Troy Dannen has ‘a lot to learn’ about stadium overhaul

Dannen said he needs to know more about the “fundamentals” of the proposed renovation.

“I can’t even answer to the (possible) delay because I don’t even know what the timeline is,” said Dannen, who expected to be briefed this week in meetings. “So there’s that much for me to learn. I need to understand the model, I need to understand the financing behind it, I need to understand the objective behind it.”

Almost from the time Alberts began his stint as AD, he planned an overhaul of the 100-year-old stadium. He sent out fan surveys — and published the results — and last fall provided preliminary plans for demolishing the South Stadium wedge — which seats 23,000 — for at least one season with the idea of remaking that side of the stadium into a modern, three-tier section. Plans to renovate concourses and concessions areas were also part of the plan.

Alberts envisioned raising $225 million through private donors and exploring options for the remaining $125 million.

Dannen noted the cost of construction in the current economy. NU still has finishing touches:” To make on its new not-yet-named football building.

“This is a high-interest-rate environment we’re in right now so I don’t know what the actual costs are,” Dannen said of the proposed Memorial Stadium renovation. “I don’t know what the design is. And frankly, I don’t know what the buy-in is from everybody on the project. So I’ve got a lot to learn. But it has to come fast, I do understand that, because the longer it takes, I will tell you, the more expensive anything’s going to be.”

Return of investment — Dannen called it “ROI” — ranks high on his list of priorities when he considers large-scale projects.

“If it helps us win, great,” Dannen said. “If it doesn’t help us win — I want to win. And so the assessment of anything we do — the stadium, any facility, any infrastructure, any person we hire, any dollar we invest —does it help us win?”