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Post by aggiebred09 on May 2, 2011 7:16:02 GMT -5
www.news-record.com/content/2011/05/02/article/is_this_the_last_pitch_for_war_memorialIs this the last pitch for war Memorial Stadium?GREENSBORO — Just northeast of downtown Greensboro sits a $186,000-a-year taxpayer conundrum: War Memorial Stadium. As the City Council considers cuts to balance a $423 million budget, all city expenses are being analyzed. And what to do with the baseball stadium, which needs restoration and costs $186,000 a year to run, will be part of that conversation. Choosing to close or tear down the park would require the move of 250 college and youth games. Greensboro College and N.C. A&T play home games there, as do AAU and youth baseball teams. But that could change as the conversation begins and A&T and the city meet this week on the issue. See link for entire article
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Post by Aggie Monster on May 2, 2011 8:18:05 GMT -5
First option if we buy it would be to charge UNCG to keep using it, lol.
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Post by aggiebred09 on May 2, 2011 8:25:01 GMT -5
According to the article a few groups/ colleges use the space. We could see a little revenue but only enough to off set some expenses.
I wonder how much the renovation would cost.
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Post by krazykev on May 2, 2011 8:25:19 GMT -5
First option if we buy it would be to charge UNCG to keep using it, lol. You mean Greensboro College
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@ProfBellamy
Official BDF member
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Posts: 764
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Post by @ProfBellamy on May 2, 2011 9:13:39 GMT -5
I think it would be a unique purchase. It would allow us to better control the that city-run mess of a homecoming sideshow they do there. However, do we have the funds to purchase and operate the stadium?
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Post by aggiebred09 on May 2, 2011 9:39:00 GMT -5
I think A&T could find a few willing donors to support the purchase. The renovations may take some work but I'm sure there is preservation grant money available if we were serious.
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Post by Aggie Monster on May 2, 2011 9:45:22 GMT -5
First option if we buy it would be to charge UNCG to keep using it, lol. You mean Greensboro College Yes, my bad. A&T has done an excellent job at reno and re-purpose in the past. The track is the best example. The stadium will be a challenge because it comes with a large renovation budget. Hopefully someone will come up with a great plan.
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Post by aggiebred09 on May 2, 2011 10:20:21 GMT -5
What other uses could the University have for the stadium. I think the largest issue right now is if they buy it will it sit empty except during baseball season. Can we hold events/ activities or even rent out the venue. We could even try using the concourse as an open-air market for AG students.
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@ProfBellamy
Official BDF member
Aggie Born, Aggie Bred
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Post by @ProfBellamy on May 2, 2011 15:17:06 GMT -5
What other uses could the University have for the stadium. I think the largest issue right now is if they buy it will it sit empty except during baseball season. Can we hold events/ activities or even rent out the venue. We could even try using the concourse as an open-air market for AG students. The university could follow one of the plans the city had and "right-size" the stadium for our needs in regards to seating and maintenance. I believe we could find year-round uses for the stadium.
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Post by aggiejazz on May 2, 2011 15:40:50 GMT -5
I think there are too many issues with owning the stadium.
I think the first problem I see is that A&T will not have 100 percent rights in how they renovate the stadium due to historic preservation with the facade, the Memorial itself.
Secondly, what if A&T wants to build something other than a baseball stadium? Will the city approve it and will the land support a large building project?
Thirdly, is the City of Greensboro a true partner to A&T as they are with UNCG or do that Councilman simply wants A&T to buy a "pig-in-a-poke"?
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Post by SixtiesAggie on May 2, 2011 16:42:17 GMT -5
I think there is too many issues with owning the stadium. I think the first problem I see is that A&T will not have 100 percent rights in how they renovate the stadium due to historic preservation with the facade, the Memorial itself. Secondly, what if A&T wants to build something other than a baseball stadium? Will the city approve it and will the land support a large building project? Thirdly, is the City of Greensboro a true partner to A&T as they are with UNCG or do that Councilman simply want A&T to buy a "pig-in-a-poke"? The present city council is not interested in anybody or anything that is in the eastern section of the city. Believe me. They would gladly pawn the stadium off on A&T. The stadium would be a financial burden to A&T, unless someone donates enough money to renovate the field, the seating or stands, press box, the entrance under stadium (leaving the facade intact), and build new dugouts with dressing rooms attached. Yearly maintenance would be a nightmare. A&T may have a plan to make it work. However, I would not entertain the idea of purchasing with the state of financial woes in athletics. Smart people will really have to take a long hard look at this notion.
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Post by DOOMS on May 2, 2011 16:51:27 GMT -5
I don't believe we posses the financial savvy nor the infrastructure to properly run the thing.
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Post by Tee-Sharp on May 2, 2011 19:22:23 GMT -5
We should begin searching for another place to play baseball.
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Post by aggiebred09 on May 3, 2011 8:36:21 GMT -5
We should begin searching for another place to play baseball. You mean another place to pay to play baseball.... In as much as we have enjoyed the growth of our campus. We coming up short with extra space. The Aggie-One stop that was purposed for the Hayes-Taylor is years away and the next phase of expansion with the area behind laurel st & the book store is still a few years off. The Baseball Stadium is prime real estate for A&T. I think we can come up with some creative ways to pay for and maintain the site. It takes more than a notion. There is alot of space surrounding the stadium including a tennis facility. If we cant keep up the stadium we need to at least look at all possible options for the space. Downsizing the stadium at suggested by Aggie08 is one such option. The money we stand to make in the parking lot alone through the vendors pavilion during Homecoming can help. This is money we never see due to the city of Greensboro.
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@ProfBellamy
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Post by @ProfBellamy on May 3, 2011 8:58:30 GMT -5
The city about 2-3 years ago had the option to downsize the stadium, but the money to conduct that renovation was denied. If we would lose Memorial Stadium as a location, then what would be our options? A&T and Greensboro College may really need to examine some type of way to pursue ownership if the city won't continue upkeep. If not, then we will be looking at getting rid of baseball as a sport we offer replacing it with what? Golf???
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