Anyone have an update on this? I'm tired of standing on a hill in mud when tailgating and looking around and seeing a park that looks like a 1940s prison yard.

The park is an absolutely embarrassment to this university. We have nice new Kyle Field and this dump right next to it. It's like looking into a garage at a nice new Porsche and having a 1990 Pontiac Trans Sport parked next to it.

Completely agree. We have the top minds in the country for growing grass, but both the quad and Spence have looked like absolute ***t the last 5 years. It's terrible.

I started the Thursday tradition of "frolicking on the quad". It was a nice grassy area to lounge before hitting north gate. I'd probably get ate up with fire ants if I tried that today!

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Maybe it wouldnt look so bad if we didnt tailgate on it. What do you expect when you have thousands of people trampling the grass almost every weekend each fall?

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Yeah that must be the reason!

Forget about leveling the ground so its flat and developing a better irrigation system to prevent mud and flooding. Bringing in a better grounds crew to facilitate. Improving the landscaping by replacing the gravel walkways with concrete or adding a pond or new trees. Could also take away that old workout equipment that nobody uses.

From now on let's tailgate at Easterwood Airport to prevent the trampling of the grass at Spence Park.

What good will all that do if people are trampling it down all fall?

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The park is an absolutely embarrassment to this university.

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LOL Get over yourself

Only problem I have with the pond idea would be if it's not treated/sprayed for mosquitoes... that would push things over the top (heat, crowds, crappy kickoff times) and make tailgating unbearable.

When they outsourced the facilities, they quit watering the grass and maintaining a lot of areas around campus.


Landscaping looks great over at the (Connally Building) Chancellor's Office though.....



How do you think SSC planned on saving money ? One example....not watering the grass is one prime example.

Petition for a new Spence Park

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The park is an absolutely embarrassment to this university.

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LOL Get over yourself

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No he's got a point. Alums from other schools hear so many great things about A&M, then they travel to an away game at Kyle and the primetime tailgate spot is a freaking abortion. It's not a good look for us... a real black eye for the administration.

maroon AstroTurf with beveled Gig'em thumbs, and a manziel themed playground, complete with a lazy river and a floating minibar.

I'm sure if someone wants to endow the funds to pay for it and future up-keep, the university will green light this project.

Concrete it and make it a skate park.

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I'm sure if someone wants to endow the funds to pay for it and future up-keep, the university will green light this project.

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I thought someone already did. Wasn't Sharp boasting about it last year?

We tailgate in Spence. It's a great time, but it has potential to be the premiere tailgating spot in the country. The conditions of the "park" have been awful for years. A light sprinkle and it turns into a mudpit.

TURF IT!

The problem is if you make it nice they will start charging us to tailgate there. And BTW for visitors all they see is a mass of humanity so it's not really an eyesore. Please find another cause...

Sorry but a petition is not going to get anything done. It has to come from the big money ags.

The Corps uses Spence every morning of the school year for workouts. Ever since they started the Quad renovations we've lost a lot of the area on Duncan field so Spence has taken a lot of the traffic that used to be spread out over the two spots. I'd love for Spence to be a great tailgating spot and would no doubt enjoy it, but it's not like it isn't used as it is right now.

So OP, are you going to tell us what you got sent to prison for in the 1940's?

Sooooooooo, would you be willing to rent your tailgate spot for the football season? The university could use the money to take care of the grass properly, etc.

Have any of you people ever thought of staying home entirely? All I see is people *****ing about the play, the food, long lines, parking, unruly drunks...Maybe just not go?

At Auburn and other SEC schools you pay a fee for the season; in return they mark out your spot and you set up at your leisure anytime after noon. No fuss no muss

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Sooooooooo, would you be willing to rent your tailgate spot for the football season? The university could use the money to take care of the grass properly, etc.

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Well let's disregard the fact that there is already a plan in motion to beautify Spence Park.

If they came back and asked about renting a spot, I'd absolutely do it. That way we could eliminate the Friday ridiculousness. However, for those of us who have tailgated in Spence for years, I'd expect them to basically piss on us in that scenario and just give to the highest bidder.

