HOUSTON - New Robertson Stadium (40,000)

[WesTexas]

Maybe by then the Big 12 will consider it.

[CougarRed]

Word is that Houston has chosen to rotate the orientation of the field about 45 degrees counterclockwise to make it parallel with the new parking garage and Holman street. The field will be about 30 degrees North of Pure West (i.e. pointing at 300 degrees if West is 270), and the home stands will have skyline view.

In this photo where true north is at the top middle of the picture, the parking garage is in gray and the estimated stadium footprint is in checkered red.

[JJG]

Originally Posted by CougarRed

Word is that Houston has chosen to rotate the orientation of the field about 45 degrees counterclockwise to make it parallel with the new parking garage and Holman street. The field will be about 30 degrees North of Pure West (i.e. pointing at 300 degrees if West is 270), and the home stands will have skyline view.

In this photo where true north is at the top middle of the picture, the parking garage is in gray and the estimated stadium footprint is in checkered red.

Wouldn't that put the sunlight in their faces?

[CougarRed]

Originally Posted by JJG

Wouldn't that put the sunlight in their faces?

The fans faces? Presumably, unless some sort of cover is erected.

I will say that Houston normally plays night games early in the season. Later in the season, Houston plays more day games.

On October 1, the sun sets at due West in Houston (270 degrees).

On November 1 in Houston, the sun sets 12 degrees south of due West. (258 degrees).

By December 1, the sun sets 20 degrees south of due West (250 degrees).

The field sits at 300 degrees. So in terms of the sun getting in players eyes near sunset of day games, it should not be that big of a problem even without any cover.

[JJG]

Originally Posted by CougarRed

The fans faces? Presumably, unless some sort of cover is erected.

I will say that Houston normally plays night games early in the season. Later in the season, Houston plays more day games.

On October 1, the sun sets at due West in Houston (270 degrees).

On November 1 in Houston, the sun sets 12 degrees south of due West. (258 degrees).

By December 1, the sun sets 20 degrees south of due West (250 degrees).

The field sits at 300 degrees. So in terms of the sun getting in players eyes near sunset of day games, it should not be that big of a problem even without any cover.

No, the players' faces. It would be facing east-west....

[slipperydog]

I've yet to hear one legitimate reason for any football stadium being oriented east-west as opposed to north-south.

[BaylorGuy314]

I, too, am a little confused by the proposed east-west orientation.

Couldn't you easily have it face NNE-SSW and keep the southwest corner open to provide views to downtown?

[JJG]

Originally Posted by slipperydog

I've yet to hear one legitimate reason for any football stadium being oriented east-west as opposed to north-south.

Yeah. Just have one of the endzones face the garage if you want to make it parallel.

It would basically keep the North-South orientation.

[CougarRed]

Originally Posted by BaylorGuy314

I, too, am a little confused by the proposed east-west orientation.

Couldn't you easily have it face NNE-SSW and keep the southwest corner open to provide views to downtown?

The downtown views are NNW, not SE. See the earlier picture I posted with S as the direction of the Skyline.

[CougarRed]

Originally Posted by slipperydog

I've yet to hear one legitimate reason for any football stadium being oriented east-west as opposed to north-south.

I hear you. But Oklahoma State built their stadium E-W. LSU & TCU run NW-SE. It's not unheard of.

In our case, it's about the skyline.

[JJG]

Originally Posted by CougarRed

I hear you. But Oklahoma State built their stadium E-W. LSU & TCU run NW-SE. It's not unheard of.

In our case, it's about the skyline.

Right, but it's not directly E-W. Still doesn't effect the players on the field.

[CougarRed]

Originally Posted by JJG

Right, but it's not directly E-W. Still doesn't effect the players on the field.

Houston won't be directly East-West either. If 12 o'clock is due North and 9:00 is due West, Houston points to ~10:00. TCU and LSU point to ~10:30.

[CougarRed]

So here's the latest, from the UH Board of Regents Agenda for next week's meeting. You can see how they are preserving the view of Downtown ("D") while also protecting against the setting Sun with an Upper Deck extending through the West corner.

Note this sketch is not drawn North-South. If it were a clock, the stadium sits on the 10-4 line, not the 9-3 line.

The big rectangular building is the 2400 car parking garage. The buildings in the lower right corner are new dorms called Cougar Place.

