The University of Akron Athletics
InfoCision Stadium/Summa Field Blog Entry #1
October 06 | Football
This is the first installment of a monthly blog that will
chronicle the construction of InfoCision Stadium/Summa Field. Check
back each month as GoZips.com Insider Josh Harris takes you behind
the fences of the stadium construction site. Each blog entry will
be accompanied by a photo gallery.
By Josh Harris
GoZips.com Insider
AKRON, Ohio – Standing in a
100,000-square-foot hole 25-feet below street level on the south
side of campus, it is hard to believe that in about 365 short days
from now, the stands of InfoCision Stadium/Summa Field – which
are currently no more than partially poured concrete foundation and
graded soil – will be packed. Over 30,000 fans will be on
their feet as the "Zips come crashing though" that all-to-familiar
"Let's Go Zips" banner.
If you close your eyes here at the very foundations of InfoCision
Stadium/Summa Field and let 65-plus years of Rubber Bowl memories
go, you can almost picture a whole new game day experience. Ohio's
Pride triumphantly marching out across the new turf. Team warm-ups
for the Zips and Hoosiers projected on the larger-than-life,
state-of-the-art video boards and AK-Rowdies and families packing
the grassy seating banks.
It's great to picture being less than 12 months away from kickoff
versus Indiana. Stop by the construction site currently and you
will see quite a different view than those of Sept.19, 2009. But
even at this stage of construction, with the skeleton of InfoCision
Stadium/Summa Field just beginning to rise as the crown jewel of
The University of Akron athletics facilities complex, it's exciting
to be a Zips fan.
As this massive construction project continues, each month I will
provide you with a look at the construction process of InfoCision
Stadium/Summa Field. I'll tell you what has been completed to this
point, what noticeable changes can be seen on the site and some
that are coming quickly. I'll also take you inside some of the
places that you won't see until the opening day of the stadium
– maybe ever. In all, I will take you "behind the scenes" of a
once in a generation experience – the construction of a
stadium.
The most noticeable feature at this stage is the foundations of the
press box/suites tower. The floors that are completed to this point
will be used for academic and other university purposes. These
floors, which are visible now, will not be when the full compliment
of bleachers get added, nor will these floors have sightlines to
the playing field. The final levels – the club, suite and
press levels – will be under construction in the coming weeks,
adding another 50 feet to the height of the already towering
structure.
Standing on what will become the new playing surface of Summa
Field, the stadium is shaping up to be an imposing venue for all
opponents. The completed press box and suite portion of the stadium
will stand 168 feet over the gridiron action and will do so at an
incline that insures excellent sightlines from every seat.
Work is not confined to just one side of the site, though. East
side of InfoCision Stadium/Summa Field is progressing along at the
scheduled pace. Over the next four weeks, concession stands and
restroom facilities will be constructed on both sides of the
stadium. The visiting team locker room, located under the bleachers
on the southeast corner of the field, will be receiving attention
of construction workers in the coming weeks as well. It will be
adjacent to a ramp (large enough to allow a semi-truck and trailer
onto the playing field) leading from street level to the playing
field. Although one never wants to pamper the opponents on a visit
to InfoCision Stadium/Summa Field, it is safe to say that visitors
will find their new digs a slight upgrade over what they currently
receive at the Rubber Bowl.
The lower seating bowl of the stadium is beginning to take a more
definitive shape as well. The foundations for these seats have
already been graded and poured. Work on the finished concrete for
the seats in this area is currently going on and seats will
ultimately be attached. The playing field itself will remain much
as it appears now until preparations for turf installation occurs
closer to completion. Currently, it provides workers the ideal
staging area for the work that they are doing on other portions of
the venue. This area will partially be cleared, though, in the
coming weeks to allow work to begin on the north end zone
building.
The main concourse is taking form also. Masonry workers are
currently building the walls of what will form the restrooms,
concession stands and other amenities that will be located in this
area. The focal entryway on the west side of the stadium off of the
concourse is taking shape at this point also. The masonry
footprints of the team shop and ticket office are noticeable just
around the corner.
Climbing the construction stairs to take in the view from the
completed levels of the press box/suite tower (elevators are a ways
off!) allows for some very spectacular views. Though the work that
has been done on these floors is far from complete, one is able to
take in the incredible sightlines of campus and downtown that will
be visible through floor-to-ceiling walls of windows that will fill
academic and game day levels with plenty of natural light. The
remaining floors left to be completed – the suite and press
box levels – will actually look down fully over the roof of
the Louis and Freda Stile Athletics Field House.
So as you can see, InfoCision Stadium/Summa Field has changed the
look and feel of campus already and will continue to do so until
kickoff and beyond. So until next month, see you at the games...and
GO ZIPS!
