UNLV Regent and Stadium BOD member James Dean Leavitt has asked UNLV Chair & acting President Don Snyder to "consider the option of adding a dome in the future if the panel recommends an open-air design" for the football venue, according to Alan Snel of the LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL. The BOD majority appears to "back a stadium with canopies shading spectators, much like" Baylor's new McLane Stadium. But Leavitt "supports building a domed stadium on the UNLV campus because he argues an enclosed venue will generate more revenue." Leavitt believes it will be "worth it over the long run to invest the extra" $300M towards a dome. CSL President Bill Rhoda yesterday said that he is "unaware of any stadiums designed and built with the later option of taking a dome." But he said that he is "still checking and should have a cost estimate in time for the Aug. 28 stadium board meeting." One current option is a Baylor-type venue with a capacity of 45,000 at $522.9M, which includes $342M in hard construction costs, $80.9M in soft costs such as architectural expenses and $100M for site and infrastructure. Also under consideration is an open-air facility with capacity of 50,000-55,000 at $655.2M, which includes $449M for hard construction, $106.2M for soft costs and $100M for site and infrastructure. A third option is a domed stadium with capacity of 50,000-55,000 at $592.5M for construction, which includes $140.1M for soft costs and $100M for site and infrastructure" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 8/12).
LOWERING EXPECTATIONS: In Denver, Terry Frei reports in the wake of Colorado State firing AD Jack Graham last week, CSU President Tony Frank yesterday "conceded it's unlikely the school will meet its goal" to raise $110M in seed money by October "for a proposed on-campus stadium." After two years of conditional fundraising, Frank "all but ruled out extending the October deadline, while adding that he is beginning to more seriously ponder scaling back the project to cut the cost and financing options that wouldn't violate his pledges to avoid using university general fund money and student fees." Frank said that he has considered "giving up and committing to improving the off-campus Hughes Stadium" at a cost of "at least" $30M (DENVER POST, 8/12).
