Ray Jay Lease Extended 6 More Years

[UofMemphis]

56 minutes ago, Ned A Starr said:

The Tigers don't have their own stadium either. They rent the 1965 (older than the demolished Sombreo) vintage Liberty Bowl from the City of Memphis.  It doesn't hold a candle to the Ray Jay.

 

Ray Jay would be FAR too large for Memphis (hell, the Liberty Bowl is too big at 58,000)...moreover, it would cost us FAR too much to rent an NFL caliber stadium.

the good part about the Liberty Bowl are.

1) we're the primary tenant, and we're treated that way.

2) it's long paid off, so we don't have to worry about ticket surcharges, or high rental rates

3) it's only 2.1 miles or a 6 min car ride from main campus.

I only visited Tampa Stadium once, but I liked it...I am however glad they went with concrete at the Liberty Bowl over aluminum...it just holds up better, which is why the Liberty Bowl, straight out of 1965, is still very structurally sound.

that said, I'd trade the Liberty Bowl for an actual 45,000 seat on campus stadium like UCFs in a second...I'd learn to love the aluminum...because it's OUR aluminum.

Edited January 24, 2017 by UofMemphis

[TheBullies]

Aim higher, Tiger

[Ricky the Bull]

5 minutes ago, Ned A Starr said:

Tampa Stadium aluminum????

Aluminum benches, yep.

[UofMemphis]

6 minutes ago, Ricky the Bull said:

Aluminum benches, yep.

I was a kid and sat on them in shorts on a summer day...ouch!

[Capital H]

2 hours ago, GaUSFBull said:

I think that was tongue-in-cheek, too.  I choose to believe the best in our Bulls fans.  

Winner winner

[Triple B]

33 minutes ago, Ricky the Bull said:

Aluminum benches, yep.

Does the LB have aluminum benches also?

[Capital H]

1 hour ago, SANJAY said:

Hopefully you're right.

I guess you missed sarcasm on the internet class.

[UofMemphis]

12 minutes ago, Triple B said:

Does the LB have aluminum benches also?

nope...it's concrete covered in blue plastic. (it might be aluminum under the plastic, not sure)

this is the best image I could find, of course, the seats shown have now been converted to chairback seats. (but that at least shows what they look like)

Edited January 24, 2017 by UofMemphis

[Triple B]

8 minutes ago, UofMemphis said:

nope...it's concrete covered in blue plastic. (it might be aluminum under the plastic, not sure)

this is the best image I could find, of course, the seats shown have now been converted to chairback seats. (but that at least shows what they look like)

I was just up there and could not remember ... but I think what that may be is solid plastic benches where Tampa Stadium was aluminum. Both have the same concrete base. 

[UofMemphis]

25 minutes ago, Triple B said:

I was just up there and could not remember ... but I think what that may be is solid plastic benches where Tampa Stadium was aluminum. Both have the same concrete base. 

gotcha. When I went to Tampa Stadium I was like 10 :-) so it's been two decades now...Raymond James Stadium is a sight to behind, though.

I love the sight-lines (sharp slope) at the Liberty Bowl but they have been outlawed with the ADA acts. That held up Liberty Bowl renovations for 15 years (it got bad) because the DOJ said the Liberty Bowl was 'grandfathered in'...but if any renovations were made, we had to bring the entire thing up to code (92 million dollar price tag!)...so it sat there. FINALLY, an agreement was worked out between the City and the DOJ, and renovations started.

this ugly, terrible, horrible parking lot...

was turned into Tiger Lane

Locker rooms were renovated

FedEx purchased us a new video board

and I showed you the new chairback seats...

Edited January 24, 2017 by UofMemphis