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	Vol.7, No 16, September 27, 1999
	Reasons why new stadium won't happen at LBSU Associated Students Inc. President Toby Sextonís hot on the table proposal for a new 10,000-seat football stadium on campus wonít fly for a number of reasons. Eric Boyum First, Sexton's plan, if voted on and passed, would require students enrolled at LBSU to pay money every semester to cover most of the cost to build this grid-iron dream.    One estimate, around $125 per semester as revealed by a source within the athletic department, would not cover the cost to build the stadium. Besides, after the financial hit that students took to construct the building where Sextonís new office is located (the University Student Union),  I can't envision students voting in favor of paying more money out of their pockets. Especially since this building appears to have fewer tenants than the Long Beach Mall. Second, there is a $2 million debt on The Pyramid, according to President Robert Maxson. This debt must first be erased before the athletic department would ever consider adding to the amount. The Long Beach State athletic department operates at $7 million each year, according to LBSU Athletic Director Bill Shumard. Assuming a balanced athletic budget, there would be no additional money left over after expenses to put toward a new stadium. At the rate things are going, the outstanding debt on The Pyramid will take ten years to pay-off, Shumard said.    It is a surprise that no corporation has yet to become a title-name sponsor -- especially since the athletic department is "not asking for the moon," Shumard said.  However, this moon would include the entire amount of the outstanding $2 million debt, he said.  Third, the cost of building a new 10,000-seat stadium would amount to $1 million, according to our A.S.I. president.  If you look at Cal State Fullertonís new stadium, which cost $2 million to build in 1993, this $1 million estimate falls way short of building a new stadium seven years later.  Of course, if built, this debt would become the athletic departmentís burden.  Perhaps Sexton has yet to play his wildcard, former LBSU student, Steven Spielberg, as the main source of financial support for this project. The other problem with adding a football team is the number of female student athletes the department would have to add to balance its gender equity scale.   Sexton's plan to have the football team compete at the Division I - AA level doesnít have any attendance clauses for membership. This is the only part of his plan that makes sense -- although it would result in Long Beach State playing teams like Sacramento State and Northridge, not teams that people would pay to see like USC, UCLA or San Diego State. Since the NCAA mandates that participating programs must meet certain attendance clauses to keep their memberships, this is LBSU's only chance of keeping a team alive financially.  However, by playing in a small-time league, it would still result in financial losses because nobody wants to pay to see watered-down football played at this level. I'm sorry Toby, although your intentions may be good, I have to call it as I see it.    This plan needs to go back to the drawing board and with plenty of erasers.		Students help aid taiwan A.S.I. considers band for pyramid CSULB museum receives valuable art collection L.B. 2nd safest in U.S. CSULB friends, faculty remember employee FBI blunders again Professional wrestling takes on world Campus Center must be for study Students not shortchanged by 10 Cents 'Mumford' not typical comedy Amos aims for success Sythe's on right track Reasons why new stadium won't happen at LBSU 49ers' voice calls game Fall 99 ISSUES DAILY 49ER HOMEPAGE
Forty-Niner Publications, Department of Journalism, California State University, Long Beach ©1999 All rights reserved.