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Stueckle Sky Club creates an elevated experience
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Multiple outlets of the Boise media were granted permission to view the nearly finished Stueckle Sky Club Aug. 19.
The new venue at Boise State University can be best described as breathtaking.
There has been a mammoth improvement in concessions for patrons. The two former stands in the west concourse where fans had to wait for sustenance while possibly missing part of the game are a far cry from the new concession stands. There will now be four times as many concession stands during game day. Each will be outfitted with point-of-sale systems to speed up the process.
That should stop the mental addition that has been performed by high school students and other organizations, Athletic Director Gene Bleymaier said. It should speed up the process.
The addition of two new Bronco Shops will further the experience. One is located at the base of the west stairs next to the new ticket office. The second will be located at the south end of the west concourse. This too has been remodeled with brand new restrooms that will offer more room between quarters.
A vision realized
It was only last year that the former press box was the only thing standing in place of the massive structure. Now it is a defining representation of Boise State athletics as well as the university itself. The Stueckle Sky Club has forever changed the city’s skyline.
“I think that when I started working here a little over six years ago it was a dream of Gene’s [Bleymaier] and the athletic department,” Valerie Tichenor, executive director of the Stueckle Sky Club, said. “To see that dream go through all of the stages. The architectural rendering, and now being able to walk the halls of the facility, I mean, it’s incredible.”
She very likely has the best office at Boise State, located inside the structure.
Boise State’s Senior Associate Athletic Director of Advancement Curt Apsey has yet to see the ultimate gratification from the project.
“We haven’t played our first football game in there,” Apsey said. “Our ability to build this structure would not have been possible if [we] didn’t have donors or season ticket holders. All of our fans who have been with us for so long.”
The commitment from fans and the need for an updated press box was the driving force for the expansion.
More than 30 suites had been leased prior to the groundbreaking of the expansion February 2007.
“I am looking forward to our first game when our fans who are responsible for paying for the thing are going to be able to enjoy it on game day,” Apsey said. “When [the fans] walk in there for the first time to watch a game […] That’s when that’s going to come. When those people come in to enjoy the facility.”
The influence
The expansion didn’t go forth without forethought. Investigation of multiple facilities influenced the final decision of layout and structure of the Stueckle Sky Club.
“The top three were Utah, Oregon and Oregon State … Utah more than any,” Apsey said.
The previous hiccups from other stadiums also helped Boise State athletics move forward with the expansion.
“You almost learn through this process the things that you shouldn’t do,” Apsey said. “That was very valuable for us … [Other facilities] were very willing to share with us.”
According to Apsey, the University of Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium was the biggest influence on the model of the Stueckle Sky Club. Layton Construction has overseen the erection of both expansions at BSU and Utah.
Demands from the press moved for further improvements in facilities.
“It was big enough at one point and we outgrew it,” Apsey said. “It was really how this whole thing got started … If you compare what [we] have now to what we had then, it is the Taj Mahal of press boxes.”
What to expect
The Stueckle Sky Club will serve more than just game days for BSU. A range of different events will become commonplace.
“It totally runs the gamut,” Tichenor said.
Proms, weddings, non-profit functions, meetings, conferences and Christmas parties are in the process of booking.
“It’s unbelievable … There is quite a range of everything that is booked in here.”
Fans leasing space in the expansion will see some extras for their purchases.
They will receive 16 game tickets, four VIP parking passes, food and drink service and access to the facility three hours before kickoff.
A bar on every floor adds to the upscale fan experience. The elevated scene set by the open space in the structure gives a virtual 360-degree outlook on downtown Boise and the foothills.
“There is not a bad seat in the house,” Tichenor said. “It is a beautiful view.”
The next step in construction will likely be the south end zone.
The expansion, if implemented, will add about 4,500 seats to the stadium, creating a true horseshoe venue with north end zone facing the familiar Boise foothills. That is if Broncos continue to win.
An open house for the public is set for Wednesday, Sept. 10.
The venue will be unveiled when the Broncos face the Idaho State Bengals Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. Student tickets can be picked up Aug. 25 at 10 a.m. Offices including the Student Union Building and Bronco Stadium will distribute tickets. Students picking up tickets should be sure to bring their BSU Student ID.
KIRK BELL
Sports Coordinator
