulls’ $340 million on-campus football stadium?

What will USF Bulls gain from an on-campus football stadium?

When University of South Florida officials presented an initial budget for a $340 million on-campus football stadium last month, chief financial officer Richard J. Sobieray stood behind the figures being used to justify one of the biggest decisions in school history.

As the full board prepares for Tuesday’s vote on whether to authorize $200 million in debt for the Bulls’ proposed 35,000-seat facility, the Tampa Bay Times shared the financial projections with three academics who study stadium economics. Their reactions ranged from cautious optimism to downright disbelief.

So they want to spend $340 million for a 35K seat stadium?

 

[Rhuarc]

Should go bigger at that price and try to get a piece of a power 5 conference while they're at it. Not that it's gonna happen, but it's a hail mary type play.

 

[RU205]

Big campus with a lot of land. Beautiful baseball and softball stadium next to the basketball arena.

 

[czxqa]

Where are they going to come up with that kind of scratch?

 

[e5fdny]

Big campus with a lot of land. Beautiful baseball and softball stadium next to the basketball arena.

If I recall, that one looks like it’s missing something?

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

Should go bigger at that price and try to get a piece of a power 5 conference while they're at it. Not that it's gonna happen, but it's a hail mary type play.

um.. aren't they gonna be Big 12? bet they are feeling some pressure to play at Camping World Stadium and would prefer to keep it on campus.. I totally get that.

 

[e5fdny]

um.. aren't they gonna be Big 12? bet they are feeling some pressure to play at Camping World Stadium and would prefer to keep it on campus.. I totally get that.

That’s not close.

 

[ru66]

Gee things are cheaper in Florida

 

[RUskoolie]

That would be such a horrible waste of money.

 

[e5fdny]

Are they not playing at Raymond James anymore?

 

[tico brown]

um.. aren't they gonna be Big 12? bet they are feeling some pressure to play at Camping World Stadium and would prefer to keep it on campus.. I totally get that.

UCF is going to the B12, not USF.

 

[miket007]

I honestly felt USF was on a nice progression upwards during our Big East days. Thought they would've landed in a conference being the size of there campus/enrollment and location. FWIW i believe all 5 florida schools end up in a P5 with with Miami coming to the B1G Florida/FSU - SEC UCF/USF B12

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

UCF is going to the B12, not USF.

ohhhh.. misread OP. My bad.
UCF fans diggin' the schaudenfreude scene re: USF.. like we do with UCONN football.

 

[e5fdny]

ohhhh.. misread OP. My bad.

Thought you would have picked up on it from my reply to your post…

um.. aren't they gonna be Big 12? bet they are feeling some pressure to play at Camping World Stadium and would prefer to keep it on campus.. I totally get that.

That’s not close.

 

[anon_ivydyf0amkzay]

Good for USF!

 

[megadrone]

I honestly felt USF was on a nice progression upwards during our Big East days. Thought they would've landed in a conference being the size of there campus/enrollment and location. FWIW i believe all 5 florida schools end up in a P5 with with Miami coming to the B1G Florida/FSU - SEC UCF/USF B12

They definitely got screwed by the breakup of the Big East. BE 2.0 was a fairly well balanced conference and everyone but UConn deserved better. Maybe it will re-form when the ACC breaks up and Pitt, Syracuse and BC have no place to go.

 

[rutgersguy1]

 

[Plum Street]

Good for them.
Some people in this thread don’t seem to realize that footbal stadiums can host more than college football games.

 

[vkj91]

USF is becoming a hot school and with AAU status it will become even hotter

 

[Knight Shift]

USF is becoming a hot school and with AAU status it will become even hotter

. . . . with global warming, yes.

They were on a good trajectory until Coach Visor Hothead Leavitt choked that player, and they never seemed to recover. 95-57 lifetime record for Coach Leavitt.

After Leavitt:
Skip Holtz-- 16-21 over 3 years
Willie Taggart 24-25 over 4 seasons (he should have stayed)
Charlie Strong 16-21 over 3 seasons
Jeff Scott 4-26 over 3 seasons.

USF does not "F" around. 3 years, one slip up in record, and "F"ired.

Leavitt may be the Bo Pelini of South Florida.

Good luck Alex Golesh.

 

[ScarletDave]

USF kind of a weird spot. You never, I mean never see any USF apparel in and around town I feel like. Shoprite in Jersey, at the local high school game, or day trip in the city, you see pretty much all the other Florida schools including UCF and lots of P5 and some G5 stuff but I never see anyone wearing a USF hat or shirt.

 

[DJ Spanky]

Can you imagine the press if the Rutgers BOT approved a measure like that?