I wonder if Rock would be OK with renaming his field to Vincent Stewart Field at Hanson Stadium to honor the late General?
He did play for us, right before embarking on a truly distinguished career in the USMC.
Hanson Field
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sealhall74
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Embrace the pace of the race.
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4EverPurple&Gold
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I am sorry, but no...sealhall74 wrote: Wed May 03, 2023 11:56 am I wonder if Rock would be OK with renaming his field to Vincent Stewart Field at Hanson Stadium to honor the late General?
He did play for us, right before embarking on a truly distinguished career in the USMC.
I believe that the current rules/guidelines are that there has to be a donation and some sort of new construction for something to be named after someone now.
We ran into that with naming the marching band practice field after longtime director Dale Hopper. Money is being raised and there will be a new storage shed built next to the field.
If football alumni (or maybe ROTC/Military Science) wanted to raise money and have something built, then they might see about naming something after him, but it seems unlikely at this point. I personally wouldn't be opposed to a Hanson Field at Vince Stewart Stadium (especially if it came with the new home side stands and pressbox that they teased us with...idk...a decade ago maybe?)
We ran into that with naming the marching band practice field after longtime director Dale Hopper. Money is being raised and there will be a new storage shed built next to the field.
If football alumni (or maybe ROTC/Military Science) wanted to raise money and have something built, then they might see about naming something after him, but it seems unlikely at this point. I personally wouldn't be opposed to a Hanson Field at Vince Stewart Stadium (especially if it came with the new home side stands and pressbox that they teased us with...idk...a decade ago maybe?)
Scott Lawson - Board AdminWestern Illinois University Alum/Fan/Employee
Member of the Marching Leathernecks - 1996-2000
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sealhall74
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Or maybe a new Vincent Stewart Rifle Range when we make the move to the OVC and we can make very good use of it?
That could certainly be done at a much smaller cost than a whole new football stadium. Army ROTC could also benefit and chip in for it.
That could certainly be done at a much smaller cost than a whole new football stadium. Army ROTC could also benefit and chip in for it.
Embrace the pace of the race.
Love this idea!sealhall74 wrote: Thu May 04, 2023 9:26 am Or maybe a new Vincent Stewart Rifle Range when we make the move to the OVC and we can make very good use of it?
That could certainly be done at a much smaller cost than a whole new football stadium. Army ROTC could also benefit and chip in for it.
:lol::lol:Can't seem to find the post, but at one point someone asked about state funding for athletics facilities improvements and how it seems like everything we build has to be covered directly by either the athletics budget or by private donations.
There's a thread over on AnyGivenSaturday talking about some football stadium improvements at Rhode Island. It sounds like most states are in a similar situation as we are (little to no facilities improvement money from the state for athletics), but RI is getting $33.6 million from the state and will need to raise $8.4 million on their own to make the $42 million renovations. They are in a similar boat as we are, with their "home side" being old, run down, and cramped, as seen in the following presentation to their Board of Trustees:
Although you can see in the video that their "visitors" side is pretty nice. It looks like the stands themselves are similar to our visitor's side stands, but it happens to be attached to their basketball arena, and is open at the top, so fans can go into the concourse of the basketball arena for concessions and bathrooms.
Still, must be nice to be able to get a big chunk of that from the state and "only" needing to raise ~20% of the total themselves.
There's a thread over on AnyGivenSaturday talking about some football stadium improvements at Rhode Island. It sounds like most states are in a similar situation as we are (little to no facilities improvement money from the state for athletics), but RI is getting $33.6 million from the state and will need to raise $8.4 million on their own to make the $42 million renovations. They are in a similar boat as we are, with their "home side" being old, run down, and cramped, as seen in the following presentation to their Board of Trustees:
Although you can see in the video that their "visitors" side is pretty nice. It looks like the stands themselves are similar to our visitor's side stands, but it happens to be attached to their basketball arena, and is open at the top, so fans can go into the concourse of the basketball arena for concessions and bathrooms.
Still, must be nice to be able to get a big chunk of that from the state and "only" needing to raise ~20% of the total themselves.
Scott Lawson - Board AdminWestern Illinois University Alum/Fan/Employee
Member of the Marching Leathernecks - 1996-2000
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sealhall74
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When there are only 3 public colleges (University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, and Community College of Rhode Island) and you are the flagship, all kinds of good things will happen for you with tax dollars.
Embrace the pace of the race.
To ST_Lawson: "Can't seem to find the post, but at one point someone asked about state funding for athletics facilities improvements and how it seems like everything we build has to be covered directly by either the athletics budget or by private donations."
For strictly athletic facilities, I believe you are correct, but as you can see, there are ways around it (Illinois politics).
The only exception I know of -- for a major sports/community capital project -- is the Jones Convocation Center at Chicago State. According to wiki (and several other sources, including my own memory, faulty as it can be), "The convocation center is unique among Illinois university athletic projects, as Chicago State University itself did not need to raise any money for the project; the money was allocated from the State of Illinois Treasury by then Senate President Emil Jones." Opened 2007, $47 million, seats 6,000. Named after Emil and his late wife, Patricia.
WIU doesn't have that kind of clout. As a matter of fact, I recall reading that to cover the new fine arts facility (greater cost, smaller than hoped), WIU had to swap some $ from requests for appropriations for other facilities. Maybe someone can dig that up.
Another method: Recently-approved expansion will be funded by a 501(c)(3) corporation and leased back to UIC; public-private partnership.
https://today.uic.edu/board-grants-key- ... buildings/
For strictly athletic facilities, I believe you are correct, but as you can see, there are ways around it (Illinois politics).
The only exception I know of -- for a major sports/community capital project -- is the Jones Convocation Center at Chicago State. According to wiki (and several other sources, including my own memory, faulty as it can be), "The convocation center is unique among Illinois university athletic projects, as Chicago State University itself did not need to raise any money for the project; the money was allocated from the State of Illinois Treasury by then Senate President Emil Jones." Opened 2007, $47 million, seats 6,000. Named after Emil and his late wife, Patricia.
WIU doesn't have that kind of clout. As a matter of fact, I recall reading that to cover the new fine arts facility (greater cost, smaller than hoped), WIU had to swap some $ from requests for appropriations for other facilities. Maybe someone can dig that up.
Another method: Recently-approved expansion will be funded by a 501(c)(3) corporation and leased back to UIC; public-private partnership.
https://today.uic.edu/board-grants-key- ... buildings/
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4EverPurple&Gold
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Thanks for sharing Scott... wow URI has it roughST_Lawson wrote: Wed Jul 05, 2023 10:20 am Can't seem to find the post, but at one point someone asked about state funding for athletics facilities improvements and how it seems like everything we build has to be covered directly by either the athletics budget or by private donations.
There's a thread over on AnyGivenSaturday talking about some football stadium improvements at Rhode Island. It sounds like most states are in a similar situation as we are (little to no facilities improvement money from the state for athletics), but RI is getting $33.6 million from the state and will need to raise $8.4 million on their own to make the $42 million renovations. They are in a similar boat as we are, with their "home side" being old, run down, and cramped, as seen in the following presentation to their Board of Trustees:
Although you can see in the video that their "visitors" side is pretty nice. It looks like the stands themselves are similar to our visitor's side stands, but it happens to be attached to their basketball arena, and is open at the top, so fans can go into the concourse of the basketball arena for concessions and bathrooms.
Still, must be nice to be able to get a big chunk of that from the state and "only" needing to raise ~20% of the total themselves.
Wondering if a video presentation would help us with donations as well. If I was an alum and saw that I would donate right away