A $200 million dome for ... Jackson State?

A middling I-AA school wants to blow the budget on a 50k capacity dome in the worst part of an already-sketch city. What could possibly go wrong?

http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2013/feb/22/jsu-announces-200-million-dome/

 

A domed stadium costing $200 million would be a long way fom state-of-the-art.

 

Every business major with a degree from this school can watch the value of his degree decline as the school "justifies" this expenditure.

 

I just don't see this ending well. How the heck are they going to justify building a dome?

 

The one thing this plan has going for it is the state of the other sports facilities in Jackson.
Veterans Memorial Stadium (the 60,000-seat football stadium Jackson State currently plays in) is old and decrepit.
The Mississippi Coliseum (the 8,000-seat arena) is also aging badly.
There are ongoing discussions on how best to replace or renovate both stadiums. If JSU plays its cards right it can beat the various state agencies to the punch, build one facility to handle both, and become a destination for the state high school football and basketball championships, as well as concerts and other events. Jackson is an easy stop for a lot of musicians because it's the crossroads of two major interstates. You can book them between New Orleans and Memphis, or Dallas and Atlanta.

Building a 50,000-seat stadium is silly, though. They might fill that up twice a season. Make it 25,000 or 30,000 and you're in the right ballpark.

 

Jackson should look to how quickly Birmigham's dome project is coming along.

 

Average temps for Mississippi in November: High 70, low 52.

Any public official who appropriates or even allows 10 cents to be spent on this should be executed.

 

When pigs fly...

 

You do realize most of football season occurs in September and October, when the daytime temperature in Mississippi is often still close to 90 degrees?
Like I said earlier, a dome is not a bad idea if they build it as a multi-purpose facility (which seems to be the idea). Done right, it can really rejuvenate what is a dying cesspool of a city. I do agree, however, that the amount and capacity is a bit much for JSU.

 

I hear it gets cooler when the sun goes down.

 

You'd be amazed.

 

The problem that I see is that there would be too many days when the stadium would not be in use. Unless they can figure out a way to bring in big-time attractions on a consistent basis, I believe the project is doomed for failure.