aggy stadium expansion
COLLEGE STATION — Long after the Zone Club had gone quiet late Monday night, following a colossal celebration of Texas A&M's formal entrance into the Southeastern Conference, a resounding "Whoop!" echoed through the building's darkened lobby.
Miles Marks, president of the 12th Man Foundation, was strolling through. "Six inches off the ground," as he put it. There's a big reason Marks and his staff are walking on air in Aggieland right now — and it's all about the SEC.
"The last seats are usually so hard to sell in a stadium," said Marks, leader of A&M athletics' primary fundraising arm. "But as we saw the SEC move start to happen, suddenly we sold out of season tickets."
Based on the invigorated interest in the football program, the Aggies also are revisiting the drawing board on planned renovations for Kyle Field.
"The plans that we had actually reduced Kyle Field's capacity, as we added more club seating and things along those lines," Marks said. "But that doesn't work when you're already sold out — plus when you know you'll be having more (opposing) fans coming in. It made us rethink what we're going to do with Kyle Field.
"Everything has been pulled off the table. We were going to reduce its size — now we're going to grow it."
A&M president R. Bowen Loftin, catalyst behind the SEC move, said the Aggies also are revisiting the renovation's timeline.
"At one point, we were thinking in terms of starting a major project as early as the end of the season of 2012," Loftin said. "We've decided now to wait until at least 2013 to begin that, to make sure we do it right. We definitely need to work on Kyle Field from many perspectives. Part of it has been here for almost 100 years, so it needs  some work, obviously."
Rumors have circulated that work might include a complete demolition of the lower two decks and that A&M might play its home games at Houston's Reliant Stadium and Arlington's Cowboys Stadium for a season while the renovation takes place.
"Nothing's off the table, but right now we don't have any plans to do anything like that," Marks said of playing home games away from Kyle.
In terms of the actual renovation, Marks added "nothing's off the table" on that front, either, including closing in the south end zone — it's all up for discussion in the redesign. In addressing one more bit of gossip, Marks said there is no one mystery donor who pledged a huge amount toward the renovation — the rumored figure was $100 million — contingent on the Aggies moving to the SEC.
Marks has been impressed, however, with the donations rolling in since the SEC announced it was taking on the Aggies as its 13th member.
"We've received about $25,000 since Sunday in extra gifts, with people just saying, 'Thank you,'" Marks said.
Meanwhile, SEC commissioner Mike Slive said he intends to make A&M's entrance into the conference memorable — with the first football game in a special slot.
"I could conjure up a heck of an event," Slive said. "(Loftin) and I have talked about that in the past as we've tried to bring this to a culmination. That would be a lot of fun."
The immediate fun for the Aggies involves an 11 a.m. Saturday game against Arkansas in Cowboys Stadium. The Razorbacks will be an SEC opponent starting next year, and the Aggies are bent on snapping a six-game losing streak against their future home long before that "special" conference opener in a year. They're especially bent on moving past a one-point loss to Oklahoma State in their Big 12 opener.
"We're excited about what we can do this year," said senior quarterback Ryan Tannehill, in a reminder A&M still has one final Big 12 slate ahead. "This season isn't over."
Read more:The Link
COLLEGE STATION — Long after the Zone Club had gone quiet late Monday night, following a colossal celebration of Texas A&M's formal entrance into the Southeastern Conference, a resounding "Whoop!" echoed through the building's darkened lobby.
Miles Marks, president of the 12th Man Foundation, was strolling through. "Six inches off the ground," as he put it. There's a big reason Marks and his staff are walking on air in Aggieland right now — and it's all about the SEC.
"The last seats are usually so hard to sell in a stadium," said Marks, leader of A&M athletics' primary fundraising arm. "But as we saw the SEC move start to happen, suddenly we sold out of season tickets."
Based on the invigorated interest in the football program, the Aggies also are revisiting the drawing board on planned renovations for Kyle Field.
"The plans that we had actually reduced Kyle Field's capacity, as we added more club seating and things along those lines," Marks said. "But that doesn't work when you're already sold out — plus when you know you'll be having more (opposing) fans coming in. It made us rethink what we're going to do with Kyle Field.
"Everything has been pulled off the table. We were going to reduce its size — now we're going to grow it."
A&M president R. Bowen Loftin, catalyst behind the SEC move, said the Aggies also are revisiting the renovation's timeline.
"At one point, we were thinking in terms of starting a major project as early as the end of the season of 2012," Loftin said. "We've decided now to wait until at least 2013 to begin that, to make sure we do it right. We definitely need to work on Kyle Field from many perspectives. Part of it has been here for almost 100 years, so it needs  some work, obviously."
Rumors have circulated that work might include a complete demolition of the lower two decks and that A&M might play its home games at Houston's Reliant Stadium and Arlington's Cowboys Stadium for a season while the renovation takes place.
"Nothing's off the table, but right now we don't have any plans to do anything like that," Marks said of playing home games away from Kyle.
In terms of the actual renovation, Marks added "nothing's off the table" on that front, either, including closing in the south end zone — it's all up for discussion in the redesign. In addressing one more bit of gossip, Marks said there is no one mystery donor who pledged a huge amount toward the renovation — the rumored figure was $100 million — contingent on the Aggies moving to the SEC.
Marks has been impressed, however, with the donations rolling in since the SEC announced it was taking on the Aggies as its 13th member.
"We've received about $25,000 since Sunday in extra gifts, with people just saying, 'Thank you,'" Marks said.
Meanwhile, SEC commissioner Mike Slive said he intends to make A&M's entrance into the conference memorable — with the first football game in a special slot.
"I could conjure up a heck of an event," Slive said. "(Loftin) and I have talked about that in the past as we've tried to bring this to a culmination. That would be a lot of fun."
The immediate fun for the Aggies involves an 11 a.m. Saturday game against Arkansas in Cowboys Stadium. The Razorbacks will be an SEC opponent starting next year, and the Aggies are bent on snapping a six-game losing streak against their future home long before that "special" conference opener in a year. They're especially bent on moving past a one-point loss to Oklahoma State in their Big 12 opener.
"We're excited about what we can do this year," said senior quarterback Ryan Tannehill, in a reminder A&M still has one final Big 12 slate ahead. "This season isn't over."
Read more:The Link
