Quotes Following Announcement of Tulane Community Stadium Campaign
Dec 8, 2011 | General
Dec. 8, 2011
Board of Tulane University Chair Jay Lapeyre
"Today culminates literally years of thinking and work that began unofficially as we struggled to get the vision for what we want in athletics at Tulane and recently, roughly a year ago, what you'll see today is a formal announcement that formally began then. It is my pleasure to introduce Scott Cowen. You all know Scott. He provides incredible leadership to this university and it is just an unbelievable joy and honor for me to introduce Scott. Thank you all for being here."
Tulane President Scott Cowen
"Good afternoon everybody. This is indeed an exciting and historic week for Tulane University, Tulane football and New Orleans. It all started earlier this week when we selected Curtis Johnson to be the new head (football) coach of the Green Wave. I have to tell you from the first moment that I met Curtis a few weeks ago I had this strong feeling in my gut, which is a big one, that this was the right person for the job. And the more I looked at his record and especially his record as a recruiter, a developer and motivator of young men at both the college and professional levels. I knew we had a winner. As a matter of fact, I am so sure of it, I believe Curtis someday is going to be a question on jeopardy. Here is the question, `what college head coach has won a national championship in college, also has a super bowl ring from the professional team in his hometown, who subsequently then became the head coach at the university in his hometown?' Curtis Johnson is the only one in America.
You like that, didn't you? It took me a while to think through that. It didn't come easily, I have to tell you. It didn't.
When we hired (coach Johnson), Rick and I said there were three things we were going to do for him. The first thing, we were going to cover his back. As he knows as a coach, that is what he needs most of all, someone watching his back while he is doing his thing. And Rick and I are here to do that. The second thing we told him we would do is to provide him with the resources for hiring assistants, recruiting and strength and conditioning at a level comparable to the very top schools in Conference USA. This was our promise and it will be kept. We also told him that we were going to make sure that every game he played in New Orleans gave him a home field advantage and this is why we are here today. It is all about the home field advantage.
I am proud to announce that starting this very minute, Tulane is embarking on a 70-million dollar Home Field Advantage campaign to construct a 60-million dollar on-campus stadium and create a ten-million dollar investment fund for Tulane football. To ensure that everyone clearly understands the commitment of this board and this administration to developing a winning football tradition, several donors, most of whom are members of the Tulane board, have pledged 40-million dollars toward the campaign so that we can officially begin detailed planning for the stadium today.
It is our expectation that others will now co-invest with us to raise the additional 20-million (dollars) for the stadium over the next 18 months and the remaining ten-million (dollars) before we kickoff for our first on-campus home game in 40 years. By the way, the board's commitment to this project is a once-in-a-century event, because the last time a board at Tulane had to address this issue was in the early part of the 20th century. I don't anticipate another board at Tulane will deal with this issue again in the 21st century. I can't speak for the 22nd century, because I won't be here, but I promise to be here for the 21st (century) as a Tulanian to watch Curtis (Johnson) coach for 100 years. And as we said to the board today, and I will say to all of you out here, our fans and alumni, this is an all hands on deck moment. All hands on deck.
Because all of us here, alumni, friends and New Orleanians we are here to get this done. It is time to band together. To do something all of you have dreamed of from the day Tulane Stadium was demolished in 1980. I am counting on all of you to join our boards lead to successfully complete this campaign. Make no mistake about it. We are committed to constructing this stadium and raising the rest of the money to get it done.
Let me tell you about this stadium. The stadium will be located on our current practice field; right outside this backdoor of the Wilson Center. It is anticipated to have a capacity of 30,000 and be completed no later than the season beginning in Fall 2014. And, as I said, detailed planning for it begins today.
There are a few questions I have been asked constantly about this. Why are we doing this? The answer is a simple one, because we believe it is the right thing to do for Tulane University, Tulane football and New Orleans. For Tulane, it makes economic sense, because it will enhance our football program, but we also see it as a great resource for our community. What we also know is it will nurture a spirit of a spirit decor on this campus that we have probably not seen for decades. I was reading about Tulane Stadium the last couple days in preparation for today. That stadium was dedicated on October 23, 1926 and when it was originally build it had a capacity of a little over 30,000. It eventually had a capacity over 80,000 and was the largest football stadium in the south. It hosted three super bowls and was the home of the Green Wave for many years. By the way, when that stadium was dedicated in 1926 the cost of the stadium was $300,000 dollars. To put that in proportion to prepare you, you won't even be able to get a club seat for that in this one.
