FAU's stadium obsession

[CyberBull]

FAU's stadium obsession

---

Palm Beach Post Editoria

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

With its latest attempt to build a domed, on-campus football stadium, Florida Atlantic University is moving the goalposts.

At one point, the plan had been that the team would generate lots of public enthusiasm, which would lead to lots of private donations. But last year, FAU couldn't draw even enough fans to meet the minimum requirements for the National Collegiate Athletic Association's top division, I-A. So now FAU is considering a different sort of project that would provide a home on the Boca Raton campus for the team's 2007 season opener.

More from Opinion

• Sound off in the blog

• Columnists

• Editorials/Letters

• Don Wright cartoons

The idea is to have a developer finance, build and operate the facility and receive nearly all the revenue beyond school-related events. Coach Howard Schnellenberger says the proposed complex could include retail shops, a parking garage, student housing and a hotel. President Frank Brogan envisions the "Athletic Innovation Village." But the last private-sector "innovation" at FAU gives reason to be cautious about this one.

That would be the University Commons shopping center, which is on Glades Road just west of the entrance to the main campus. FAU had told Boca Raton that the land would be home to married student housing. Then the university turned the site, which it owned, into a popular, revenue-producing shopping center that has made the Glades and Interstate 95 intersection a traffic bottleneck.

A stadium "village" would produce more traffic at more peak-hour times than a stadium. It also would represent another shift in plans just after the city and FAU made peace over University Commons. Also, the plan for a link from I-95 onto the campus, to relieve some of the congestion caused just by the daily flow of students onto the campus, remains a good but unfinanced idea.

Despite claims to the contrary, FAU seems overly caught up in going after what Athletic Director Craig Angelos called "the prestige of having the stadium on your campus." FAU's priority is the prestige of the overall campus, not the supposed prestige of a stadium.

[DawgPound]

They really should wait until they have a better grasp of what I-A football costs and what it brings in.  They haven't been around long enough to really figure it out.  You don't see FIU panic like this(I see them being the better program in the long run as a result).

[KNIGHTTIME]

They look like they are trying to distance from FIU in athletics.    Good luck to them.   I just don't think they can have 3 D-1a schools in such a small area.   Tough sell...

[TripleB]

They look like they are trying to distance from FIU in athletics.    Good luck to them.   I just don't think they can have 3 D-1a schools in such a small area.

Especially with the rampant fan apathy down there.....

[ucfknights04]

Good for them.

Also, Dawgpound, something tells me Shellenberger knows a thing or two about DI-A football.

You could make many similar arguements about UCFs capital campaign considering our attendance numbers and lack of success.  If FAU continues to win, they will do ok in attendance...especially with smart scheduling around Miami home games whenever possible.  

FIU seems like they aren't even trying.

[South_Tampa_Knight]

They will get this done, one way or another and the way they are going about it is the right way.  Screw what the papers or locals think, its the schools property to do what they wish with.  There is a lot of money in Boca and FAU has a lot of wealthy, powerful alumni.

[DawgPound]

STK, you must have not been reading all the reports of how Boca is struggling to make ends meet on the city's end.  FAU isn't going to be able to rely on the city for help.

Didn't Shelly cause his previous schools to go under NCAA sanctions?  Yeah, he runs a program...into the ground.  "Win at all costs" isn't the right way to do things.

[Guest FIU Golden Panthers]

See article below (last few lines).  Coach Strock is not out beating the bushes for money because the funding has already been secured, per people in the know, and final numbers are being worked on.  Unfortunately, right now a 30K stadium is more than big enough for FIU but it will be expandable.  More importantly the football admin. offices are being built after this year and the coaches can move out of those trailers, you guys should be familiar with that  .  

From the FIU board.

Third-year QB Padrick begins in comfort zone

By Craig Barnes

Staff Writer

Posted August 9 2005

MIAMI · Josh Padrick, who ran the option in high school, begins his third year as Florida International's quarterback today. Practice begins at 6 a.m. and, for the first time, he is comfortable with the offense.

"I remember in meetings my first two years," Padrick said. "Coach [Don] Strock would call a play, and I would have to get up and draw it on the board. I knew the play and how to draw it. I would get up, and my mind would go blank."

Padrick's development has come in steps, and he hopes to take another as the Golden Panthers move to the Sun Belt Conference, play a Division I schedule and open at Kansas State.

"He always had the physical tools," Strock said.

"The size, mobility and arm strength were why we wanted him. We had to be patient and let him develop. He has gotten better each year."

Padrick was redshirted in 2002. The next year, the 6-foot-3, 192-pound junior passed for 2,493 yards (183 of 367).In 2004, he threw for 2,269 yards (203 of 358).

"He worked on his game management," Strock said.

"His touchdown-to-interception ratio improved significantly. Josh needs to understand that it is better not to make a throw and risk an interception than to make a high-risk throw and get it picked."

Strock needs to find a running back, and freshman A'mod Ned of Northeast High will be among those competing. Julian Reams is the favorite.

Cory McKinney and Chandler Williams are solid wide receivers, but tight end Sam Smith will be a bigger part of the offense.

"Sam is the prototype NFL tight end," Strock said. "He is too talented not to be more involved."

The 6-3, 253-pound Smith caught 42 passes for 510 yards with three TDs last year.

Center Victor Cernius and guard Ed Wenger anchor a veteran line.

Cornerback Nick Turnbull of Flanagan and strong side linebacker Lance Preston of Chaminade-Madonna lead the defense.

Looking ahead

The Golden Panthers play Maryland in 2006, 2007 and 2010, Bowling Green in 2006 and 2007, Alabama in 2006 and 2009, Penn State in 2007, Iowa in 2008, Toledo in 2008 and 2009, South Florida in 2006, 2008 and 2009 and Florida in 2009. ...

Construction will begin on a building for football administration after the season. ...

Strock indicated that FIU hopes to have an on-campus stadium to seat 25,000-30,000 ready for 2007.

[ucfknights04]

Sorry FIU - not buying it yet...after all, what good is a 25-30K stadium going to do with the Div. I-A rules say it has to be 35K plus?

There is more parity between FAU and FIU than there is between UCF/USF or FSU/Miami/UF.

They had a 1 year head start right?

[CyberBull]

They will get this done, one way or another and the way they are going about it is the right way.  Screw what the papers or locals think, its the schools property to do what they wish with.  There is a lot of money in Boca and FAU has a lot of wealthy, powerful alumni.

I think you are right.

When UCF came up with their new facilities financing plan I said that it would either completely blow up in their face or would be copied by other institutions. I think FAU is jumping the gun a little bit considering the UCF model hasn't been tested but I think Orsini is on to something.

Has UCF broken ground on the arena or had an official announcement?