Athletic District Development

[UCONNJACK]

A request for Statement of Qualifications has been posted by the University for development of the Athletic District. Development to start Spring of 2018 with a budget up to $90,000,000.00.

supporting facilities are in poor condition compared to other flagship universities in the American Athletic Conference and elsewhere,


http://media.procurement.uconn.edu/...-University-Athletic-District-Development.pdf

 

[FDNY99]

@IceBus Read Pg. 4 in that link...the Freitas expansion is going forward and will be bid as part of the complete project to upgrade athletic facilities. The schedule on the bottom of pg 8 indicates that construction will start ahead of schedule per terms of agreement with HE and should be finished on time.

 

[FDNY99]

Looks like they have decided on Freitas upgrade. About time! It also looks like they will use ticket surcharge to pay for the entire project..not just soccer, baseball and softball. It's actually a good idea to do the entire project together with the bond rates being so low right now.

 

[FDNY99]

this is GREAT news on all fronts! What Warde started, Benedict will finish...and together they will wipe the ineptness and inefficiency of Jeff hathaway from UConn athletics in terms of facilities!

 

[ct06111]

No Centerplan. Don't even look at their bid.
Just don't even open it. They need to stay as far away as possible on this project

90 million?

Looking at this...
UCONNHUSKIES.COM :: University of Connecticut Huskies Official Athletic Site :: UConn Club

Soccer: 25 million
Baseball: 15 million
Softball: 10 million

Just a guess, that leaves 40 million for...
Freitas expansion: 25 million?
Shenkman Training Center Expansion: 10 million?
Maintenance Facility Upgrades: 2 million ?
Jim Calhoun Way Improvements: 3 million ?

Good to see. This seemed to come out of nowhere.
I wonder if they got the go ahead due to some potential news due by end of month??? Hmmmmm

 

[dbmill]

No Centerplan. Don't even look at their bid.
Just don't even open it. They need to stay as far away as possible on this project

90 million?

Looking at this...
UCONNHUSKIES.COM :: University of Connecticut Huskies Official Athletic Site :: UConn Club

Soccer: 25 million
Baseball: 15 million
Softball: 10 million

Just a guess, that leaves 40 million for...
Freitas expansion: 25 million?
Shenkman Training Center Expansion: 10 million?
Maintenance Facility Upgrades: 2 million ?
Jim Calhoun Way Improvements: 3 million ?

Good to see. This seemed to come out of nowhere.
I wonder if they got the go ahead due to some potential news due by end of month??? Hmmmmm

UConn has been in the midst of a building boom for the last 20 years that has transformed the campus. I have more confidence in their ability to get something built, certainly in comparison to what the City of Hartford has shown with the baseball stadium fiasco.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

It'll be interesting to hear what they're upgrading. Unless they plan to break down the exterior walls of the building, there's only so much they can add in the way of seating. I'd hope they do break it down and turn it into a viable HE facility. XL is not sustainable as a HE-quality facility without significant upgrades that the state appears to be balking at. If 5-8 years from now XL is still in the same spot it is now, UConn needs to have an option to pull their games back to campus if XL continues to become decrepit while only receiving Band-Aid improvements.

 

[FDNY99]

It'll be interesting to hear what they're upgrading. Unless they plan to break down the exterior walls of the building, there's only so much they can add in the way of seating. I'd hope they do break it down and turn it into a viable HE facility. XL is not sustainable as a HE-quality facility without significant upgrades that the state appears to be balking at. If 5-8 years from now XL is still in the same spot it is now, UConn needs to have an option to pull their games back to campus if XL continues to become decrepit while only receiving Band-Aid improvements.

It will be minimum required seating capacity for HE (4500)...

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

It will be minimum required seating capacity for HE (4500)...

Is that confirmed anywhere?

 

[FDNY99]

Is that confirmed anywhere?

Warde was quoted in a Courant article after the original plan was shot down by the Town saying they would renovate Freitas to league minimum capacity. I'm at work so it will take me a little bit to find. The original planned facility was 4500 as well.

 

[ct06111]

http://www.hockeyeastonline.com/pdf/M & W BY-LAWS/Revised Men's By-Laws September 19.pdf

Page 6-7
"Minimum seating capacity 4,000 with 20% of capacity being chair-back seats. Current HEA members must have a minimum capacity of 2,000 with 20% of capacity being chair-back seats"

4,500 with 5k capacity standing room included or 5k with 5,500 with standing room included would be nice.