I have to tell you, the moment I stepped foot on this campus in 1998 there were two subjects that I always heard about and number one, by far, was what Tulane Stadium meant to all of you, to generations of Tulanians and New Orleanians who had story after story about it impacting their life. Even at lunch today when I was talking to our trustees, they began to recall their stories. The other day I was with the mayor, informing him of this event, and Mitch launched into (telling me) that was how he made his money as a young guy, working at Tulane Stadium. Isn't it remarkable that we are going back to the future? That we are bringing back the memories, but we are bringing it back so that it is suitable for the 21st century. For our community, and I mean New Orleans, it will be a wonderful community resource. We plan to partner with the New Orleans Recreation Department, public schools, the Louisiana High School Athletic Association, because it is part of, what we say at Tulane, Tulane Empowers. Ever since Katrina, we have been engaged in our community in ways that we never were before and this is one more manifestation of our commitment. It is indeed a football stadium, but to only think of it in that was doesn't do justice to the (impact) it will have on New Orleans. It will be an economic drive for the city that we love.
The second question is, `why are we doing it now?' First of all, I can honestly say we have now financially recovered from Hurricane Katrina. It took us six years, but we did it. We have now regained full Division I status. It took us six years, but we did it. And in the meantime we built the needed facilities for baseball, volleyball and basketball. And now we are fulfilling a pledge we told all of you last spring that we would fulfill. That is to bring in superb leadership as our new (head football) coach, surround him with first class staff and build first rate facilities that will always give him the home field advantage.
A moment like this requires thanking a lot of people, but we don't have the time today to do that. There are a few (people) that I want to call out and, Jay (Lapeyre), I want to start with the board at Tulane University. I want all of you to know this. The board was solidly behind this. Do you know how they demonstrated their commitment? By putting up their money for this project and the vast majority of this money came from board members. And then I want to thank Rick Dickson. You know, I think one of the hardest jobs at a university is being an athletic director. Because everybody focuses on the athletic director, especially if they don't like the way something is going in athletics. Rick and I have known each other for almost a decade and I want you to know, Rick, you are a man of integrity, character and dedication to this university and we wouldn't be standing here today without your dedication and that of your staff. Join me in thanking Rick.
Finally, I want to tell you how I feel personally at this moment. I have been Tulane's president for 14 years and I have been present for two of the most historic events in the history of this university; Hurricane Katrina and the building of a new (football) stadium. I consider myself one of the most blessed people to have found my way to New Orleans and Tulane University and I am just so pleased to be here to play a small part in this magnificent initiative for Tulane University. It is something I never thought would happen on my watch and I am still pinching myself to realize it is. So begins the glorious journey for Tulane, New Orleans and most of all, Tulane football.
I want to show you all a glance of the future. Well, let me tell you something. If that doesn't give you goose bumps, nothing will. So, I want to ask you one question. Are you with us? I didn't hear you, are you with us? Together we are going to make our dreams a reality. Now it is my great pleasure to introduce the President of the Associated Student Body, Evan Nicoll."
President of the Associated Student Body Evan Nicoll
"Thank you, president Cowen. I am extremely happy to be here today to represent the students of Tulane and communicate their excitement. For me just to say that the students are excited about an on campus stadium would truly be an understatement. This has been one of the most active months in Tulane athletic history. One of my proudest moments I have been (a part of) at Tulane was last Saturday when the men's basketball beat Georgia Tech at home. For those that weren't there, the atmosphere was electric. Student were going nuts cheering for those guys and I know that I can speak for the students when I say that we all wish we could have the same atmosphere, that same environment of being at home to cheer for all of our teams, especially for football.
I believe that the university is taking steps to make this a reality. You've seen the new Hertz Center, the hiring of Mr. Curtis Johnson as our new coach and now to this day. The day that many have been waiting for since the old (Tulane) Stadium was taken down. I think sometimes people forget about Tulane's decorated athletic history and traditions. I believe that a new stadium is the missing piece of the puzzle to reclaim that rich tradition. To imagine that something as simple as having homecoming at home, that is incredible. So now we have the stadium. What is next? Well I can tell you this; we have no more excuses any more.
