Homecoming Headache: ISU Construction Changes Saturday Plans
By: Jacob Long, WMBD/WYZZ-TV
Updated: October 1, 2012
NORMAL - Illinois State University is celebrating Homecoming Week, but
this year there are some changes to two of the most popular events.
The university is building a new grandstand on the eastern side of Hancock Stadium.
The construction site is where a lot of people like to tailgate, so the university is finding them other locations around the stadium.
"There is plenty of parking all around Hancock Stadium. All within a very short distance and easily accessible," said Associate Athletics Director Leanna Bordner.
Nine locations are being reserved Saturday that the university said will be available for both parking and tailgating.
They open at 7 a.m., which is why Bordner is encouraging people to plan ahead.
She said, "We definitely want people to get there early and get their space."
Bordner added the same rules still apply regarding alcohol and behavior. A complete map of Homecoming festivities can be found here.
Meanwhile, the ongoing project at Hancock is creating an issue for another Homecoming event.
There are several thousand fewer seats available for fans for the 1 p.m. football game against the Salukis of Southern Illinois at Carbondale.
Specifically, Bordner said there are only 7,700 tickets for actual seats. Compare that to the roughly 11,000 the stadium used to provide before the construction project got underway.
To help make up for the difference, Illinois State is offering some standing room only tickets that Bordner said were still available as of Monday afternoon.
"We feel very confident that by this weekend those will be gone," she said.
For those who still find themselves without a ticket, they are invited to continue tailgating while the game is in action.
Bordner said, "We want as much atmosphere inside the stadium as we do outside the stadium."
Students tell WMBD 31 they're looking forward to the weekend despite the changes moving their plans around campus.
"It's the best team we've had in a really long time. I feel like it's just going to bring the energy up," said John Daniels.
Chelsea Tribble said, "I think it should be fun because I went to another football game this year, and it was good. Homecoming should be even better."
Still, they admit they expect to run into people who are put off or caught off guard.
"I definitely think it will (cause confusion)," Daniels said.
Tribble added, "I think maybe it (tailgating) will be more crowded in the aspect that it's a smaller space."
Brodner said the university is prepared to try and ease any congestion or uneasiness at Homecoming.
She said it's a scenario leaders planned for when the Hancock project was first proposed.
"We have done everything we feel we could have done pre-Homecoming. We're going to have some electronic signs that will be on some of the entryways into Normal. Some other signage on the streets to alert people where the lots are," she said.
Overall, she's just reminding people of the long term goal at hand. She said the changes now might be frustrating, but consider the bigger picture.
"We are very much thinking of this as short term pain, very long term gain," Bordner said.
The Hancock project is expected to be done in time for next year's football season and Homecoming.
It's going to increase seating capacity to about 15,000.
"Be respectful of everyone's space."
The university is building a new grandstand on the eastern side of Hancock Stadium.
The construction site is where a lot of people like to tailgate, so the university is finding them other locations around the stadium.
"There is plenty of parking all around Hancock Stadium. All within a very short distance and easily accessible," said Associate Athletics Director Leanna Bordner.
Nine locations are being reserved Saturday that the university said will be available for both parking and tailgating.
They open at 7 a.m., which is why Bordner is encouraging people to plan ahead.
She said, "We definitely want people to get there early and get their space."
Bordner added the same rules still apply regarding alcohol and behavior. A complete map of Homecoming festivities can be found here.
Meanwhile, the ongoing project at Hancock is creating an issue for another Homecoming event.
There are several thousand fewer seats available for fans for the 1 p.m. football game against the Salukis of Southern Illinois at Carbondale.
Specifically, Bordner said there are only 7,700 tickets for actual seats. Compare that to the roughly 11,000 the stadium used to provide before the construction project got underway.
To help make up for the difference, Illinois State is offering some standing room only tickets that Bordner said were still available as of Monday afternoon.
"We feel very confident that by this weekend those will be gone," she said.
For those who still find themselves without a ticket, they are invited to continue tailgating while the game is in action.
Bordner said, "We want as much atmosphere inside the stadium as we do outside the stadium."
Students tell WMBD 31 they're looking forward to the weekend despite the changes moving their plans around campus.
"It's the best team we've had in a really long time. I feel like it's just going to bring the energy up," said John Daniels.
Chelsea Tribble said, "I think it should be fun because I went to another football game this year, and it was good. Homecoming should be even better."
Still, they admit they expect to run into people who are put off or caught off guard.
"I definitely think it will (cause confusion)," Daniels said.
Tribble added, "I think maybe it (tailgating) will be more crowded in the aspect that it's a smaller space."
Brodner said the university is prepared to try and ease any congestion or uneasiness at Homecoming.
She said it's a scenario leaders planned for when the Hancock project was first proposed.
"We have done everything we feel we could have done pre-Homecoming. We're going to have some electronic signs that will be on some of the entryways into Normal. Some other signage on the streets to alert people where the lots are," she said.
Overall, she's just reminding people of the long term goal at hand. She said the changes now might be frustrating, but consider the bigger picture.
"We are very much thinking of this as short term pain, very long term gain," Bordner said.
The Hancock project is expected to be done in time for next year's football season and Homecoming.
It's going to increase seating capacity to about 15,000.
"Be respectful of everyone's space."
