Liberty's new stadium!!!

[kuntryboimike]

seating capacity expanded to 60,000. more info and pictures at this link! check it out. its gonna be amazing!
http://www.libertyflames.com/index.cfm? ... 24&TeamID=

[danefan]

There's a thread around here somewhere with pics from the current construction.

It will definitely be great.

Liberty is an interesting test case. They may be spending the most money on FCS football in the country ($5.5 million a year). It should be interesting to see how playoff access effects their national competitiveness and/or how long they stay FCS.

[kuntryboimike]

liberty is going to be a sick team next yr with mike brown at qb and mostly returning players and a few good transfers coming in. cant wait for the season!!!

[slycat]

Very cool

Its crazy the support you get. How many students does Liberty have?

Y'all seem to have a very strong fanbase.

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

That's a lot of folks!

Welcome to the board.

[clenz]

I think I've asked this before but....30K and up to 60K?!?!?!?! Does Liberty really draw that well?

[T-Dog]

I think it's safe to say Liberty is going to FBS.

But first thing's first, they got to win the Big South.

[mainejeff]

Will Liberty be the Baptist Notre Dame?

There gonna be VERY fun to root against!

[CSUBUCDAD]

Unless I missed something they said the seating would go to 30K not 60K. Did I miss something?

[SuperHornet]

I'm interested in that 60K figure, too. The word I got in the Liberty Journal back in November was that it would be 30K. No reference to any more than that.

And, yes, the late Jerry Falwell, Sr., had a goal for Liberty to be the evangelical Notre Dame. I'd say that they're well on their way to that, at least academically. A great seminary (the dean of which is a former Moslem) and an up-and-coming law school plus a fairly decent athletic program. Not bad!

[Willie]

When all three phases are complete, the stadium will have undergone an estimated $22 million in improvements. The renovated facility will also ready the stadium for the future construction of upper desks on the west and east sides of the stadium that will bring the capacity to 60,000.

[∞∞∞]

I can't say I know more about Liberty than people who actually go/went to Liberty, but I feel like it's gonna be tough for them to fill that stadium and become the Evangelical Notre Dame, especially without the support of the citizens of Lynchburg. Unlike South Bend, where the local community supports Notre Dame and help fill the stadium up, the people of Lynchburg (and this is from talkin' to LU grads) could probably care less about the university and some even hate its presence. Also, from personal observations, it seems like LU is in a predicament when it comes to land. They're squished in between dowtown Lynchburg and extremely mountainous terrain. Geographically, it's a long university, but very thin. They have a few open spots to build on here and there, but not nearly enough as open space as Notre Dame sits on. However, I don't know if they own the land past Candlers Rd which already has some development on it. That seems prime for building up eventually (but even if they have it, it's still not enough land to be even close to the size of ND). I'm sure someone from Liberty (*cough* totheleft *cough*) could chime in on the subject even better than I though.

One thing though, Liberty's Demoss Learning Center is about an impressive structure (size-wise) as you'll see on any campus in the nation. That building is absolutely gigantic and quite intimidating really.

here's a map of their campus to show you what I mean when I saw it's thin. To the left of "Campus East" are mountains, and to the right of the other side is downton. And at the top of that map is the local airport:
https://www.liberty.edu/media/1912/Campus_Map_2007.jpg

[93henfan]

So if Larry Flynt ponies up the dough, will they allow Hustler naming rights?

[SuperJon]

The 60k mark is a pipe dream for when my great, great, great grandchildren have kids at Liberty.

Next year the capacity will be 19,200. Within five years we'll hopefully be at the 30,000 capacity.

Included in the new capacity is a five story press tower that runs from ten yard line to ten yard line. It will include 18 suites on the 4th floor, a club level (and club level seating, including the biggest banquet hall in Lynchburg) on the 3rd floor, academic space on the 2nd floor, and concessions/bathrooms on the bottom floor.

As for the evangelical Notre Dame, it's an iffy subject. Right now, Liberty is either closing in on or very close to the 50,000 student mark. While only 11,000ish are on campus, Liberty has a very well-ran and very prominent online school. It's very popular among the military. LU Online is how we draw in the people who would otherwise never give Liberty a second look. It also allows us to have even more of a national fan base.

In regards to the amount of "space" that Liberty has, there is more than people realize. Liberty owns quite a bit of land on Campus East. The land that we own includes two more peaks of Candlers Mountain (all of the way to the monogram) and owns land on the other end going towards the airport. All in all, it's about two miles worth of land in one direction and I'd say a mile in the other. I have no clue how many acres it is. Some of the land will be expensive to grade and build on, but Liberty has plans to do it.

[JMU DJ]

In regards to the amount of "space" that Liberty has, there is more than people realize. Liberty owns quite a bit of land on Campus East. The land that we own includes two more peaks of Candlers Mountain (all of the way to the monogram) and owns land on the other end going towards the airport. All in all, it's about two miles worth of land in one direction and I'd say a mile in the other. I have no clue how many acres it is. Some of the land will be expensive to grade and build on, but Liberty has plans to do it.