Scale-wise, here's how it breaks down:

Lower Bowl

5K along each sideline and 3K in each end zone for 16K total.

Upper Grandtands

8K on visitors side (next to parking garage). 5K in "East" End Zone. And 11K on home side for 24K total.

Final capacity 40K.

[CougarRed]

Here is the layout on a map where 12 o'clock is due North:

[JJG]

That's a better look at it, but I'd still go with the orientation they have now.

[Spacecityroller]

The UH BOR today approved the initial financing for the Cougars' new on campus football stadium!

http://www.chron.com/sports/college/...ll-3790786.php

[CougarRed]

Had a chance to see the progress on the new stadium. I was very impressed. Here's what I can tell you;

1) They are going to locate the new stadium alongside the new parking garage and create a "Cougar Walk" between the two buildings with plazas, trees, gardens, etc...

2) They are going to dig down and place a lower bowl largely in the ground. They are shooting for a complete bowl with 25 to 28 rows depending upon how many they can fit in. The last row of the lower bowl will be about 5 feet above ground level.

3) A wide concourse will run the entire area around the lower bowl. The concourse will offer unobstructed views to the playing field, meaning you will be able to see the field while at concession stands. The architectural team toured Dynamo Stadium and also wanted to leave the concourse open to allow for more air flow.

4) Speaking of air flow, the plan is to leave two areas open to allow more flow (the Southeast corner- which is the direction most of the wind will enter the stadium) and the Northeast corner (to maximize the downtown view)

5) On the "home side" of the stadium, you'll find the club area and team locker room. A neat proposal is to have the tunnel out of the locker room be enclosed by glass so that you could see the team leaving the locker room to enter the field of play while in the club and concourse level.

6) The seats between the 30 yard lines in the lower bowl will be chairbacked seats with access to the club level

7) Loge boxes will be located on both sides of the stadium at the top of the lower bowl but offer different price points. The loge boxes on the "home side" will offer access to the club level while those on the opposite side of the field will not

8) On the "home side", there will be a level of suites directly above the concourse level (one flight up). Flanking each side of the suites will be "party patios" that can hold 200 or so fans each (these will offer tables and bar stools and access to the club level)

9) Above the suites will be the press and coaches boxes

10) There will be a fairly large upper deck on this side of the stadium located on top of the suite and press level.

11) Fronting Cullen, you'll find the academic buildings for the Moores School of Music. All buildings will look connected from the exterior and the plans are best described as a modern take on art deco design.

12) There will be a large band hall used for the Spirit of Houston, cheer, and dance teams. A tunnel from the hall will lead directly to the field allowing better access to the field and a potential return to how the band used to enter the games back when UH played in the Astrodome

13) A new concert hall will be located adjacent to the band hall allowing for smaller performances that aren't conducive to the Opera House

14) Closest to the new garage, there will be a University-wide Hall of Honor, ticket office, and game day shop. Early plans (depends on funding) call for this building to be possibly enclosed by red class that can be illuminated at night.

15) "Cougar Cage"- a concept to wrap the stadium in most likely a steel mesh similar to the Dynamo Stadium. This would cover the backside of the stadium so that you do not see things like support beams, the back of a scoreboard, etc...

16) Materials- Concrete, steel, a red glazed brick, brown brick similar to newer buildings along Cullen, and glass

17) At the top of the upper deck, there will be a wide concourse that will allow for several hundred spots of SRO

A- First plan calls for 37,500 or so seats with 2,500 other options (party plazas, SRO on concourse, etc...) for a capacity of 40,000

B- Second plans calls for 40,000 actual seats by placing a small upper deck on the "visiting side" of the field that appeared to stretch between the 25 yard lines. Total capacity would be in the 42,000 range

C- Expansion to 50,000 would be possible by building out the entire "visiting side" upper deck

D- Expansion to 60,000 would be possible by building an upper deck above the endzone concourse closest to Cullen

Much of these designs will be dependent upon total funding. If they can land naming rights, they will likely go with plan B and all the bells and whistles. Otherwise, look for plan A and a scale back on materials.

[CougarRed]

Bids for the demolition of the current Robertson Stadium are due to Manhattan Construction on October 25.

While the project remains in the design phase, decommissioning, demolition, and removal of the old stadium is scheduled to begin immediately following this season.

[CougarRed]

Here's a leaked drawing.

[CougarRed]

More drawings: