Tanks Memorial Stadium

[tk421]

Seeing the thread about the new Portsmouth Stadium got me thinking about the Tank. I know the stadium needs updating, so I was wondering what everyone would wish could be done and how much $$ you all think would be needed to do a good job.

I'd definitely put in a new sound system, plumbing and bathrooms, new electrical, new woodwork and bleachers, roof, locker rooms, etc.

[tigerdad]

new plumbing and bathrooms, leave everything else alone, fine just the way it is

[Burg_Grad_77]

The only thing the Tank needs is bigger visitor seating. They can't handle the large visiting crowds and that means hundreds of people end up standing along the fences.

[West_Sider]

How about not locking everybody in like prisoners! I have no idea why they have decided to lock the gate to the home side concession stand and bathroom for people who wish to pay full price and stand in the endzone. I just about came unhinged when I was told by some ogre who looked like Shrek that I had to take my 6 year old son all the way around to the visitors section for him to go to the bathroom. The only thing that made me keep my cool was the thought of the headlines on the Portsmouth Daily Times... "West Portsmouth man arrested for knocking out Ironton bafoon!" If I pay $6 a head I'll use whatever bathroom I please! Please, someone answer me why they decided to close these gates. What an inconvienence.

[Black@Orange]

Besides the history, and the roof over the home crowd, it sucks. Save the roof, demolish everything else, but build it in the same spot. And add to the visitors seating, and add some more parking. And redo the field.
Besides that it's perfectly fine.

[Praetorian]

Never had a chance to play on field turf, but I think that would make the stadium look better. I haven't been to a home game in 2 plus years but I think that the restrooms also need work. Possibly some more seating on the visitors side also.

[Pepsiman]

I'd definitely put in a new sound system, plumbing and bathrooms, new electrical, new woodwork and bleachers, roof, locker rooms, etc.

These repairs are needed...............In the worst way.............

[CarmenOhio]

How about not locking everybody in like prisoners! I have no idea why they have decided to lock the gate to the home side concession stand and bathroom for people who wish to pay full price and stand in the endzone. I just about came unhinged when I was told by some ogre who looked like Shrek that I had to take my 6 year old son all the way around to the visitors section for him to go to the bathroom. The only thing that made me keep my cool was the thought of the headlines on the Portsmouth Daily Times... "West Portsmouth man arrested for knocking out Ironton bafoon!" If I pay $6 a head I'll use whatever bathroom I please! Please, someone answer me why they decided to close these gates. What an inconvienence.

While I agree with you there is nothing like an internet tough guy.

[billcox]

How about not locking everybody in like prisoners! I have no idea why they have decided to lock the gate to the home side concession stand and bathroom for people who wish to pay full price and stand in the endzone. I just about came unhinged when I was told by some ogre who looked like Shrek that I had to take my 6 year old son all the way around to the visitors section for him to go to the bathroom. The only thing that made me keep my cool was the thought of the headlines on the Portsmouth Daily Times... "West Portsmouth man arrested for knocking out Ironton bafoon!" If I pay $6 a head I'll use whatever bathroom I please! Please, someone answer me why they decided to close these gates. What an inconvienence.

I completely agree with you. However, my friends and I fixed the problem by simply pushing the gate open and walking through it against the wishes of the young man who had been assigned the task of holding the gate shut. I'll be damned if im going to pay $12 bucks for my girlfriend and I to attend the game and an additional $3 bucks to park and then be told where I can walk/stand and which restroom facilities I can use!

[hornet8088]

more bleachers on the away side is needed a turf field would look awsome leave the home side shell the same as it is just update the plumming and restrooms but the stadium needs to look the same as much as possible. to remember the tanks.

[tl895]

dont like the tank???? then dont come back

[billcox]

dont like the tank???? then dont come back

I've got a novel idea. Instead of acting like an arrogant arse, maybe you could enlighten us all as to why they felt the need to restrict folks to one half of the stadium.

[Pepsiman]

dont like the tank???? then dont come back

No wonder we have a bad name................................... Not all of us are like that............