Great, fuck up the view even more. That "year round ski slope" looks great


[sarcasm on] You bastages own and control practically all of the city [sarcasm off], why do you think Chucky Cheese turned into an ice cream shop instead of a strip club?

[SuperJon]

I have heard we own the land all of the way to Campbell Ave, but I don't know that for sure.

[SuperHornet]

BTW, Liberty has the only world-class Snowflex facility in the entire country. People are flocking to that thing in droves year-round.

[kuntryboimike]

okay im deployed right now so im hearing a lot from students at LU who get there info from convocation and such. the expansion is a 3 phase plan the 1st being worked on right now and what I was told is all phases will be done in the next few years. the ONLY reason there able to do this is from very generous donors who were prior students at LU. just like the ski slope, im told that came from another donor along with all the decorations on the inside of the building. the 2008-09 yr has approx: 11,900 resident students and the avg attendance at home football games is 15,000 and the record as of 2007 is 15,631 fans. the current capacity for the stadium is 15000 so we could def use the expansion. liberty has a lot of land and ive seen first hand each yr they build more and more. last year liberty accepted too many students and had to buy a hotel just outside campus. liberty doesn't have a problem with students wanting to go there they just dont have enough dorms for everyone but again every year they are building more and more. yes there are alot of people in lynchburg who dont like liberty but there are even more people that do. liberty reaches out to lynchburg more every yr. of the campuses ive visited and heard of liberty is the best environment with the most polite respectful students who are willing to go out of there way to help someone in need out. and they will win the big south conference this yr no doubt about it.

[dbackjon]

Thanks for your service, Mike!

[CAA Flagship]

60,000 fans and not 1 drink to be found at the tailgates.

[Monarch Nation]

60,000 fans and not 1 drink to be found at the tailgates.

Maybe Kool-Aid.

[BlackFalkin]

You cant ignore the importance of facilities when it comes to recruiting...

You cant ignore the importance of facilities when it comes to recruiting...

You cant ignore the importance of facilities when it comes to recruiting...

You cant ignore the importance of facilities when it comes to recruiting...

You cant ignore the importance of facilities when it comes to recruiting...

You cant ignore the importance of facilities when it comes to recruiting...

You cant ignore the importance of facilities when it comes to recruiting...

You cant ignore the importance of facilities when it comes to recruiting...

You cant ignore the importance of facilities when it comes to recruiting...

You cant ignore the importance of facilities when it comes to recruiting...

[danefan]

You cant ignore the importance of facilities when it comes to recruiting...

You cant ignore the importance of facilities when it comes to recruiting...

You cant ignore the importance of facilities when it comes to recruiting...

You cant ignore the importance of facilities when it comes to recruiting...

You cant ignore the importance of facilities when it comes to recruiting...

You cant ignore the importance of facilities when it comes to recruiting...

You cant ignore the importance of facilities when it comes to recruiting...

You cant ignore the importance of facilities when it comes to recruiting...

You cant ignore the importance of facilities when it comes to recruiting...

You cant ignore the importance of facilities when it comes to recruiting...

Especially true at this level where there is such great disparity in facilities.

[Franks Tanks]

Will Liberty be the Baptist Notre Dame?

There gonna be VERY fun to root against!

Falwell wanted Liberty to be the evangelical Notre Dame.

The 60k is years away. The stadium has the ability to go to 60k, but it doesnt say when or if that will happen.

Also Liberty draws very well-- I believe virtually every home game is a sellout.

[Franks Tanks]

okay im deployed right now so im hearing a lot from students at LU who get there info from convocation and such. the expansion is a 3 phase plan the 1st being worked on right now and what I was told is all phases will be done in the next few years. the ONLY reason there able to do this is from very generous donors who were prior students at LU. just like the ski slope, im told that came from another donor along with all the decorations on the inside of the building. the 2008-09 yr has approx: 11,900 resident students and the avg attendance at home football games is 15,000 and the record as of 2007 is 15,631 fans. the current capacity for the stadium is 15000 so we could def use the expansion. liberty has a lot of land and ive seen first hand each yr they build more and more. last year liberty accepted too many students and had to buy a hotel just outside campus. liberty doesn't have a problem with students wanting to go there they just dont have enough dorms for everyone but again every year they are building more and more. yes there are alot of people in lynchburg who dont like liberty but there are even more people that do. liberty reaches out to lynchburg more every yr. of the campuses ive visited and heard of liberty is the best environment with the most polite respectful students who are willing to go out of there way to help someone in need out. and they will win the big south conference this yr no doubt about it.

Liberty has been accepting virtually all applicants in an effort to agressively expand. Any plans for Liberty to begin turing kids away?