What would you do to make tailgating better?

4,240 Views | 12 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by TallTexan
PurpleOut
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*Let me first say that I think our tailgating system is much better than it was a few years ago. It's normally an annual topic, so here it goes again.

Today Texas State released their new tailgating set up, along with a nice video that outlined and explained it (which I hope we do at some point if nothing else). So it got me thinking, of course. If you didn't watch the video in the link above, they now have a "Tailgate Central" that includes a boulevard with vendors and music stage, along with student organizations and reserved tailgate spots for donors.

One thing that we don't have is a real organized strategy. We have the student area next to the ag pond, the alumni tent, and then free game to everyone else around the area. Curious to hear what everyone likes and dislikes about the system currently, and then what would you change (and how would you change it)?

I think the main issue for me is just lack of parking. You have the donor lots, which appear to be better assigned now through the PLF, but general public parking is either the commuter lot or just around campus and the neighborhood. I think one thing that would need to be fixed before anything bigger to be done, would be more parking lots and/or garages.

I do think the Alumni association does a great job now. They have live music, kid activities, etc. But overall it's still small and you have to be a member or pay to get in. But I think it provides a much bigger opportunity for that lot to turn into something bigger and similar such as a "Tailgate Central." We don't really have any food trucks, or vendors or other sponsors out there with tailgates. I was never a huge fan of Lumberjack Alley just because I'm not big on tailgating on concrete, but, I did like how it had everyone together. So maybe a smaller version of that in this lot would work. And I think there's still a decent population of people that would like to go back to that. So maybe this does both. Have the free tailgating as is, but in this lot bring in some vendors, food trucks, live bands and set up reserved tailgates for PLF as well as the general public, and then for other non-student/whatever organizations on campus. I don't think it's unreasonable to have assigned tailgate spots. See if we can get one of the local bars to set up a covered tailgate with open bar, tvs, etc like mentioned Baylor has. I of course went ahead and drew up a quick sketch of how it might work. Sorry, long post, I'm crazy. But always thinking.

BigJack85
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I'm one of the rare people that found the parking tailgating interesting and at the same time delightfully chaotic. Most people found it to hot and crowded.

I'd like to see the early childhood center parking lot become kind of like the old commuter lot.
Axe 'Em Jacks - Class of 85'
PurpleOut
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BigJack85 said:

I'm one of the rare people that found the parking tailgating interesting and at the same time delightfully chaotic. Most people found it to hot and crowded.

I'd like to see the early childhood center parking lot become kind of like the old commuter lot.


Agree with all of that. I think the old Lumberjack Alley had more energy, but I don't think I'd trade it for our spot under the trees. But if we can find a way to mix them together.......this might be the lot to do it.
drhuggybear
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I would certainly be down for RV spots
Jeff
Axe'Em Jacks
PurpleOut
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Closing down that small stretch of Raguet would be interesting, but that wouldn't be feasible for non-gameday people, would it? Trying to think outside the box.
SFAJack_76
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PurpleOut said:

Closing down that small stretch of Raguet would be interesting, but that wouldn't be feasible for non-gameday people, would it? Trying to think outside the box.
Interesting thought. Might be more of an issue until they get done with Austin Street.
TallTexan
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PurpleOut said:

Closing down that small stretch of Raguet would be interesting, but that wouldn't be feasible for non-gameday people, would it? Trying to think outside the box.


Doesn't seem like shutting it for 8 hours or so would cause too much trouble. Are there any houses on the other side?
nacluth
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Yeah it's almost all residential on the other side save for Grace Bible Church's campus. I agree that a partial game day close down wouldn't be too disruptive. Currently, Raguet's intersection with East Austin is shut down due to construction- though it's supposed to reopen in the next month.

I like the idea of using this lot, but shutting down the lot then means a decent amount of walking from assigned parking. If the Raguet/E. College garage was opened for game day parking, it could be a good close location on that side...but they would need to streamline payment. I've been in line for a small event to use the two parking kiosks, and it takes a long time.
PurpleOut
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Yeah I think the primary issue is overall parking. And really just in general, across campus. I sill think turning the back corner of the commuter lot on University into a parking garage is a good idea.

I also think we need to utilize our shuttle buses better/more. I know we have them, and have bus stops, but I rarely hear anything about them. Don't know if I've actually seen a bus stop, but it says online that they are there. Could be useful to set up off-campus parking on gamedays, and have the buses run back and forth. A lot of places do that. Maybe First Baptist Church on one side of town, and the corner of the Walmart for that side of town.
drhuggybear
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PurpleOut said:

I also think we need to utilize our shuttle buses better/more. I know we have them, and have bus stops, but I rarely hear anything about them. Don't know if I've actually seen a bus stop, but it says online that they are there. Could be useful to set up off-campus parking on gamedays, and have the buses run back and forth. A lot of places do that. Maybe First Baptist Church on one side of town, and the corner of the Walmart for that side of town.

A&M does this and it makes getting to and from the stadium area very nice. I know there are 100K people so there are bodies everywhere but it alleviates the bottlenecks because not everyone is trying to leave from the same spot.

Doing something like this where you park near downtown and then bus people over to the stadium would be a win win. It would free up a lot of spots on campus and it would encourage people to visit the downtown businesses more before or after the games.
Jeff
Axe'Em Jacks
BigJack85
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drhuggybear said:

PurpleOut said:

I also think we need to utilize our shuttle buses better/more. I know we have them, and have bus stops, but I rarely hear anything about them. Don't know if I've actually seen a bus stop, but it says online that they are there. Could be useful to set up off-campus parking on gamedays, and have the buses run back and forth. A lot of places do that. Maybe First Baptist Church on one side of town, and the corner of the Walmart for that side of town.

A&M does this and it makes getting to and from the stadium area very nice. I know there are 100K people so there are bodies everywhere but it alleviates the bottlenecks because not everyone is trying to leave from the same spot.

Doing something like this where you park near downtown and then bus people over to the stadium would be a win win. It would free up a lot of spots on campus and it would encourage people to visit the downtown businesses more before or after the games.


The more I think about the shuttle idea the more I like it. You could do three stops. 1) Rio Del Oro (or whatever it's called). 2) Walmart area. 3). Downtown? If you ran two shuttles non-stop for a few hours people would be picked up every 15-20 minutes.
Axe 'Em Jacks - Class of 85'
SFA Jack Fanatic
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Some great suggestions. Can someone check to see if this idea has been floated in front of the University's suits already?
PurpleOut
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I think downtown is a great idea just to have people down there for shopping/eating, but there isn't really much of a lot down there is there? Just thinking about an area that could be just gameday parking and not take away from casual downtown tourists. And then the ease for a shuttle bus to get in/out. The "mall" parking lot is another good option.

And then let them off at the corner of Raguet and Hayter (other side of the street) close to the tailgating.
TallTexan
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PurpleOut said:

I think downtown is a great idea just to have people down there for shopping/eating, but there isn't really much of a lot down there is there? Just thinking about an area that could be just gameday parking and not take away from casual downtown tourists. And then the ease for a shuttle bus to get in/out. The "mall" parking lot is another good option.

And then let them off at the corner of Raguet and Hayter (other side of the street) close to the tailgating.


Downtown definitely needs better parking. Something like Hot Springs free parking garage.

And a circulator shuttle definitely makes sense for GameDay.
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