[Frank Reagan]

dont like the tank???? then dont come back

I've got a novel idea. Instead of acting like an arrogant arse, maybe you could enlighten us all as to why they felt the need to restrict folks to one half of the stadium.

I would say it is an attempt to keep the visitors and the home fans away from each other to keep down trouble. If you looked, I believe you came in a gate labeled visitors.

Just because you paid your money, it doesn't give you rights to sit where you want or go where you want. Every stadium has their own set of rules and regardless of what you think by typing, "I'll be damned if im going to pay $12 bucks for my girlfriend and I to attend the game and an additional $3 bucks to park and then be told where I can walk/stand and which restroom facilities I can use!", you are just a guest. Be it home, visiting or neutral fan, there are rules and you are not above following them. Like it or not.

BTW, the $3 dollars to park has nothing to do with the school. It is the church or OU that charged the parking, depending on where you parked. There is plenty of free on-street parking, you just may have to walk a little. If I'm "acting like an arrogant arse," don't feel bad, I'm just following your lead.

[ironman02]

I would say it is an attempt to keep the visitors and the home fans away from each other to keep down trouble. If you looked, I believe you came in a gate labeled visitors.

I'm not trying to be a jerk here, but I had the same experience at the Tank on Friday. We came in on the visitors side, but there were no seats left on the Burg side and no places along the fence. There were some open seats left on the Ironton side, so that's where we went. We walked around the fence line and through the gate in question to get to the home side. Then, when we were leaving that gate was closed...but not really. We were told to walk around the stadium to get back to our parking lot, but as soon as we turned to walk away, the "gate keeper" proceeded to let at least 10 Ironton fans walk right through. I don't really think it's necessary to keep that gate closed unless it's always closed, but if you're going to, you can't pick and choose who goes through and who doesn't.

As for the purpose of the thread, I would say adding some seating on the visitor's side would be a good idea. Other than that, the Tank is probably fine. Great atmosphere for a football game and a ton of history.

[West_Sider]

How about not locking everybody in like prisoners! I have no idea why they have decided to lock the gate to the home side concession stand and bathroom for people who wish to pay full price and stand in the endzone. I just about came unhinged when I was told by some ogre who looked like Shrek that I had to take my 6 year old son all the way around to the visitors section for him to go to the bathroom. The only thing that made me keep my cool was the thought of the headlines on the Portsmouth Daily Times... "West Portsmouth man arrested for knocking out Ironton bafoon!" If I pay $6 a head I'll use whatever bathroom I please! Please, someone answer me why they decided to close these gates. What an inconvienence.

While I agree with you there is nothing like an internet tough guy.

[tl895]

new ad means new rules!! i was told also that they were going to be much stricter on the gate as to slipping out before the halftime.

[rxburgfan]

the tank may be a great home field but a bad place to visit. after being forced to stand, getting herded around trying to get a concession it is easier to stay home. for a school the size it is they have as poor a visitor section as any school. its great to play ironton but only worth seeing in person every other year.

[OVCfan32]

it is pretty pathetic, like the amount of money that place pulls every year couldnt fix some of the problems, grow up

get a good handy man to fix the plumbing and electric, and take care of the only one single thing your town has to tote anymore, don't be stupid and let something go like portsmouth did, let it go too far and it'll start looking cheaper to just build a new one,
don't go make a massive levy for improvements, just freakin' build half the away stands one year, and the other half the next, keep the away pressbox in the middle and get the facilities fixed, you'll even have the better parts of the old away stands to build a lil' new endzone stand section and relieve pressure on the overcrowded fence, but what do i know, civil engineering degree doesn't help me understand how to save money and maximize profits on civil structures

straight up, itown people, for a fact, you let those home stands go too long, it'll cost more to fix than to rebuild, fix it

[dragonsfan24]

*disclaimer - I think The Tank is a wonderful place...but*

I also agree that the stadium would benefit from having more seating on the visitors side.I also think the stadium would benefit from a fresh coat of paint, and some new boards on some of the bleachers on the home side, as well as renovating the plumbing and even adding more restrooms.