Getty ImagesAs Boise State continues to move their program up the ladder of college football, the Broncos are making the necessary improvements along the way.
The next step for Boise State? Facilities, and the school plans to ask the Idaho State Board of Education this week for permission to issue a $17.5 million bond that would cover a majority of the costs associated with a new practice facility at Bronco Stadium, the Idaho Statesman reports.
The board will consider the request on Tuesday. If passed, the bond will come from pledged revenues, while the other $4.5 million the school will need for the 69,000 sq ft facility has already come through donations.
The new building is expected to be completed in 2013.
“The improvements provided by this new facility are needed to support the development of the football program, provide facilities that are more comparable to our conference peers, and to enhance recruiting,” Boise State wrote in its proposal.
Hopefully, the Idaho Board will approve since this is not extravagant by any means for a practice facility of that size.
Now for a state or local bond issue to greatly expand their stadium or build a new one. There may be wisdom in Boise State having landscape architechs and similar see if an expansion or new stadium may be best. But in ALL cases they must expand the 33,000 capacity in order to play home on home with the Big boys.
Maybe they should get a new field that can rival high school stadiums in TX first?
@southernpatriots: You want BSU to expand their stadium when they don’t even sell out the current seating on a consistent basis?
@iplaybad aww you dont like the Smurf Turf?
And they sell out every game
Before 2011, Boise State had some problems in selling out all seats, at least that is what was spread by various news agencies. However, from locals and from Boise State itself, most, if not all tickets were actually sold, though some seats were empty. In other words, no one could get those seats but the ticket holders and for whatever reason the ticket holders did not show.
Since 2011, Boise State has sold out. The largest expansion of their stadium is now approved with a loan from the university, the athletic department will repay in 3 years! Not bad at all.
This is but one link but it should do to provide the inside info…http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/12/09/1910097/bronco-stadium-expansion-plan.html
Boise State athletic leadership understand that the stadium must be expanded in order to attract the top football programs to agree to a home on home meeting. When they are able to bring in high quality opponents (or at least big name opponents) the stadium will be filled. Boise State does not have the history of the traditional football schools such as Michigan, Alabama, LSU, Florida, Tennessee, etc. They are moving in the right direction, it just make take a few more years.