Our excuse about not going to a game because it is too far from campus. Our excuse about being drowned out in a sea of empty seats. Our excuse about not being in a (college football) atmosphere. I could go on, but the point is this. All of our excuses have been taken away. You have seen the posters, the signs, the t-shirts. Now is the time to rise up. It is time to stop talking and start doing. You see, everyone around here, everyone here in this room, they are rising up. Now it's your turn Tulane.
I can guarantee you that I will be one of the first to purchase season tickets when I become an alum. I would like to end by reiterating something that coach Curtis Johnson had mentioned in his press conference on Monday. He mentioned that Louisiana recruits should be ready, because we are coming for them. I am going to take it a step further. You see, I have a friend of mine, Cody Wells, who happens to be the student body president at LSU. Cody, I hope you are watching buddy. Congratulations on the success that your football program is having right now. Enjoy it while you can, because you all are next. We are coming for you LSU. Roll Wave."
Director of Athletics Rick Dickson
"Welcome. It's kind of been an emotional week for a lot of reasons. I want to say thanks to everyone, certainly Scott and our board and what they did today. I have to tell you, this isn't often, I was dumbfounded, the dumbfounded part you'll believe, but I was dumbfounded and speechless when they unanimously voted to approve this project. It is a remarkable day and a remarkable time.
I've lived it, as you know, day-by-day and moment-by-moment. Scott came to me and said, `you don't seem elated'. But I can't begin to express how I feel, because I immediately went back to a time that a Tulane board first voted to keep my athletic program in 2003. I immediately thought of a time coming in here in December 2005 after I had evacuated 320 of my kids out of here and stood in this very atrium with the same orange juice cartons and muffin cartons that I had fed them the morning I evacuated them. I stood and realized where we were and I once again almost didn't have an athletic program.
Then what this board did today, that is what I think. If you wonder, Scott and our board, I want you to know that I have never experienced this in my life and to be a small part of it is humbling. Like others have said, from the moment I got here in April of 2000, I have heard your stories about what that facility meant. Not shortly after I got here did I look in my office and see an overhead shot of what was, at the time, college football's nighttime attendance record right out there of 89,651 in our stadium. I said, `turn that around, I don't need to see that again'. If there was ever, between your stories, which I have heard during the tens of hundreds of thousands of miles I've flown around this country to meet, know and ask for Tulanian support, I know. I have every moment, every day, looked forward to this moment where I now can tell you about your Tulane Stadium. That is the journey that I have been on. Once again, to everyone, Scott and our board, that made this day happen, you have my heartfelt, absolute gratitude for life.
To Brenda (Dickson), who has endured it with me, particularly, these last six month of traveling and presenting to those who could make today possible, some would say for the last 32 years, I wouldn't be here today without you. And to all of our young men and women who helped get us here today, all of the people and staff, I thank you with all of my heart. This caps it off. It doesn't get any better.
As you heard earlier, it just starts today. Many of you have asked me how you can become a part of it. Now you've heard today, become part of it. They'll get you the information, you'll see it. I know I am supposed to recite it, but, as you can tell, my head is in another place. You know where to find us. Anybody who wants to help on that last 30-million (dollars), you know me. You know where to find me and you know I'll come see you. For all of you, becoming part of it means this.
I scheduled those five games at Tad Gormley for a reason. Because of your stories, I knew in my heart, that it wasn't just us. I wanted to prove it to us. That if you put us in a collegiate atmosphere we can have as electric of a setting and day in college pageantry as there is in the country. I have been in some pretty special places for that, Rose Bowl and national championships, included, and those were as exciting a five days that I have been a part of. To our students, I am not going to ask you to get on a bus again to come and support us. Just roll out of bed. And Curtis, you may have gotten the greatest extended honeymoon of any coach in America because of today. I can't tell you how excited I am and enthusiastic about him. I know he is the right man.
To all of you, it starts now. It doesn't end. We're not here to tell you about anything we accomplished. We are here today to tell you this is going to happen and there is a place and a need for every single one of you. You better start contacting our folks now, become TAF holders and become season ticket holders, because that is what puts you into that stadium. Your scoreboard starts now. I am preaching to the choir here, because you've always been a part of it. For those of you out there watching and listening, your scoreboard starts now.
Become part of this and make it happen. I couldn't be prouder of where we are and more proud for all of you. To the young men that will experience this during their time here, as Evan said, we're coming to get you. We want you to become part of it in the future. The future is now and the future is great."
