The FieldHouse is gone
The FieldHouse is gone
With the words “conference expansion” on every Athletic Director’s and President’s mind you know that any and all colleges that can will be trying to upgrade their facilites in everyway they can. That’s exactly what is happening at North Carolina as Kenan Stadium continues with its renovations. A couple of days ago in order for this to happen Kenan Fieldhouse (see pic by @TarHeelFootball on your left), which had been part of the landscape since 1927, was torn down to make space for more up to date facilites. Those would be Carolina Student-Athlete Center for Excellence and The Blue Zone (premium seating). When you compare the new with the old there is no way you could find a way to save the old building, and I understand that, I truly do. It had to be done, and it was done, so be it. But for an old Heel like me this new and improved stadium just won’t feel the same anymore.
This is not the first time that I feel sadden, since I lived in the years of Carmichael as well, but this one is different as it is the same stadium, just continously changing. Again, do not treat me like the old man on the porch that is against progress, because I am not. I am all for what is going to be best for the program (and of course for the University of North Carolina), but having been in Kenan when it was Kenan, or at least the Kenan I remembered, all of this is just making it feel farther and farther from what I remember of what many describe as the nicest stadium in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
I am also not going to get into the discussion of how the money is coming to make this work, from what I have read/heard about $ 70 millions, while UNC is asking for money from the state. All of this is being funded by boosters, so there is no comparison, as the taxpayers will not be forking over anything for this. I know that in a time like this hearing numbers like 70 millions, as well as the other numbers, like the prices of the exclusive boxes, so on and so forth can make people wonder why money is being spent on a football stadium. I can make a discussion for both sides, but that is not my place, as it is not my place to tell what an alumn/booster should/can do with his/her money.
This is a sports blog about UNC, and as such I will talk about the sports part of North Carolina and leave the politics to the people that should deal with that, the politicians. Having said that I am sure that the next time that I go to Kenan Stadium I will be wow’ed by the new look but also a bit sadden, as I am old school and that means I am of the Kenan Fieldhouse times.
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