With the entire soccer stadium getting redone next door, I could see them doing soccer and Hockey together and baseball and softball together.
Knock down the wall on soccer stadium side and put more seats behind goal on that end. Share concessions/bathrooms etc. it would be hard to fit 2000+ seats on that side alone, but I'm sure they can add more seats on other goal side too no?

This might be the article your taking about, but doesn't mention 4,500 seating capacity.

UConn's Success At XL Puts On-Campus Arena Focus On Freitas Upgrade

 

[TheDoggPound]

I recall 4,000-4,500 being discussed.

 

[TheDoggPound]

It'll be interesting to hear what they're upgrading. Unless they plan to break down the exterior walls of the building, there's only so much they can add in the way of seating. I'd hope they do break it down and turn it into a viable HE facility. XL is not sustainable as a HE-quality facility without significant upgrades that the state appears to be balking at. If 5-8 years from now XL is still in the same spot it is now, UConn needs to have an option to pull their games back to campus if XL continues to become decrepit while only receiving Band-Aid improvements.

I don't think UConn will be in a P5 conference in 5-8 years if the XL Center hasn't been retrofitted which is why it will be (has to be) done.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I don't think UConn will be in a P5 conference in 5-8 years if the XL Center hasn't been retrofitted which is why it will be (has to be) done.

I would think a Rentschler expansion would be more consequential to a P5 bid, but I agree a significant renovation and redoing of XL would greatly benefit both the hockey and basketball program. If they are planning to go to a 4-4,500 arena at Freitas I don't see how they do it without knocking out the walls and expanding the full structure - which would be a really good idea. Would greatly help the women's hockey program too.

 

[FDNY99]

I would think a Rentschler expansion would be more consequential to a P5 bid, but I agree a significant renovation and redoing of XL would greatly benefit both the hockey and basketball program. If they are planning to go to a 4-4,500 arena at Freitas I don't see how they do it without knocking out the walls and expanding the full structure - which would be a really good idea. Would greatly help the women's hockey program too.

Outside of the Freitas build (which looked like the Taj Mahal compared to the outdoor rink I grew up skating on) I have NEVER seen UCONN do anything small time in athletics..especially for a team competing at a top level. I am interested to see what the plan shows for Freitas.

 

[Palatine]

I would think a Rentschler expansion would be more consequential to a P5 bid, but I agree a significant renovation and redoing of XL would greatly benefit both the hockey and basketball program. If they are planning to go to a 4-4,500 arena at Freitas I don't see how they do it without knocking out the walls and expanding the full structure - which would be a really good idea. Would greatly help the women's hockey program too.

I think this is right. The football stadium is a much bigger issue that the XL Center.

 

[IceBus]

Hockey East would be glad to stay in the XL Center. It gives them more exposure than Storrs, bylaws be damned.

The team would benefit from better on-campus facilities, but it's so far down the pike at the moment. Maybe after the other sports figure out their conference situation it could legitimately be discussed. Freitas after all is a fairly new facility (16 years, in very good shape).

Edit: I don't believe the Freitas upgrades being planned are anyone's idea of a major on-campus arena.

 

[TheDoggPound]

The candidates we are up against outside of BYU/USF have similar sized stadiums but obviously an expansion of the Rent will need to be in the offing if we are extended an invite. Thing is if that time does come it'll likely be a much easier fight to usher up $ for that project since the scope and cost will be significantly less than $250M and for the fact that our invite is contingent upon us upgrading the stadium which will be made well known to the public.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Hockey East would be glad to stay in the XL Center. It gives them more exposure than Storrs, bylaws be damned.

The team would benefit from better on-campus facilities, but it's so far down the pike at the moment. Maybe after the other sports figure out their conference situation it could legitimately be discussed. Freitas after all is a fairly new facility (16 years, in very good shape).

Edit: I don't believe the Freitas upgrades being planned are anyone's idea of a major on-campus arena.

The only thing XL gives Hockey East "exposure" to is a rundown AHL-level facility. On the list of reasons to stay at XL, exposure for the league is not there. The league most definitely would not be "glad" to stay at XL. It seems they'd potentially accept it as a long-term viability, conditioned on upgrades and scheduling priority.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

It will be minimum required seating capacity for HE (4500)...

