Indoor Practice Facility

[Sanantoniobird]

Just got the invite for the groundbreaking. Very exciting! Super excited!
However, I guess I’ve never seen a rendition of what it’s expected to look like finished. I think I’m a little disappointed. I might be shortsighted, but we’ve been waiting this long to build this? Feels like we coulda done this earlier, but I will admit I’ve never been in the market to buy an indoor facility, so this may be state of the art.

 

[isuquinndog]

I don't think that is an official render, like it looks like a photo of a non-descript dome with our logo on it. Maybe I'm wrong.

 

[TIMMY]

I don't think that is an official render, like it looks like a photo of a non-descript dome with our logo on it. Maybe I'm wrong.

You are not wrong.

 

[MadBird]

The only "view" that matters is what it looks like from the inside, and I'm guessing this will look just fine.

 

[WoodlandWarrior]

Just concerned with durability. The Pekin Dragon Dome is still not repaired after it deflated.

 

[Total Red]

I don't think that is an official render, like it looks like a photo of a non-descript dome with our logo on it. Maybe I'm wrong.

It may not be an official render, but we've known for some time now that it was going to be a bubble and that's what a bubble looks like. It won't be much different. I think it looks cool, but some people won't agree. I'm not sure it matters much. It's about functionality. QB Zack Annexstad should not have to take teammates off campus to find a place to work out in bad weather. We need this and we need it now.

The other thing that I think is underappreciated is how this is being paid for. This will be primarily paid through private donations and that is a major breakthrough for Illinois State Athletics. In the past, Capital facilities for athletics relied heavily on student fees. Redbird Arena was built in 1989. The Hancock stadium renovation also relied on student fees. That renovation was completed in 2013, 24 years after RA. Using student fees to pay off bonds is a painfully slow process of build, wait, wait, wait, build, wait, wait, wait. The IPF breaks that cycle. It is paid for so we can immediately start thinking about what we want next. That is how most of D-I operates. As soon as one building goes up you start on the next one. It's a never-ending arms race of Capital Improvement. That's why I've always been reluctant to see Illinois State go FBS. You don't want to get into that arms race if you can't or won't compete.

This IPF is the first real indication that that can change. Can we follow up with another major project? We should definitely try and if we can get it done then it's a "New Normal" around here and we can raise our sights. But keep in mind what we're up against and how far we would need to go. This is one air supported structure. If we go FBS our most likely destination is the MAC so how are they doing? (forget about measuring against Big10 facilities) This is Miami of Ohio, permanent IPF, locker room and team meeting room. It's still a LONG way to go.

 

[TIMMY]

This is the dome at UIndy. It's 12 years old. I think we can expect something similar. The Miami building sure is nice. As for our dome collapsing, I would never say never because shit certainly happens. I am pretty sure ours will have a warranty and insurance. Don't know what's up (or not up) in Pekin.

 

[Sanantoniobird]

I totally get what you are saying Total Red, about needing a facility "as soon as yesterday"...but usually the renderings are over-promises, IMO. I honestly can't remember the exact amount of money raised, but it seemed like a lot (I know I had to skip lunch a couple of days) and I just expected something in the realm of that Miami building. I mean, I once belonged to a small tennis club that was able to buy a bubble that covered 6 full courts. We only had maybe 200 members. I know the comparison is weak, but it's all I'm willing to reference (& research), right now.

I can't wait til it's up...it will be a huge recruiting gem!

 

[fourthandshort]

I don't care any more ... a bubble willl give us 95% of what we need it for.

At this point, I'm 99% cool with that. Sooner the better .. the Spack era window is slowly closing. With he right pass game (OC/QB), we would be in top 4-8 most seasons. The bubble will help us get back to Frisco. Bricks may help us win a recruit or 2 over, but it is not a big enough difference maker to have to wait longer and spend a lot more money.

Bubble it is ... and you do NOT want to upset me about this !!

Sincerely, Bubble Boy

 

[Total Red]

I honestly can't remember the exact amount of money raised, but it seemed like a lot (I know I had to skip lunch a couple of days) and I just expected something in the realm of that Miami building.

The bubble had a price tag of about 11.5 million and a permanent structure would run 25 million or more. The money for the bubble has been raised, thank you for skipping lunch, but unless you're willing sell your winter home in the Virgin Isles or that Yacht you just picked up from a Russian Oligarch, then we're still 13-14 million short and a permanent structure isn't really a choice.

 

[Total Red]

This is the dome at UIndy. It's 12 years old. I think we can expect something similar. The Miami building sure is nice. As for our dome collapsing, I would never say never because shit certainly happens. I am pretty sure ours will have a warranty and insurance. Don't know what's up (or not up) in Pekin.
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Bryce Jefferson is now at UIndy so that means he had an IPF this past winter and Zack Annexstad didn't. When D-II's start having better facilities you know that yesterday isn't soon enough.

 

[TIMMY]

Cincinnati was able to recruit their way to the FBS playoffs with a bubble as their IPF. I think we'll be OK
.

 

[Virginia Redbird]

I would not worry about the outside looks. I have seen several bubbles at different locations and they all look pretty much the same from outside. It is what they do inside that matters, not the looks from the outside. A brick and mortar building would be great but if this is what can be afforded then ... let's go inside Redbirds!

 

[Sanantoniobird]

Don't get me wrong, super excited and can't wait until this is a reality. Just hoping we get "state-of-the-art" (if it's a bubble) and not get something out-dated before the first backhoe shows up.

 

[Total Red]

Don't get me wrong, super excited and can't wait until this is a reality. Just hoping we get "state-of-the-art" (if it's a bubble) and not get something out-dated before the first backhoe shows up.

As far as bubbles go it should be high quality -

"The Indoor Practice Facility will be a heated, quality opaque dual-membrane fabric air dome with insulation pockets for planned year-round use. The facility will be built in the location of the current football practice field directly north of Horton Field House.
It will be 69 feet high, 393 feet long and 201 feet wide with LED lighting.
A 100-yard practice football field will feature a single end zone with run off areas and artificial turf to match the current surface at Hancock Stadium." - Pantagraph

 

[ISUBU]

This'll be a really tight squeeze into that space, and it's going to change the view from the tailgate lot, that's for sure. I'm guessing they'll have to rework the steps from the tailgate lot to the Horton grandstand. Provides a nice opportunity to dress up those stairs a bit.

 

[cubird]

Escalator for old timers (I am one)

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