The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/368728
SEPTEMBER 2014 ■ 5 ■ WOLFPACK CLUB NEWS Over the last several years, many needs have been identified and addressed at Carter-Finley Stadium. The football team needed a home at the stadium that combined locker rooms, team meeting rooms, academic study areas, dining, strength & conditioning, and coaches' offices. These needs were addressed by the Wendell H. Murphy Football Center. The fans needed additional seating areas with arm rests, cup holders, and chairbacks. Fans also needed a better way to see replays and live action. Amenity seating areas, such as club seats and suites, were also identified as areas of need. These items were addressed through the building of the North and South Endzone seating, the three large scoreboards that were added to the stadium, and through the building of Vaughn Towers. Upgraded practice facilities were also added to the Carter-Finley grounds during the stadium renovations in the early 2000's through the construction of three Dail Practice Fields. The next step in the improvement of our football facilities is the construction of an Indoor Practice Facility. This facility will enhance the team's ability to train in inclement weather and continue to improve, through rain, sleet, or snow. This facility will also reaffirm NC State's commitment to becoming a successful football program. The Indoor Facility will complement the three current practice fields by providing an indoor component to the outdoor fields that are currently used daily during practice. When considering the site for the Indoor Facility, several factors came into play. Some of these factors are listed below: • How can the current outdoor practice configuration (two grass fields and one artificial turf field) be preserved? • What location lessens the impact to the team if inclement weather arrives quickly? • Is there something close to a mid-point between the Murphy Center and the Dail Practice Fields (outdoor)? • How is football parking going to be impacted? • What site looks the best aesthetically? All of these factors, and more, were considered when selecting the site that is at the front of the upper portion of the Southeast Lot. In the same way that almost all of the stadium improvements have impacted the parking at Carter-Finley, the construction of the Indoor Practice Facility will cause an overall loss in the number of parking spaces in the lots that are on the stadium grounds. The loss is expected to be around 800 parking spaces for the 2014 season (construction) and then a final loss of about 350 spaces for the 2015 season and beyond (completion). *More parking will be lost during the 2014 season, due to the amount of space that will be needed for construction staging and preparation. This staging and preparation area will be converted back to football parking for the 2015 season, after the construction is complete. IMPACT TO PARKING SPACES In the same way that almost all of the stadium improvements have impacted the parking at Carter-Finley, the construction of the Indoor Practice Facility will cause an overall loss in the number of parking spaces in the lots that are on the stadium grounds. The loss is expected to be around 800 parking spaces for the 2014 season (construction) and then a final loss of about 350 spaces for the 2015 season and beyond (completion). *More parking will be lost during the 2014 season, due to the amount of space that will be needed for con- struction staging and preparation. This staging and preparation area will be converted back to football parking for the 2015 season, after the construction is complete. RANKS, LOTS, AND PARKING ASSIGNMENTS In the 2013 season, the final rank to qualify for parking in the Carter-Finley/PNC Arena Parking Lots was approximately 7800. The forecast for 2014 is approximately 6000, due to the construction of the Indoor Facil- ity. This means that donors with ranks greater than roughly 6000 would be assigned to other parking areas (compared to ranks greater than 7800 last season). The assigned lots could be the Faculty-Staff/Varsity Club Lot, Trinity, TX, Cardinal-Gibbons, or another park- ing lot (we are in the process of negotiating for a lot in the vicinity of Carter-Finley). Additional parking in the wooded area in the back of the Southeast and in the Faculty-Staff/Varsity Club Lot is another option that is being pursued. It is expected that all lots on Carter-Finley property will be affected in some way by the construction of the Indoor Facility. Donors ranked from the mid-100's park at the front of the Southeast, with donors ranked from 2000-6000 parking in the middle portion of the lot, donors ranked 7000-7800 assigned in the back of the lot. Due to the vast number of donors and the overall spread of ranks, it is anticipated that the donors in Southeast who qualify for other lots will move to those other lots. The impact will not just be on the donors who park in the Southeast. QUICK Q & A Q: I don't park in the Southeast Lot. Could this affect me? A: Yes. Due to the vast number of donors and the overall spread of ranks, it is anticipated that the donors in Southeast who qualify for other lots will move to those other lots. Q: Why was this location chosen? A: Many factors were considered, including preservation of three outdoor practice fields, proximity to both the outdoor fields and the Murphy Center, impact to parking, and overall aesthetics.