Question, where are new 2,500 seats for Freitas going to go? There is only about 10 feet between the north wall of the arena and the soccer stadium and that is also going to be expanded. Either all of the seats will go on the East, West, and South sides, the later meaning the offices, lockers, etc.will have to go. Would building an entire new rink at that point be cheaper?

Maybe the they will do the switch moving the new soccer stadium to D lot and the soccer practice fields up to where the football practice fields are and then move the football practice fields down to the soccer stadium. As they don't need stands, lockers, etc. for practice fields, should give enough room for Freitas to be expanded on its North side.

Of course, it would be nice if Mansfield just sticks it, lets UConn build a top of the line arena at S Eagleville Rd to serve as a gateway to the University and then use Freitas as is for practices and general university and community use.

 

[dbmill]

Question, where are new 2,500 seats for Freitas going to go? There is only about 10 feet between the north wall of the arena and the soccer stadium and that is also going to be expanded. Either all of the seats will go on the East, West, and South sides, the later meaning the offices, lockers, etc.will have to go. Would building an entire new rink at that point be cheaper?

Maybe the they will do the switch moving the new soccer stadium to D lot and the soccer practice fields up to where the football practice fields are and then move the football practice fields down to the soccer stadium. As they don't need stands, lockers, etc. for practice fields, should give enough room for Freitas to be expanded on its North side.

Of course, it would be nice if Mansfield just sticks it, lets UConn build a top of the line arena at S Eagleville Rd to serve as a gateway to the University and then use Freitas as is for practices and general university and community use.

I suspect the soccer facilities are staying put where they currently are. However, the way UConn seems to build things on old parking lots, it would not surprise me if a chunk of I-Lot is used up if the decision is made to rebuild the hockey facility on the current Freitas site.

 

[UCONNJACK]

Question, where are new 2,500 seats for Freitas going to go? There is only about 10 feet between the north wall of the arena and the soccer stadium and that is also going to be expanded. Either all of the seats will go on the East, West, and South sides, the later meaning the offices, lockers, etc.will have to go. Would building an entire new rink at that point be cheaper?

Maybe the they will do the switch moving the new soccer stadium to D lot and the soccer practice fields up to where the football practice fields are and then move the football practice fields down to the soccer stadium. As they don't need stands, lockers, etc. for practice fields, should give enough room for Freitas to be expanded on its North side.

Of course, it would be nice if Mansfield just sticks it, lets UConn build a top of the line arena at S Eagleville Rd to serve as a gateway to the University and then use Freitas as is for practices and general university and community use.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

I suspect the soccer facilities are staying put where they currently are. However, the way UConn seems to build things on old parking lots, it would not surprise me if a chunk of I-Lot is used up if the decision is made to rebuild the hockey facility on the current Freitas site.

I would make sense; but, assuming the soccer field stays where it is, Freitas can't really be expanded in its curren footprint. Maybe the plan is to build a new 4K rink in I lot and then connect it to Freitas (offices, lockers, training rooms, etc. in between) and use use the Freitas ice for practices and community events with the new rink primarily used for games (men's & women's).

 

[UCONNJACK]

Question, where are new 2,500 seats for Freitas going to go? There is only about 10 feet between the north wall of the arena and the soccer stadium and that is also going to be expanded. Either all of the seats will go on the East, West, and South sides, the later meaning the offices, lockers, etc.will have to go. Would building an entire new rink at that point be cheaper?

Maybe the they will do the switch moving the new soccer stadium to D lot and the soccer practice fields up to where the football practice fields are and then move the football practice fields down to the soccer stadium. As they don't need stands, lockers, etc. for practice fields, should give enough room for Freitas to be expanded on its North side.

Of course, it would be nice if Mansfield just sticks it, lets UConn build a top of the line arena at S Eagleville Rd to serve as a gateway to the University and then use Freitas as is for practices and general university and community use.

New recreation fields to be constructed in 2017 on D Lot in conjunction with the new student rec facility per construction schedule.
http://paes.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1525/2016/06/Construction-Activity-Maps.pdf

 

[dbmill]

I would make sense; but, assuming the soccer field stays where it is, Freitas can't really be expanded in its curren footprint. Maybe the plan is to build a new 4K rink in I lot and then connect it to Freitas (offices, lockers, training rooms, etc. in between) and use use the Freitas ice for practices and community events with the new rink primarily used for games (men's & women's).

If UConn ends up with a Freitas expansion plan for the ice hockey programs, then this explanation of how it might be done sounds reasonable to me.