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FAU urges Boca council to approve new stadium deal

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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/sfl-boca-fau-stadium-p102709,0,308356.story

BOCA RATON -  Florida Atlantic University made its pitch to City Council on Tuesday for a new agreement between the two that would allow the university to build a 30,000-seat football stadium.

In a 2002 campus development agreement, the city said the university could not build the stadium until work had begun on an Interstate 95 interchange at Spanish River Boulevard that would serve the FAU campus.

But the new agreement that covers campus development from 2010 to 2015 would drop that requirement. Instead, the university would pay for upgrades to Boca Raton's traffic signals, limit the number of events at the stadium and have a game-day traffic management plan.

Still, traffic concerned council members and residents who live near the university.

"It's going to be a nightmare in my neighborhood," said Charlie Helton, who lives north of FAU.

Analyses show game-day traffic heading to and from a full stadium would cause significant backups on Glades Road, Airport Road and at the intersection of Military Trail and Yamato Road, said Doug Hess, city traffic engineer.

"One thing that could occur with congestion at game time is minor crashes on I-95 and Glades Road," Hess said. "Because of the flow of traffic, it would quickly be a domino effect. Assuming that doesn't occur, there are [road] failures with a full stadium."

Still, FAU and the city say they hope to improve traffic flow by 20 percent to 30 percent with upgraded traffic signals. The improvements will cost FAU about $1.7 million.

Expanding roads wouldn't make sense because the university has agreed to only have 15 events a year at the stadium, Hess said. The scheduled events would include six FAU football games, only one of which could be held on a weekday night. A maximum of eight Friday night high school football games could be held. There could be only one special event per year.

Council members are still hoping a I-95 interchange at Spanish River Boulevard to serve FAU will be built soon. But no money is budgeted and no construction date is set. Meanwhile, the university hopes to have a new stadium by fall 2011.

Other changes to the campus development agreement include new dorms, parking garages and classroom buildings. Altogether, FAU would pay the city $7.9 million to offset the impact of its projects on Boca's transportation system, water and sewer and fire-rescue services.

The council will vote on the campus development agreement on Nov. 10.




I'm emailing the Boca City Council to urge them to vote yes. I strongly suggest you do so as well. Having several letters of support they can submit as pro-stadium evidence will definitely help sway this decision in our favor.

The mayor's email address should be [email protected].
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Re: FAU urges Boca council to approve new stadium deal

These people are idiots, do they really think that the interchange at Spanish River is going to completely eleviate traffic problems during events. The High School has traffic for a short period of time. Unless the cops directing traffic are complete idiots it should be heavy for a short period of time. The damn mall during the holidays is a bigger pain in the butt then it will be for a few hours, a few days out of the year will be. The City is looking for the freebie and worried about elections. Time to start growing some
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Re: FAU urges Boca council to approve new stadium deal

Are people really that worried about traffic for a couple of hours 6 times a year?? I'm not surprised knowing the type of people who live here, but still…..

If there is a game at 4pm on a Saturday, there'll be traffic from maybe 2:30pm until 4pm and then from around 7:30 to 8:30. The schedules come out years in advance. I think they'll be able to plan accordingly 6 times a year.  ::)
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Re: FAU urges Boca council to approve new stadium deal

Honestly, I don't see why anyone is "concerned" at all…….

We are more than set-up, even without the interchange, to handle it now…

What, we have to have THREE exits off of I-95 to get there by??
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Re: FAU urges Boca council to approve new stadium deal

I am sure it is all part of the "negotiation" by the city.  Make it sound worse than it is in order to get FAU to pay for as much as possible.

To the guy that is complaining that lives North of campus:

Uh, wouldn't you rather be inconvenienced just 6 times per year.  If they put in the interchange, the traffic north of the campus will be increased every single day.


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Re: FAU urges Boca council to approve new stadium deal

Considering that we are hoping that ~4,000 of the people attending games will already be on campus, that means that we can expect traffic of about 16,000 people (assuming an average attendance of 20k).  Since not many people drive, or go, alone to a football game I think the number of cars is probably half that, or 8,000.  Since we already know that around 20,000 students go to class on the Boca Campus then this 8,000 car figure should not be a problem.  We're not talking about an 80,000 seat stadium filled to capacity.  Its a 30k with an average expected attendance of 20k.

Florida Atlantic University Owls
2007 Sun Belt Football Champions 2007 New Orleans Bowl Champions 2008 Motor City Bowl Champions 2011 Sun Belt Basketball Champions No Bowls without Owls
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Re: FAU urges Boca council to approve new stadium deal

FAU urges Boca council to approve new stadium deal

Smoke screen.

There will always be older folks in Boca who complain that thier nice quiet town is being overrun.

I say time to move on for those that feel that way and head up to Vero or Jupiter for that small town feel.

If you write to the city (which is probably a good idea if you can write in an eloquent manner) I would push the idea of the economic benefit of visitng fans and alumni who will need to use Boca's Hotels, Restaurants, Beachs, Malls and other activities.

Im PRETTY sure that every hotel on Glades would kill to have extra vistors 4-5 times during the months of Sept-Oct-Nov, which is a traditional "dead" time for that industry in S. Florida.

Hell, I just spent a few posts on the MTSU board telling them where to go and eat in the Lauderdale by the Sea are which is where they are staying. I would of loved to tell them about The Lodge, Wishing Well, Brewzii's, and other fine places within a stones throw of the campus.

MONEY talks in the city of Boca, show them a path to it and they wont listen much to the ole farts spewing about how great the city was in 1955 or so.

I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick @$$ and I'm out of bubble gum.

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Re: FAU urges Boca council to approve new stadium deal

Forgot to mention that the visiting team ITSELF counts for a large amount of hotel rooms and meals.

I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick @$$ and I'm out of bubble gum.

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Re: FAU urges Boca council to approve new stadium deal

Did anybody else write in…? This is important because, when Boca was in a meeting to consider adding an ice rink to Spanish River Blvd, Council members brought up supportive emails they had received from the community. If the only communication they get is from people like Charlie Helton on Spanish River, they'll be less inclined to approve it.

Said my piece. Anyway, the Boca Mayor got back to me:

Thank you for taking the time to express your interest and concerns for the FAU football stadium.
Actually, I  think you have identified the issues accurately. We (the city council) had our first hearing on the Campus Development Agreement last night.  Our final meeting will take place on Nov 10th.  I am sure we will be able to work out any existing minor problems and move forward on that date.  I, too, look forward to FAU having its very own Football Stadium on campus!  It will be a new day for the fighting owls!!!!
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Re: FAU urges Boca council to approve new stadium deal

The Mayor is our biggest supporter!
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