I'm more in tune with the current plans to fix it up and keep the "1st come 1st serve" rules

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Maybe it wouldnt look so bad if we didnt tailgate on it. What do you expect when you have thousands of people trampling the grass almost every weekend each fall?

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The Corps uses Spence every morning of the school year for workouts. Ever since they started the Quad renovations we've lost a lot of the area on Duncan field so Spence has taken a lot of the traffic that used to be spread out over the two spots. I'd love for Spence to be a great tailgating spot and would no doubt enjoy it, but it's not like it isn't used as it is right now.

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The corps using it and the drought has much more to do with its condition than the tailgating.

I'd be willing to pay to rent our space at Spence and so would the other four groups in our "neighborhood." Have already approached the TWMF about this and they were surprised that there was support for the renting a space idea. I can truthfully say that an additional 6/7 groups would gladly pay to rent the spot they currently have at Spence. Renting the space would take care of a lot of problems in a lot of ways.

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I'd be willing to pay to rent our space at Spence and so would the other four groups in our "neighborhood." Have already approached the TWMF about this and they were surprised that there was support for the renting a space idea. I can truthfully say that an additional 6/7 groups would gladly pay to rent the spot they currently have at Spence. Renting the space would take care of a lot of problems in a lot of ways.

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I'd agree if I didn't distrust the the system so much that they'd open up auction bids for spots. That's what I fear. As soon as you show them money can be made, they get greedy.

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I'd be willing to pay to rent our space at Spence and so would the other four groups in our "neighborhood." Have already approached the TWMF about this and they were surprised that there was support for the renting a space idea. I can truthfully say that an additional 6/7 groups would gladly pay to rent the spot they currently have at Spence. Renting the space would take care of a lot of problems in a lot of ways.

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How can you be certain they would allow you to have "your" space in the park under a rental agreement type system? The TMF has already shown they're willing to re-seat an entire stadium of longtime donors in order to implement a new system. What makes you think you won't get jobbed out of your existing space during the transition? Would you still be in favor of it if you knew ahead of time you were likely to get a less than desirable spot within the park and be stuck with it for the foreseeable future?

Just want to chime in here.

Priority No. 1 in any renovation needs to be improving the park for current students and the Corps that use it 360 days a year. Tailgating takes up 6-7 days of the year and is a shared event between former students (some of whom may be open to a pay system) and current student groups (who probably can't afford to pay).

Those aren't zero-sum goals. You can make the area nicer and still have people actively use it during the week. Pretty much by default any improvement in making it more level / more aesthetic will improve tailgating.

My 2-cents.

I know that Sharp wants to use the old Presidents house as a "guest house", but nice guest quarters could be integrated in the design of the new hotel that is planned near the MSC.. Since A&M is now providing a housing allowance for the University President (and V.P.?), a private developer could probably make money on a contract to provide off-campus housing for the Pres. and V.P. Tear down those two houses, and build exercise/work-out areas, for the Corps, on the East side of the Spence block, and make the entire area a true "Park"..

Spence seems to be a Drainage Area for the entire campus. The Drill Field across from MSC with the "tailgate guys" is a great option and still close. Also seems like the Frats have a great spot over where the Bonfire was in the late 70's....then there is always the west campus over by Reed. Definitely drainage issues at Spence, and at some point they will start marking off and selling spots. Always thought it would be a great "fundraiser for on campus groups..Band, Opas, Club Sports, Frats. They could grid off up and down the side walks and lease 15x15 spots for $100-200 a game....mark off with large trash cans like they do in the Grove or chalk and number.They would maintain and collect, set hours and clean up. Make some great cash.

Subdivide Spence into lots that are available for purchase. Deed them, make them available for re-sale. Tax them, charge a maintenance fee, and use those funds to keep things nice. Tired of using your spot? Sell it. Rent it out. Do whatever you want with it, just don't forget to pay your maintenance fees!

I'm a problem solver. It's what I do...

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premium thread last month said there's a committee and the buc-ee's founder is on it along with other bma ags

lots of talk around campus about spence too

sounds like some students have seen the plans and it'll be awesome

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Beaver Nuggets or GTFO!