Seminole Boosters and Florida State Athletics received permission from the Board of Trustees (BOT) on Thursday morning to begin pre-sale activities of new seating and fan experiences within Doak Campbell Stadium.
“The permission given by the BOT was the first of many steps to address the preferences expressed by our ticket-holders and infrastructure needs and repairs within the stadium,” said Seminole Booster President and CEO Michael Alford and Athletic Director David Coburn in a letter to Seminole Booster members.
The following information is based on the initial approval. More details and information will follow throughout this spring and summer.
The Boosters will meet with each season ticket holder individually beginning in the fall of 2021 with construction possible by the 2024 season.
“This is an opportunity to sit down with each and every person in an orderly manner,” Alford said. “We will call each person to set an appointment to talk to them about what the benefits are, where the finances are going, what we’re trying to get accomplished, and what their options are so they can make an informed decision. And that takes two years, literally. I have done this several times. It’s a process of sitting down and making sure that we are transparent and extremely customer service friendly.”
The Boosters will provide the BOT with regular feedback on sales prior to requesting approval for financing the project.
The BOT was presented with the results of a comprehensive survey by CSL, a leader in the sports industry, of Seminole Boosters, season ticket holders, single game buyers and others to gauge interest in seating and fan experience. Participation in the survey, conducted in February of 2020, was extremely high, with 91 percent of respondents expressing interest in new seating opportunities and fan experiences.
The Trustees were also presented architectural renderings of proposed seating opportunities on the West Sideline of the stadium and in the Dunlap Champions Club which were developed by Populous, the recognized world leader in the field with over 3000 projects including Olympic and Super Bowl venues.
The project goals would include:
· Improve the overall fan experience
· Address stadium infrastructure issues
· Add a variety of seating experiences (from three to 10) ranging from standing porches to sideline loge boxes
· Add comfort to seating options
· Enhance the concourses spaces and create new social gathering/entertainment areas
· Create a funding model to support athletic facility priorities
Populous has provided a proposed plan for conceptual redevelopment to meet these goals by the 2024 season.
Pre-selling will begin in the fall of 2021 and continue over the next two years.
