Lunar Eclipse

Preparing for the second solar eclipse in 2024, SIUC will host a lunar eclipse event starting at 7:30 p.m. on May 15 in Saluki Stadium. The eclipse itself starts about 9:30 with totality occurring about 10:30. There will be a number of astronomy related activities taking place around the field and related documentaries playing on the scoreboard.

Saluki Way Tax

Just got to thinking that with the last election, all of those who voted to increase the city sales tax to give $20 million to SIUC for the Saluki Way project, which started with replacing the football stadium and remodeling the Arena, because lord knows we need state of the art facilities for each, are no longer on the council. However, the rest of us are still stuck with the tax, which, by the way, goes up again this summer.

College Athletics Costs

Since we are heading into football season, I thought this report from Moody's Analytics of about a year ago proved interesting. Roughly 90% of college athletic programs do not cover their own costs and require supplementary funding from the college. In addition, the amount of debt taken on to build snazzy new stadiums ties up the funding available for other programs and capital investments leaving other projects cash-strapped.

Saluki Way Sales Tax

Some years ago, when the Carbondale city council increased the sales tax for the purpose of donating $20 million to SIUC for the purpose of funding the Saluki Way project, proponents of the increase had two arguments:

1. replacing the hulk that was McAndrew Stadium with a brand new football stadium and remodeling the Arena, along with the additional construction comprising the Saluki Way project would draw more students to the university, thus benefiting the community as a whole by increasing the customer base for businesses in Carbondale.  That hasn't worked so well.

2. Building the sports complex would draw more people into town to attend games. These people would then spend money, thus driving up sales tax revenue. That hasn't worked so well, either.

However, so as not to end the evening on a down note, here are some pictures of cute cats.

Arena Liquor License

Received an email from a reader of the blog regarding the liquor license for the Arena and Stadium, since, according to this, the liquor license for the Arena, Stadium,  Charlotte West Stadium and Jones Stadium are all held by Chartwells, which no longer has a contract with the university.  This means no Chartwells, no liquor sales in any university stadium.

I emailed city manger Kevin Baity to find out the current status of the affected liquor sales.  Baity informed me that there is a request on the next city council agenda to amend the city code to allow city licensed caterers to sell liquor at the four locations  for which Chartwells previously had the license.  If the revision passes, anyone with a license to sell liquor at events elsewhere on campus (Shryock Auditorium, Leser Law Building, among others) could contract with the university to sell beer and alcohol at the stadiums.

McAndrew Stadium Usage

Happened to scan the Carbondale Times this week (available at finer newsracks throughout the area) and spotted an article about the demolition of McAndrew Stadium (page 7 if you want to read it). Noted a couple of interesting figures. The University opened McAndrew back in 1938, October 1 if you want precision. Since then, the Salukis played 328 games there. By my calculations, that works out to just under 5 games a year. Granted, the football team used the stadium regularly for practice but, unlike the Arena, which could house other evens besides sporting ones, McAndrew (and the new stadium) is very purpose specific, only offering events for the entire SIUC and Carbondale community to attend an average of five times a year.

Given the current economy and the difficulties SIUC is having securing funding to keep faculty and staff employed, was the new stadium the best use of the limited funds available?

Saulki Stadium 2

As Shawn points out in the comments, the photo he shot was taken before kickoff. 15,276 people showed up in time for the game, nearly filling the stadium, which officially seats 15,000. BTW the Salukis delivered a royal drubbing to poor Quincy, 70-7.

Saluki Stadium

The Beer Philosopher kindly provides a shot of Saluki Statium during tonight's first ever game in the new confines. Needless to say, it's not exactly burstin' at the seams.