7,000 sq ft sports bar coming to Storrs Center

[WrenchFan69]

They're not going to attract students for night life anyway. The deals at Huskies/Teds/Thirsties(? I think it changed names) are too good, and the old thirsty's has changed names and owners so many times that they can't even stay afloat. Unless they can compete with Nickel night they probably won't want to be open until after 11 except for game days and possibly Friday/Saturday nights.

Thirsty's, now the Final Pour, apparently went out of business again. Bad rep around campus these days. It was pretty dead most nights this past year.

 

[JMick]

This bar if it even will be that and not a restaurant with TV's and a bar area, won't change the nightlife at UConn. The issue with UConn nightlife is culture/people driven and not venue driven. UConn and the surrounding community do not want to known as a party school or party town so they've done everything in their power to make sure that doesn't happen. This doesn't mean you can't have a great time (I graduated '14) but I don't see how other nightlife options can be opened in a town that essentially dies once UConn students go home for the summer.

It's funny that all of us that graduated in '14 share pretty much the same sentiments. We were the last class to really see carriage/celeron/hunting lodge (Rd and apartments) packed on thursday/friday/saturday

 

[JMick]

Thirsty's, now the Final Pour, apparently went out of business again. Bad rep around campus these days. It was pretty dead most nights this past year.

That's too bad. Thirsty's was great when I was there. It was half owned by Ted's - I wonder if they sold their half

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

My party days ended in '10 and there was just a sea of people that started at 10 going to Hunting Lodge and 1:30 going back to campus every Thursday-Saturday. Hard to imagine it any other way. But this begs the question...Why the big rush to leave football games at halftime if there's no parties??

 

[lange10]

I graduated in '14 so things may have changed slightly with the addition of the Storrs Center but not by much I'd bet as I was there for its first year open.

You can't really know whether UConn is good or bad until you visit and compare it to similar tier universities. You look at any other major state university with a student body size similar to ours and it's not even comparable. Maryland, UVa, WVU, OSU even UNH all have entire streets and downtown areas with bar after restaurant after bar, and this doesn't even include the southern state schools which are just on a whole different stratosphere. Every college town bar has drink specials so that's not really a counter-argument or selling point.

At UConn you have Teds which can fit maybe 60 people before it becomes a miserable experience of bumping shoulders and lack of oxygen. Huskies is an extension of the Greek life scene with a slightly larger setting but not by much. And then there's Thirsty's which was my personal favorite and has changed name and ownership recently, but the point is three bars is not even close to what UConn's competition is working with, I repeat, not even close. Hell, even Syracuse which is a miserably depressed city has an infinitely better bar scene than us.

One major problem is that all this is happening in a town with little else for entertainment for the 18-22 year olds that keep the economy afloat, and local non-student residents who seem to resist any form of commercialization. No public transport and an administration that over the last 10 years has actively tried its hardest to destroy any off campus party scenes and have done so successfully to a certain degree, combine to aid the problem.

Let me ask you this hypothetical question. If a travel/food show like Diners, Drives and Dives came to the UConn campus, where could they go where it wouldn't be embarrassing for us.

With the addition of the new Oaks apartments and other stores to Storrs Center it really took off this year. Friends of mine always ask about UConn as a college town and prior to Storrs Center there was legitimately nothing besides the campus. In terms of night life and what not I guess it's all subjective to what one considers to be a lot going on or not. My body, or liver, couldn't handle the constant partying that takes place at other big state schools and the schools down south. To me, UConn is just right. I love it. I'm a rising senior and damn I'm gonna miss this place.

 

[JMick]

With the addition of the new Oaks apartments and other stores to Storrs Center it really took off this year. Friends of mine always ask about UConn as a college town and prior to Storrs Center there was legitimately nothing besides the campus. In terms of night life and what not I guess it's all subjective to what one considers to be a lot going on or not. My body, or liver, couldn't handle the constant partying that takes place at other big state schools and the schools down south. To me, UConn is just right. I love it. I'm a rising senior and damn I'm gonna miss this place.

With us, and anyone else that graduated in 2014, campus culture changed a lot in our 4 years. We had the last taste of a big party scene and then had to sit through a couple years of the town, police, and administration forcefully changing the nightlife situation. By no fault of your own, you didn't really experience that and then have it taken away. That's what I'm the most bitter about. It would have almost been better if I enrolled in 2011 and graduated in 2015 because I would have never seen how it was before.

 

[BUConn10]

With us, and anyone else that graduated in 2014, campus culture changed a lot in our 4 years. We had the last taste of a big party scene and then had to sit through a couple years of the town, police, and administration forcefully changing the nightlife situation. By no fault of your own, you didn't really experience that and then have it taken away. That's what I'm the most bitter about. It would have almost been better if I enrolled in 2011 and graduated in 2015 because I would have never seen how it was before.

Yup, I remember going to the last real Spring Weekend the March before my freshman year. Nothing was the same after that.

 

[JMick]

Yup, I remember going to the last real Spring Weekend the March before my freshman year. Nothing was the same after that.

First weekend our freshman year was still awesome, and first semester was good as a whole. A couple weeks before what should have been spring weekend is really when it started to get bad imo

 

[tdrink]

I graduated in '89 and I live in Storrs so I view this as an alum,huge basketball fan, and taxpayer in the town that is being built to serve the iniversity.

This sports bar, if thats what it will be, will be for the people who are buying up the condos in the downtown. It will also attract people who live in town. I closed down Ted's every night when I was a student. Not going there and being the old creeepy guy no matter how cheap the beer is.

I think they could survive like that, but....

