Performance center deadline

[JackJD]

Re: Performance center deadline

I have a short video clip from the SJAC grand opening and will try to figure out how to post in this thread. The facility is outstanding and no picture or video can do full justice -- you have to see it. Great weekend at SDSU!

[JackJD]

Re: Performance center deadline

For those who couldn't attend the grand opening of the SJac, here are some statistics:
Size: 526 feet long x 284 feet wide x 82 feet tall (I understand those are the outside dimensions). Mt. Rushmore would fit inside as would the permanent (west-side) bleachers with press box at Coughlin Alumni Stadium.

The reason the practice turf isn't 100 yds is because it was designed to have a 300-meter track with the turf practice field fitting entirely within the track. So it is marked for 80 yards (the 40 is the center line) with endzones on each end. The corners of the endzones are "trimmed" off (my words) otherwise they would jut into lane one on the track. If they had run the turf all the way to the ends of the building...well, do the math: the building is 526 feet long.

Outside the track, on each end of the building, there are the running lanes for the jumps including pole vault -- both ends of the track. Lots of room for athletes to stretch etc (missing in most indoor facilities). There's permanent seating for something like 1500 to 2000 people and room to move in some temporary bleachers if needed.

It is possible to run a 100-meter dash with plenty of room to slow down at the end of the race -- no need to run into a barrier, padded wall etc. Same for 110-meter hurdles.

The track has eight lanes...the outside lane is 400 meters.

There are five 300-meter indoor track facilities in intercollegiate sports including: Akron; Grand Valley State; Iowa State; Kent State and SDSU. I've been in Iowa State's facility -- it's a great facility but there are support columns on the inside of the track, outside of the turf practice field and it seems to me -- just my eyeball observation -- that the corners are a little bit tighter than SDSU's.

There are some odd-sized tracks (307 meters, e.g.) that are a touch larger to avoid trimming the corners on the endzones. But overall building size for a facility of this type, the designers and builders say its the largest indoor practice facility in Division I athletics. You cannot hold an indoor championship meet on a track longer than 300 meters.

SDSU's facility cost a little under $35 million -- all donated. (The new outdoor football stadium with seating for about 20,000, has a $65 million price tag and about $30mm will be bonded while the rest was donated.

[JackJD]

Re: Performance center deadline

One of the items handed out at the grand opening has some interesting comparisons. Here are a few.

The SJac is large enough for:
Three B-52 Bombers, nose-to-tail
Eight Boeing 737's - 2 side by side and 4 deep
9.1 million bushels of corn (that's enough to fill 2,300 railroad cars
900 cars in a parking stall or 9' x 18'
Mitchell Jackrabbits: Three Corn Palaces!
Mt. Rushmore
30 basketball courts.

[JackJD]

Re: Performance center deadline

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[JackJD]

Re: Performance center deadline

First pic (above) was looking to the southwest corner. Next picture is looking south from the north stands and the following pictures are: view to the southeast, view looking east and showing the north seating area.

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[West-River_Jack]

Re: Performance center deadline

SDSU's facility cost a little under $35 million -- all donated. (The new outdoor football stadium with seating for about 20,000, has a $65 million price tag and about $30mm will be bonded while the rest was donated.

When you add in the cost of the Dykhouse Student Athlete Center you get a total for the three projects which is very close to the cost of the Sanford Premiere center in Sioux Falls. It has a playing surface the size of hockey rink and seats a max of about 12,000 people. These numbers should explain one of the reasons why State didn't lump the funds all together and build a football dome.