Inclusion Daily Express -- Accessible "Big House" Seating Attracts More Fans

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Accessible "Big House" Seating Attracts More Fans
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
October 30, 2008

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN--"If you build it, they will come".

That's a line from the 1989 movie, "Field of Dreams".

It's also eerily similar to a line from Wednesday's Ann Arbor News.

It's a quote from Richard Bernstein, the attorney that represented veterans with disabilities who successfully pushed the University of Michigan to make its football stadium accessible to more fans with disabilities.

"If you make a facility accessible, if you make it safe, if you allow people to use it, disabled people will come in droves, and they will love it."

The Michigan Disabled American Veterans started talking with U-M officials in 2006, after learning that the school's $226 million plan for "improving" the 1920's era "Big House" would add only a few wheelchair accessible seats to its 88 spaces, and that those would be in the very back, top row. School officials had also scoffed at the idea of adding more, saying that the accessible seats often were left empty.

The veterans pointed out that the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act requires older facilities that are significantly altered or renovated to make at least one percent of its seats accessible and to place that seating in different locations throughout the stadium to make them typical to the general seating. That would have meant having 1,080 accessible seats.

At the time, university officials said the plan was a 'repair' instead of a 'renovation', and therefore was not covered under the ADA. Still, they proposed a compromise to make 281 seats accessible.

The veterans said the proposal was not good enough and sued the school in April of last year. They also filed a complaint with the U.S. Education Department, which agreed that the school's plan for updating the stadium violated the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act. The complaint was turned over to the Justice Department in November.

In March, university officials agreed to increase the number of permanent wheelchair seats -- along with companion seats -- to a total of 329 by the 2010 football season. The seats would be located in different spots around the stadium, including along the sidelines and in new luxury boxes. The school agreed to renovate about 20 restrooms and improve aisles and walkways along the concourses so they are accessible.

The university did not admit any wrongdoing under the agreement, which includes a five-year consent decree.

Disability advocates have predicted that the agreement will lead more colleges to consider accessibility improvements.

Marty Bodnar, an associate athletic director, said the word is getting around that the seats are available and that "they're great seats."

"And so we're hearing more and more from people who want to bring family members who happen to be disabled."

The University of Michigan's "Big House" is the largest college football stadium in the United States.

Related:
"Disabled fans cheer new handicapped seating at Michigan Stadium" (Ann Arbor News)
http://www.inclusiondaily.com/news/2008/red/1030a.htm

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