Marshall University Athletics
Construction at Marshall Yields Tailgating Changes
10/18/2012 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 18, 2012
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall University’s home football game with Central Florida, to be played at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27, undoubtedly will draw lots of tailgating Thundering Herd fans to a variety of spots near Joan C. Edwards Stadium. Some of those fans, however, will be looking for new places to tailgate.
The F Lots on Third Avenue, used by tailgaters for many years, are closing soon. Beginning with the UCF game, those lots – located between the Arthur Weisberg Family Engineering Laboratories and the Robert C. Byrd Biotechnology Science Center – will no longer be available for parking or tailgating.
The lots will be closed at the end of the day Friday, Oct. 19, to make way for construction of the $50 million Arthur Weisberg Family Applied Engineering Complex, a 145,000 square-foot, 480-foot long facility.
Also, the first five rows of spaces at the east end of the general lot on the north side of Commerce Avenue – formerly home to Weiler Steel – will be used for staging during construction, leaving 250 spots open on that lot. Construction will take about 28 months.
Marshall Athletic Director Mike Hamrick said he understands the need for the engineering building and hopes Herd fans will show patience and understanding as they look for different places to park and tailgate. Many other surface lots on campus are available for fans to use.
“We understand the importance of this new facility, and that a lot of people will need to alter their game-day routines in the name of progress,” Hamrick said. “But, we have the greatest fans in the country. If they want to continue tailgating, I’m sure they’ll seek out and find a new place somewhere in the vicinity of the stadium. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation.”
James E. Terry, MU’s director of public safety, acknowledged that students, faculty, staff and visitors, as well as tailgaters, will have to make adjustments to their plans when parking near campus.
“For more than two years, we’ve been planning for the relocation of parking spaces that will be lost due to the construction of the Weisberg Engineering Complex,” Terry said. “That’s why we built the 6th Avenue Parking Facility before this construction begins.
Gameday parking in the 6th Avenue Parking Facility will now be available for $5 a spot.
“Often, with progress comes some inconvenience. We ask for understanding and patience as our community has to alter their campus parking habits. While a construction project of this magnitude will change the face of our campus, we do have enough parking locations to accommodate our students, faculty, staff and visitors.”
