As I posted in the News-Sentinel comments earlier today, a huge skycrane was erected last week at Neyland Stadium for additional luxury amenities to be put in. I'm not sure what all is going to be done in this current project, but the project has to be big to justify the expense of a skycrane and closing down major streets on the UTK campus.

The crane is erected in the middle of the roadway of Philip Fulmer Way. It completely blocks both that main thoroughfare on campus AND Peyton Manning Pass.

UT Athletics and their donors are spending a crapload of money on this damned expansion, right in the midst of the UT budget crisis with attendant program slashes and upcoming layoffs and tuition increases.

Since this summer, when UT attacked the ASP program in the name of budget cutting, many people have been taking a hard look at UT's rampant spending on construction projects such as Cherokee Farm and other such boondoggles. Even with all this increased scrutiny, UT has the pure, callous gall to pull a stunt like this.

This may become the most egregious public relations disaster yet committed by UT, Mike Hamilton, and John Petersen, who is supposedly in charge of this mess. It is completely insane to schedule this multimillion, highly visible stadium project right in the middle of the budget crisis.

This project is not getting a lot of press yet, but I'm hoping a public outcry will arise and force the local media to take a look at what is going on.

The UT Board of Trustees needs to hear about this from the public. (link...) is currently spearheading the effort to protest this ridiculous debacle.

This is complete folly on UT Athletics' and UT's part.

National political parties continue wasteful campaign spending in face of mounting government deficits.

What's going to be done about it? To many, it seems wasteful, but that didn't stop plenty of people (including users on this site) from donating to Obama or whoever. Same goes for donors to the UT athletic department.

Brian A.
I'd rather be cycling.

And still nothing is being said about this by the News-Sentinel.

However, they did report that UT is renovating Ayres Hall at a cost of $23 million.

Totally crazy on UT's part.

You do realize that the Neyland Stadium renovations are being completely funded by private funds don't you? Also, every year, the UT Athletics Department gives millions of dollars in football tickets to the University's general scholarship fund, so I would say the renovations are a good investment to ensure this continued revenue stream to the University (especially because UT is not paying for the renovations to begin with).