CubanMustGo
03-01-2010, 10:26 AM
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/UIW_set_to_double_Benson_Stadium_capacity.html
Incarnate Word football coach Mike Santiago drew a swift, somewhat obvious conclusion when 6,325 fans crammed into the Cardinals' 3,000-seat Benson Stadium for their first-ever game last season.
OK, we need more stands, he thought.
Santiago will soon get his wish.
Construction to expand Benson Stadium is scheduled to begin this month with about 3,000 new seats, highlighting a project that school president Louis Agnese said would cost about $3 million.
A visitor's locker room and two additional press boxes also are set to be added to the facility. Chuckling, Agnese said he hopes UIW benefactor Tom Benson would fund the renovation.
The expansion should be completed by Aug. 28, when UIW kicks off its second season by hosting Langston, Santiago said.
The addition will be constructed on the side of the field opposite the existing grandstands and will coincide with the Cardinals shedding their Division II independent status and joining the Lone Star Conference this fall.
The new stands will connect to the McDermott Center and rise above the existing roadway between the building and the field. The visitor's locker room will extend off the opposite side of the McDermott Center toward the baseball and softball fields.
I think it's something that's needed, Santiago said. It's going to make the gameday environment, which is already good, even better.
Playing in the Lone Star South next fall could result in UIW's home crowds regularly approaching 5,000-plus, as the LSC's 13 teams averaged nearly 5,600 at home games last season. Lone Star South teams drew an average of about 7,300.
Three of the Lone Star Conference's biggest draws Abilene Christian, Texas A&M-Kingsville and West Texas A&M will travel to San Antonio next fall.
An A&M-Kingsville official estimated the school could bring at least 3,000 for its game at UIW, while an Abilene Christian official guessed the school would bring nearly as many fans.
The Cardinals had an average home crowd of about 3,600 last season.
Even with the renovations, Benson Stadium will remain the conference's third-smallest venue in allowed capacity. Other LSC stadiums hold about 11,000 fans on average.
We've seen the stands full and people standing around, Santiago said. I would say we're going to be in that average of the 6,000 to 7,000 for a Lone Star South game.
One day soon, they'll have the room.
Incarnate Word football coach Mike Santiago drew a swift, somewhat obvious conclusion when 6,325 fans crammed into the Cardinals' 3,000-seat Benson Stadium for their first-ever game last season.
OK, we need more stands, he thought.
Santiago will soon get his wish.
Construction to expand Benson Stadium is scheduled to begin this month with about 3,000 new seats, highlighting a project that school president Louis Agnese said would cost about $3 million.
A visitor's locker room and two additional press boxes also are set to be added to the facility. Chuckling, Agnese said he hopes UIW benefactor Tom Benson would fund the renovation.
The expansion should be completed by Aug. 28, when UIW kicks off its second season by hosting Langston, Santiago said.
The addition will be constructed on the side of the field opposite the existing grandstands and will coincide with the Cardinals shedding their Division II independent status and joining the Lone Star Conference this fall.
The new stands will connect to the McDermott Center and rise above the existing roadway between the building and the field. The visitor's locker room will extend off the opposite side of the McDermott Center toward the baseball and softball fields.
I think it's something that's needed, Santiago said. It's going to make the gameday environment, which is already good, even better.
Playing in the Lone Star South next fall could result in UIW's home crowds regularly approaching 5,000-plus, as the LSC's 13 teams averaged nearly 5,600 at home games last season. Lone Star South teams drew an average of about 7,300.
Three of the Lone Star Conference's biggest draws Abilene Christian, Texas A&M-Kingsville and West Texas A&M will travel to San Antonio next fall.
An A&M-Kingsville official estimated the school could bring at least 3,000 for its game at UIW, while an Abilene Christian official guessed the school would bring nearly as many fans.
The Cardinals had an average home crowd of about 3,600 last season.
Even with the renovations, Benson Stadium will remain the conference's third-smallest venue in allowed capacity. Other LSC stadiums hold about 11,000 fans on average.
We've seen the stands full and people standing around, Santiago said. I would say we're going to be in that average of the 6,000 to 7,000 for a Lone Star South game.
One day soon, they'll have the room.