Update May 15 – The SBOE has approved the project. The board, costing $787,321, will be put in. The board will go in on the east wall where the existing boards are, while the existing smaller video board will be moved to the west wall.
Excited that we received approval for our new 30 x50 video board from the SBOE you will see it this fall #Govandals
— Rob Spear (@Rob_Spear) May 15, 2013
Previous story from February 25 –
I was able to sit down with athletic director Rob Spear late last week to discuss the details of Idaho’s new Kibbie Dome video board project.
The very first thing he stressed to me is that it’s not a done deal, as the project requires approval from the State Board of Education executive director, as the project is under $1 Million but over $500,000. Should it surpass that cost then the project would require the approval of the entire SBOE.
The university is teaming with a firm called Anthony James Partners, providing expertise on the technology and specs, etc. The current video board on the northeast end of the building was put up in 2006. The scoreboard currently sitting on the southeast end of the building, where the new board is expected to go, was put up in 1994.
Per media relations
The new board is estimated to be about 30 feet by 50 feet.
Spear said the project will be paid for by an ‘inter-fund loan’ from the university, and will be able to be quickly re-paid by selling advertising space on the board.
The Idaho Potato commission has already bought premium advertising on the board, along with two other sponsors who have committed. There will be up to two more advertising slots available on the board.
There will also be two additional portable 12 feet by 12 feet boards which will belong to the university that the athletic department will have access to.
Originally the plan was to have the 30-by-50 foot board as the portable one, but in a recent meeting with Anthony James Partner Spear said that the bigger board could be permanent and that a plan for the afore mentioned two 12-by-12 foot boards has been drawn up. Those smaller boards could be used for basketball and other events on campus.
Spear said that the cost for the projects is relatively low because supporting technology such as wiring, cameras, wall reinforcements, etc. have already been installed at the Kibbie Dome in anticipation of the new technology.
Ideally, approval from the SBOE would have to occur by the end of April, as manufacturing and installation will take about four months. Spear said the hope is have the boards installed by Aug. 16, but that there’s some leiway since Idaho’s first two football games are on the road.
As for the old board, it’s not sure what will happen to it. Moving it to the West side of the dome is a possibility, as is letting the University use it for what ever events it may need it for.
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