All Hokie, All the Time. Period. Presented by First Bank & Trust Company

H
hokeyhokie OP
Nov 24, 2025 at 08:58 AM ET
Franklin said he will walk the facilities and point out areas for
improvement. "Promises were made". Can't wait to see the plans.

44 Replies

M
marcbvtgm
8mo
I like that he's taking advantage while he still walks on water.
Like most new bosses, you only have a short window to make substantial changes - regardless of promises made. Fuente started the fire, but did it way too late. Pry never had a clue.
B
BobG
8mo
FLAMES SHOOTING FROM THE TOWERS AFTER A TD.
HokieDan95 HokieDan95
8mo
3 words: "Jon Voight Day"
H
Happy Dog
8mo
"Everybody's talking at me.....cuz I'm driving Jon Voight's car......"
E
EDGEMAN
8mo
No, you're driving John Voight's car.
J
Jwunderdog
8mo
Ask him to sit in one of the seats. How is that for a comfortable game
experience? I haven't looked at the section where the recruit sit but I assume they get the same leg room that the rest of the stadium gets?
HtownHokie HtownHokie
8mo
they were designed & installed to force fans to stand the entire game 🙄 😮
J
Jwunderdog
8mo
Mission accomplished
W
Windows NT
8mo
needs to upgrade Lane Stadium to 100k seats with an extra 12" for knee room
B
BobG
8mo
getting a hotel would be awesome.
S
section11hokie
8mo
What would an upgraded Lane look like I'm guessing fill in the North with
something similar to the south or completely build up that end of the stadium, that would kill the practice field wouldn't it?
HtownHokie HtownHokie
8mo
need to go subterranean below north endzone stands for CC' and WS' athletic
medicine, training and rehab center, an upgraded halftime locker room (off the tunnel), etc. maybe two levels below grade are needed. keep the view over the north endzone stands open to see Beamer-Lawson Barn, back of Cassell, and Brush Mountain beyond. re-erect and structurally beef up and enlarge capacity of the metal north endzone stands to increase "north-noise" which visiting teams and coaches despise. enhance the pain by hanging metal noise-reflecting panels below stands to amplify student cheers and Marching Virginians. add a permanent TV and GameDay broadcast mezzanine-booth with amenities for broadcasters and support crew. the NE corner would be a great vantage point for them and vibrant student interaction.
E
EDGEMAN
8mo
Unfortunately it would.
VTHokie2000 VTHokie2000
8mo
I don't believe that would be possible given the road that runs between
the practice field and north end zone is there to satisfy fire and safety codes (think access to the sections of Lane along the fence). Plus, if VT ever decides to connect 2 independent structures, then I believe it would require bringing the structure up to the current codes at the time the connection is made. Whereas if the structures remain independent, then they are grandfathered in at the codes when the structure was built. The price tag could jump significantly when you factor in wheel chair access and all the other little things that facilities must provide now. Given that VT decided to kick that can down the road, there could come a point where the additional renovation cost to bring Lane up to code could drive the price tag to be in the same ballpark as what it would cost to build a brand new stadium. At the very least the project could force VT to demo 2 of the 3 structures and rebuild from somewhat scratch so Lane could be 1 structure to minimize this issue going forward. The demo could be done in phases to minimize the impact on attendance during the regular season.
W
Windows NT
8mo
the road can remain in place. The extension would go over the road with
14.5' min height clearance. sort of like a tunnel. Support columns would be beyond the road's posted speed clear zone.
HtownHokie HtownHokie
8mo
yes! ^^this^^ but utilize below-stands (plz see my subterranean post above)
temporarily disassemble north stands. excavate at least two levels down for spaces to house functions as desired - uppermost can open to the practice field (like the new weights and conditioning, first floor Merriman). reassemble, enlarge, and beef up structure of metal north stands to continue to allow the students to make maximum noise.
VTHokie2000 VTHokie2000
8mo
Given that it also serves as access to the Beamer Barn and that part of
campus, does the code allow it to be covered and still serve in that function? If not, then is there room to add a new service road to take its place?
W
Windows NT
8mo
Codes can be changed or have a design exception/waiver
VTHokie2000 VTHokie2000
8mo
I don't disagree. It would be interesting to see if VT has enough pull to
make it happen or not. If not, then VT has an interesting decision to make on what to do for its Plan B (or Plan C, Plan D, or maybe even Plan E) if it is serious about expanding Lane in some way. If VT is looking to "expand" Lane, then a more practical approach would be to reconfigure Lane to expand its luxury suite capacity. It may allow VT to get the most bang for its buck without taking on the additional upgrade cost so it can keep kicking that can down the road some more.
W
Windows NT
8mo
i would relocate the practice field to the east side of
Beamer-Lawson Indoor Practice Facility
E
EDGEMAN
8mo
And cut down those trees?
W
Windows NT
8mo
just the trees within the new practice field footprint
to balance out the existing tree canopy, new trees will be added to the existing field and in the adjacent lots
VictoryTurkey VictoryTurkey
8mo
You don't replace 300 year old trees
C
Cowgill Ledge
8mo
You can, it just takes a while...
I'll see myself out.
BROman Hokie BROman Hokie
8mo
With the barn, is a practice field even needed?
R
RJHokie
8mo
Yes, they want a natural grass practice field and artificial turf
as well.
O
OrlandoHokie
8mo
Tear out tennis courts on Washington Street
W
Windows NT
8mo
nothing is fresher than fresh mountain air
BROman Hokie BROman Hokie
8mo
The barn has garage doors
R
RJHokie
8mo
Then you’ve got to hope for a derecho to take down the trees in
the Stadium Woods first. That’s “sacred” territory there.
W
Windows NT
8mo
LOL... i passed out leaning on one of the trees there in '89
can't remember the month
F
Fore_Hokies
8mo
Stadium Woods….this would be problematic
C
Coattail Hokie
8mo
I got a marijuana ticket after I walked out of Stadium Woods about 30y ago.
I was in my early 30's at that point in life. For What It's Worth, I celebrate 13 years of sobriety today, November 24th.
S
section11hokie
8mo
Agreed
the tree huggers would be but hurt.
W
Windows NT
8mo
turn the old practice field into a park.. plant some trees
there and in lot #2. just have to match the total tree canopy
R
RJHokie
8mo
Not that simple.
Stadium Woods is old growth trees. The only way they build anything in that section is if the trees get severely damaged by blight, natural disaster or perhaps arson……
MP4VT2004 MP4VT2004
8mo
Anybody got Harvey Updyke's phone number? TIC
W
Windows NT
8mo
if they're Sequoia or Vitraya Ramunong, then no, but those oaks?
or whatever those are
R
RJHokie
8mo
You will have to take that up with the VT administration
and the tree huggers. This battle has been fought several times. ** Edited by RJHokie at 11/24/2025, 11:41:09 AM
VTHokie2000 VTHokie2000
8mo
The issue may not be just the trees themselves, but the undergrowth and
the biodiversity that is triggered due to the age.
R
RJHokie
8mo
Here is some info on Stadium Woods
Some of those trees are over 300 years old. When the Beamer Barn construction was approved a big fight occurred relative to encroachment on the woods. Consequently the Barn was constructed on its current site as opposed to 50 to 100 feet further east.
W
Windows NT
8mo
what KJ wants KJ will get. just win, and he will get the key to blacksburg
N
NoHuddle
8mo
With chairback cushioned seats?
W
Windows NT
8mo
dept would rent those out to recoup costs for stadium upgrades
100k x 20$/game = good chunk of money