Although Beaver Stadium will house 92,500 spectators beginning in 1990 for football, several administrators, staff and students predict rock concerts will not be heard any time soon in the Nittany Lions' den.

As an alternate to substantially smaller Rec Hall or Eisenhower Auditorium shows, the Beaver Stadium concert idea has a history of being re-introduced by student leaders every few years. Current officials claim a Beaver Stadium rock concert is not feasible, practical or an issue to be considered.

Unlike the common myth, it is not "because (head football coach) Joe Paterno wants it that way." Any proposal to use Beaver Stadium for non-football purposes initially comes to the desk of Herb Schmidt, the University's associate athletic director, for consideration.

"We would look at any proposal carefully to see if we should or could get involved," Schmidt explained, adding there are many issues to consider, including liability and timing.

The last time a Beaver Stadium concert became the talk of University Park was back on January 18, 1983, when then-Undergraduate Student Government Senate President Steve Ripp, University Concert Committee Chairman Tom Swerzenski and others, submitted a proposal calling for major acts such as Bruce Springteen, Billy Joel and the Grateful Dead to play the stadium in a mega-concert slated for Saturday May 14 of that year.

This proposal included: putting the stage in the south end-zone; a protective tarpaulin on the playing field; a dressing area in the home locker room; suggested ticket prices; and up to $395,000 for the bands.

But University President Bryce Jordan's predecessor, John Oswald, struck down all plans for the concert less than two months later stating, "an all-day rock concert does not appear to be in the best interests of Penn State."

Oswald's administrative committee further concluded, "We do not believe it is appropriate to use University facilities and personnel for a program serving a largely external audience, and could not, in good conscience, condone such an undertaking."

The USG Senate reacted to this decision on March 21, 1983, by ordering a rally on Old Main lawn the following week. But just two days later, USG President Leni Barch listened to members of the University Student Executive Council and decided against endorsing the rally or providing funding for the event.

Raymond Murphy, then-vice president of student affairs, agreed with Barch and said the rally would not serve any useful purpose and he called the idea "ridiculous." The Beaver Stadium concert issue died then and has not been resurrected by students since.

Schmidt said the most recent requests to use the stadium for non-football purposes were for a National Drum and Bugle Corps Championship two years ago, and for an Arts Festival gala this year. Both proposals were turned down. One reason his office denied the championship was because the request had been for August and "it would have killed the field."

James M. Wagner, assistant vice president of business and operations, said he was unaware of any "administrative rule" against a concert or non-football event. He added that he is unfamiliar with any recent concert proposals because Inter-collegiate Athletics controls the use of Beaver Stadium.

Another official in the athletic department, Bob Hudzik, stadium and athletic field maintenance supervisor, cited several problems in holding a concert at Beaver Stadium - an unlikely possibility he said should not be ruled out.

"You would have to look at everything from weather . . . to getting enough security, and what do the townspeople think," Hudzik said, adding "It is totally different than a football game --you can't compare it."

Unlike his predecessor, Mike Cronmiller, chairman of the student-run University Concert Committee, also questioned the practicality of a Beaver Stadium rock show.

"You would have trouble getting to use the stadium - the field would get wrecked," Cronmiller explained. He added that finding enough security and enough spectators to fill the stands are others problems.

"(We) have trouble bringing 5,000 people into Rec Hall . . .big name acts don't want to come to a small place like State College," he said. Cronmiller cited extremely high costs and promotion problems as other reasons why a concert at Beaver Stadium is unlikely. He also said he has not encountered any student interest in the idea.

At Syracuse University, the large multi-functional Carrier Dome has been used for rock concerts since it was built, with the exception of a period between 1985-1987. Because of a tax dispute between the city and the University over ticket costs, all concerts were postponed during that time, said Robin Fitzgerald, a secretary for Patrick Campbell, assistant director of the Dome.

The next concert slated for University Park is solo performer Elvis Costello at Rec Hall on April 2. The Beta Sigma Beta Sy Barash Regatta philanthropy- for the past five years held at Bald Eagle State Park in late April - remains the Centre Region's largest venue for larger concert draws.

Last year, at the 14th annual event, at least 30,000 braved rain and cold temperatures and rocked to the sounds of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. This year, nationally known groups the Hooters, and Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers, are scheduled to perform.