|
PRINT
THIS PAGE | E-MAIL THIS PAGE
Tuesday, February 25, 1997
Senate passes bill to allow for UT stadium
expansion
By PEGGY FIKAC
Associated Press
AUSTIN - The University of Texas' plan to expand its football
stadium got a boost with a Senate vote to exempt the project from
a law protecting views of the state Capitol.
The Senate voted 31-0 Monday for an exemption bill sponsored
by Sen. Ken Armbrister, D-Victoria. The measure now goes to the
House for consideration.
University of Texas regents last year approved the expansion
plan for Royal-Memorial Stadium, which is north of the Capitol.
For the plan to go forward, lawmakers must agree to waive protection
of the Capitol views the expansion would obstruct.
"It would be true that all the people in Texas own the
Capitol and would like to see the views protected?" Sen.
Gonzalo Barrientos, D-Austin, asked Armbrister during Senate debate.
More than 30 views are protected under the current law.
Armbrister said, "As they also own .. the Darrell K Royal
Stadium."
A deck on the stadium's east side, scheduled to be finished
next year, would affect protected views from the plaza of the
Lyndon B. Johnson Library at UT. It would not obstruct views from
the library's eighth floor, where former President Johnson had
an office.
The university also plans to add a second deck to the north
and south ends of the stadium, an expansion that would interfere
with the view from East 38th and Red River streets.
The Capitol only can be seen from the center of the intersection,
according to photographs proffered by UT. There is no completion
date for the second deck.
The expansion project has the go-ahead of Lady Bird Johnson,
the former first lady. Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock also has said he supports
the stadium expansion, citing Texas' entry into the Big 12 conference.Send
a Letter to the Editor about This Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story
Send the URL (Address) of This Story to A Friend:
Copyright ©1997,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
Send
the URL (Address) of This Story to A Friend:
|
