NAU Dome to be ready for home opener

[dbackjon]

The Walkup Skydome's facelift is nearly complete.

Driven by safety and outstanding issues regarding standards outlined by the Americans with Disabilities Association, renovations to the Skydome are starting to look like, well, a modern-day athletic facility.

Built in the 1970s, the dome had fallen below current building code requirements, and the university decided to upgrade the facility, including new accommodations for those with disabilities.

"The main reason for the remodel was due to safety and ADA issues," assistant dome director Ron Morrison said. "The upgrades help to provide the seating for all different types of disabilities that might walk or roll through the door."

The dome's remodel also puts its fire safety system up to date with codes.



Read more: http://azdailysun.com/sports/college/na ... z1UBoNvbZD" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[TribeNomad]

I was in N. Arizona last month and drove through the NAU campus looking for the football stadium. I finally realized that the dome was "it'. Man there is a lot of construction on that campus.....does look nice though. Good luck this year.

[dbackjon]

I was in N. Arizona last month and drove through the NAU campus looking for the football stadium. I finally realized that the dome was "it'. Man there is a lot of construction on that campus.....does look nice though. Good luck this year.

Thanks.

Looking forward to seeing it. They did reduce capacity by 4K by making each seat bigger.

[Screamin_Eagle174]

I was in N. Arizona last month and drove through the NAU campus looking for the football stadium. I finally realized that the dome was "it'. Man there is a lot of construction on that campus.....does look nice though. Good luck this year.

Thanks.

Looking forward to seeing it. They did reduce capacity by 4K by making each seat bigger.

How many could it seat before? 4k seems like a hefty number for a smaller dome like that.

[TribeNomad]

I wish the airlines would make each seat bigger......Americans are too freakin fat now to squeeze into the tiny seats...

[dbackjon]

Thanks.

Looking forward to seeing it. They did reduce capacity by 4K by making each seat bigger.

How many could it seat before? 4k seems like a hefty number for a smaller dome like that.

14K to 10 K

[AZGrizFan]

How many could it seat before? 4k seems like a hefty number for a smaller dome like that.

14K to 10 K

[alvin kayak]

I wish the airlines would make each seat bigger......Americans are too freakin fat now to squeeze into the tiny seats...

Or they could start treating people like human beings. I have no idea how a competitor has not emerged with the major commercial airlines since the service is so poor.

[Screamin_Eagle174]

How many could it seat before? 4k seems like a hefty number for a smaller dome like that.

14K to 10 K

Ouch.

[AZGrizFan]

14K to 10 K

Ouch.

I mean, seriously. I can see taking out 3-4 seats per row, but four THOUSAND seats???? They have just relegated themselves to complete irrelevance for the next 20 years.

[SDHornet]

Ouch.

I mean, seriously. I can see taking out 3-4 seats per row, but four THOUSAND seats???? They have just relegated themselves to complete irrelevance for the next 20 years.

No kidding.

Jon, any pics of the renovations?

[AZGrizFan]

I mean, seriously. I can see taking out 3-4 seats per row, but four THOUSAND seats???? They have just relegated themselves to complete irrelevance for the next 20 years.

No kidding.

Jon, any pics of the renovations?

Turns out the took out ALL the bleacher seats (which were divided up into 18" sections) and replaced them with theatre-style seats @ 21" width....it LOOKS good, but they're going to lose a TON of revenue when the Griz hit town....

[SDHornet]

Is there a before pic to compare? I'm completely clueless as to tell the difference.

[AZGrizFan]

Is there a before pic to compare? I'm completely clueless as to tell the difference.

Just picture all bleachers with no backs, kind of like a high school stadium.

[SDHornet]

Is there a before pic to compare? I'm completely clueless as to tell the difference.

Just picture all bleachers with no backs, kind of like a high school stadium.

Oh. Well if nicer seats can attract more people so the average attendance jumps up maybe it is the right move. But I agree, can't miss out on the high attendance/revenue games. Hornet stadium only gets filled for the Causeway even though the seats normally sit empty for everything else. Now with Cal Poly and cal davis alternating every year as a home game, it will be nice to see a boost in average attendance and revenue.

Will NAU be able to host other events now due to the "better quality" seats? Or is the Sky Dome already used quite a bit for other non sport event? That could offset and maybe even result in an increase in revenue.

[AZGrizFan]

Just picture all bleachers with no backs, kind of like a high school stadium.

Oh. Well if nicer seats can attract more people so the average attendance jumps up maybe it is the right move. But I agree, can't miss out on the high attendance/revenue games. Hornet stadium only gets filled for the Causeway even though the seats normally sit empty for everything else. Now with Cal Poly and cal davis alternating every year as a home game, it will be nice to see a boost in average attendance and revenue.

