My old ass walked across the Beard Eaves stage in the mid 80's. One thing that has never stopped since the moment I left, are the massive construction projects. Virtually everything about the campus, and now the downtown area, have been reshaped and remodeled. That includes all the athletic facilities. When I walked on in baseball, the stadium consisted of aluminum bleachers and chain link fence. You could watch a game from the sidewalk. While I was there, they built the upper decks in JHS. The renovations have never stopped, and continue today.
Now, I say all that to also say, I don't know how I feel about all that. It's like it's not the same campus or town; however, they've still had a way of keeping the look of the quintessential college campus, while modernizing everything at the same time. Especially given the addition of the football only facility, I can really see where recruits would take one visit, and instantly fall in love with the place.
I've toured a few campuses in my day, and have yet to see anything that remotely rivals teh Planez. Signing with FUGA has to be all about the $$$, because that place is a fucking cesspool, and the stadium is one big bowl of MEH!!!! LSU, daddy like. Tennessee? WTF ever. Ultimately, I believe that now that we seem to be solidly in the NIL game, the Auburn experience should seal the deal for a lot of these guys.