Stadium Expansion

CARDIAC_CATS · Post by **CARDIAC_CATS** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 11:37 am

http://www.egriz.com/GrizBoard/viewtopic.php?t=19801

This quote should say it all if MSU is going to wait for the private sector in the Capital Campaign. If they keep waiting too long, then they better get each donor to double what they pledge as the price is going to have doubled by the time they get around to building anything.

"Four years ago, it cost $850 per seat to build. Now it costs $1,800 per seat, O'Day said."

There is a fine line on waiting longer to come up with more money than building it now and avoiding the cost of inflation money you will incur in the future (by waiting)! The boxes are the main things that get me riled up on this. If there is such a waiting list these should have been built 2-3 years ago as they would help create more revenue for the program and would be filled. By the time we eventually get these built it will be 2-3 more years down the line (6-7 total) and will be 2 times more expensive (or more). I would like to see the MSU business students do a cost analysis study on this issue (current dollars -vs- future dollars) and see what they come up with. That would be a good individual project for someone.

mslacat · Post by **mslacat** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 12:08 pm

"Four years ago, it cost $850 per seat to build. Now it costs $1,800 per seat, O'Day said."

I call BullSh!t!!!!!

Listen folks this has been an argument the University of Montana has been making for about 9 month on a bunch of projects. The cost of building has risen 3 times in the last four years. I am an architect further more one of my area of expertise is cost estimating. Yes the cost of building is rising significantly in four years, but we are talking at the most 25-35% rise in the four years. Yes a significant rise but no way in hell is it 200%. If the cost has risen that much in four years for an apples to apples comparison it has more to do with a bad original cost estimate to start with than construction inflation. About 6 months back the Missoulain had a similar article on another construction project at UM and how the construction budget had to triple. I got a big kick out of it, and talked to a couple contractor buddies of mine about the article. They also got a big kick out of it. There opinion was that the original budget that was prepared was a fantasy, pulled out of the air, and now they were trying to justify their bad information.

I will say this though, if the Griz are comparing the cost per seat ($800) for there last addition to that of the current addition ($1,800), then they might be correct, but it is still misleading. The Griz have added all the "cheap" seats that they could already. This next section of seat will be an engineering wonder, and yes much more expensive than any other section they have added yet. The thing is though the four years of construction inflation has had little to do with this cost increase. The cost was expensive then and it is expensive now.

BTW: Sorry for the rant but, this is one of my pet peeves with the U of M construction department.

Bleedinbluengold · Post by **Bleedinbluengold** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 12:24 pm

Well - I think you would have to ask UM's architect why they are missing the bids by so much.

CatFamily · Post by **CatFamily** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 12:32 pm

Mslacat... Thanks for that post and for clearing up such a misconception given by UM on their comparison. I am continually amazed yet impressed with the information you provide, usually the most accurate given.

Now, having said that, even if the cost has increased and is increasing at the same rates of 25-35%, MSU needs to get busy and get things done to avoid that addtional cost. I understand the fund raising need and I am sure the efforts do not produce overnight resutls... but I believe if they want to get things done there is a way to do it sooner. Maybe the university is not that concerned with the cost increases... but that is hard to believe when it means cutting things in the end to meet the budget!

Eastcoastgriz · Post by **Eastcoastgriz** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 1:27 pm

Bleedinbluengold wrote:Well - I think you would have to ask UM's architect why they are missing the bids by so much.

I heard thats how they trained them at msu.

mslacat · Post by **mslacat** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 1:50 pm

Eastcoastgriz wrote:
Bleedinbluengold wrote:Well - I think you would have to ask UM's architect why they are missing the bids by so much.
I heard thats how they trained them at msu.

The person who prepairs the cost infomation for U of M is an architect(s) who is employed by the U of M. The U of M Head Architect (they employ a couple) is a very nice gentleman, but he is NOT an MSU grad.

Platinumcat · Post by **Platinumcat** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 2:04 pm

Eastcoastgriz wrote:
Bleedinbluengold wrote:Well - I think you would have to ask UM's architect why they are missing the bids by so much.
I heard thats how they trained them at msu.

Why you Rotten ##*#"$%#U# no good ###$$%%#@@ attorney