Will NAU be able to host other events now due to the "better quality" seats? Or is the Sky Dome already used quite a bit for other non sport event? That could offset and maybe even result in an increase in revenue.

They averaged just 7398 in 2010, but that was without the Griz game....

[alvin kayak]

Personally, i'd rather go to a smaller arena that had more sitters than a large, cold empty place. Just me.

[SDHornet]

Oh. Well if nicer seats can attract more people so the average attendance jumps up maybe it is the right move. But I agree, can't miss out on the high attendance/revenue games. Hornet stadium only gets filled for the Causeway even though the seats normally sit empty for everything else. Now with Cal Poly and cal davis alternating every year as a home game, it will be nice to see a boost in average attendance and revenue.

Will NAU be able to host other events now due to the "better quality" seats? Or is the Sky Dome already used quite a bit for other non sport event? That could offset and maybe even result in an increase in revenue.

They averaged just 7398 in 2010, but that was without the Griz game....

NAU averaged 7,678 in '09. I guess those seats won't be missed.

http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_ ... e/2009.pdf

[AZGrizFan]

They averaged just 7398 in 2010, but that was without the Griz game....

NAU averaged 7,678 in '09. I guess those seats won't be missed.

http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_ ... e/2009.pdf

Yep...I'm talkin' out my ass. Griz game drew 9100 in '05, 8,300 in '07 and just 7,300 in '09. Maybe it just SEEMED like more because half those are Griz fans.

[SDHornet]

NAU averaged 7,678 in '09. I guess those seats won't be missed.

http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_ ... e/2009.pdf

Yep...I'm talkin' out my ass. Griz game drew 9100 in '05, 8,300 in '07 and just 7,300 in '09. Maybe it just SEEMED like more because half those are Griz fans.

You know, it'll also be that much easier for NAU to have a "sell out".

[AZGrizFan]

Yep...I'm talkin' out my ass. Griz game drew 9100 in '05, 8,300 in '07 and just 7,300 in '09. Maybe it just SEEMED like more because half those are Griz fans.

You know, it'll also be that much easier for NAU to have a "sell out".

Well, I've never been to a non-Griz game up there (Jon might know more about this) but I can tell you at the Griz game OUR side is much fuller than the NAU side of the stadium....

[mtjack]

It's the rarest of occasions that the Skydome sells out. Even when the Griz are in town, AZGrizFan. You guys bring a good chunk of fandom but not enough to sell out a 14,000+ Skydome.

Seat reduction may make tickets trickier to find for games like homecoming and parent's weekend but that's about it. Admittedly, the yellow bleacher seats were not the most comfortable in the world. Haven't seen the inside of the "new" dome firsthand but pictures look good. It was time for a makeover.

[Screamin_Eagle174]

It's the rarest of occasions that the Skydome sells out. Even when the Griz are in town, AZGrizFan. You guys bring a good chunk of fandom but not enough to sell out a 14,000+ Skydome.

Seat reduction may make tickets trickier to find for games like homecoming and parent's weekend but that's about it. Admittedly, the yellow bleacher seats were not the most comfortable in the world. Haven't seen the inside of the "new" dome firsthand but pictures look good. It was time for a makeover.

Do the Cards hold their training camp scrimmages in there?

[mtjack]

You know, it'll also be that much easier for NAU to have a "sell out".

Well, I've never been to a non-Griz game up there (Jon might know more about this) but I can tell you at the Griz game OUR side is much fuller than the NAU side of the stadium....

AZGrizfan....I caught a fish thiiiiiiiiiissss big. You're embellishing. No way there have been more Grizzly fans than Lumberjacks fans up there. I don't doubt Griz fans have definitely been louder by the end of the game as your were up 59-28 (or whatever) that one game I remember. But no way have there ever been more Griz fans at the start of the game than Jacks fans.

[AZGrizFan]

Well, I've never been to a non-Griz game up there (Jon might know more about this) but I can tell you at the Griz game OUR side is much fuller than the NAU side of the stadium....

AZGrizfan....I caught a fish thiiiiiiiiiissss big. You're embellishing. No way there have been more Grizzly fans than Lumberjacks fans up there. I don't doubt Griz fans have definitely been louder by the end of the game as your were up 59-28 (or whatever) that one game I remember. But no way have there ever been more Griz fans at the start of the game than Jacks fans.

Fine. but by midway through the 3rd quarter, you folks fold up your tents and go home.