If Uconn has its way they will move EO Smith from across the stret to the Depot campusn order to build a mega sports facility. People would pour out of the arena into the bar which took the overflow from the game. It would become the place to watch an away game. Yada, yada...

Maybe, maybe not for the bar but as for the facility the towns people don't want it (moving EO) but the university always gets its way.

 

[JMick]

Maybe, maybe not for the bar but as for the facility the towns people don't want it (moving EO) but the university always gets its way.

Should it not get its way, though? And I ask that sincerely. If it weren't for the university there would be no local economy and they wouldn't be getting all these things.

 

[tdrink]

Should it not get its way, though? And I ask that sincerely. If it weren't for the university there would be no local economy and they wouldn't be getting all these things.

It's complex. I haven't thought through all the possibilities.

Lots of parents want the school in the downtown and close to campus. Students can even take courses on campus and its right there. But it really only helps the older students anyway for both those things.I've heard talk of a regional super school being built which sounds interesting but fear other communities wouldn't have the revenue.

If they did the facility right it could really help the downtown. With some entertainment and the business park there is a chance of having Storrs turn into a growth area. My property value could go up and I could sell for a nice profit and leave.

My thinking is not without bias though. My youngest will graduate smith before this could happen and there is a possibility I will relocate after that anyway.

 

[Robertelamin]

UConn always gets its way? I was always under the impression that Mansfield blocked everything and that is why there was such little commercial development right next to the school.

 

[Mano]

As a student in the early aughts, this thread brings back some fine nostalgia. Hey Bob, you remember that time we...?

 

[Robertelamin]

As a student in the early aughts, this thread brings back some fine nostalgia. Hey Bob, you remember that time we...?

roughed up Nelly so bad after the 2000 Spring Weekend concert that he had to wear a band aid on his face for the next decade? Yeah. I remember.

 

[jdb50]

Some parents want the high school downtown. Moving the high school is the smartest option. They are hemmed in and need a major revamp of the building.To tear the building apart while students are going to school there would be idiotic so it may happen. There is plenty of room at the Depot campus for a larger regional school and all the fields for athletics and the Vo-Ag program. Storrs center is dead in the summer. They need to get more people living there year round.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

As a student in the early aughts, this thread brings back some fine nostalgia. Hey Bob, you remember that time we...?

More than a few of the thread's messages also provide a reminder it's more recently always some other guy's fault, uber litigious cultural developments, increased #s of tragic accudent, some tragic deaths, etc. aside.

Unlike the early 80s, prior decades, and even the early 90s to some extent, stuff peiple could pull off in the past accumulated over time, drunk driving enforcement increased, the university's administration and police as well as state police reeled in sone over the top behaviour, etc.

Concuurently or consequently, some students adjusted to changes, figured out how to party or enjoy themselves in other ways to avoid arrests (reasonable or otherwise at times), others opted not to or faced the consequences, others continue to whine, and others likely evolved with some combination.

 

[JMick]

Concuurently or consequently, some students adjusted to changes, figured out how to party or enjoy themselves in other ways to avoid arrests (reasonable or otherwise at times), others opted not to or faced the consequences, others continue to whine, and others likely evolved with some combination.

Those are some big leaps from very little information. I love when people were who weren't around like to explain how things worked.

 

[huskymedic]

More than a few of the thread's messages also provide a reminder it's more recently always some other guy's fault, uber litigious cultural developments, increased #s of tragic accudent, some tragic deaths, etc. aside.

Unlike the early 80s, prior decades, and even the early 90s to some extent, stuff peiple could pull off in the past accumulated over time, drunk driving enforcement increased, the university's administration and police as well as state police reeled in sone over the top behaviour, etc.

Those are some big leaps from very little information. I love when people were who weren't around like to explain how things worked.

UConn to be sued over Spring Weekend death of student from Milford (read the letter)

>>In his letter to UConn interim President Philip E. Austin, Donald Altschuler, the West Haven attorney for Karzoun's family, claims, among other things, that despite the fact that state and "university police were well aware of the problems associated with Spring Weekend ... The University of Connecticut failed in its obligation to protect Jafar Karzoun and provide him with a safe environment."

Altschuler's letter also claims, "the University of Connecticut supported and promoted Spring Weekend as a University sanctioned event, even though the University knew or should have known that large numbers of non-UCONN participants would be attracted to the University, and that the State Police and University Police were unable to adequately police a large number of participants in a way to insure that UCONN students such as Jafar Karzoun would be safe ... (and that) the University of Connecticut failed to adequately supervise and/or train its employees to insure that students such as Jafar Karzoun would be safe while attending the University of Connecticut."<<

UConn task force calls for end to wild partying during annual Spring Weekend

Was this your freshman or sophomore year? Toss in the Jasper Howard death... Did you expect them to look the other way /not ramp up enforcement? Don;t forget the many near misses from lethal alcohol overdoses requiring ambulance transports and the cost involved there to parents for hospital admissions and the such. They lessen the restrictions now and another tragic accident happens - then what?

Time change and everything (or most everything) is recorded and documented. Lose/lose.

 

[JMick]

UConn to be sued over Spring Weekend death of student from Milford (read the letter)

>>In his letter to UConn interim President Philip E. Austin, Donald Altschuler, the West Haven attorney for Karzoun's family, claims, among other things, that despite the fact that state and "university police were well aware of the problems associated with Spring Weekend ... The University of Connecticut failed in its obligation to protect Jafar Karzoun and provide him with a safe environment."

Altschuler's letter also claims, "the University of Connecticut supported and promoted Spring Weekend as a University sanctioned event, even though the University knew or should have known that large numbers of non-UCONN participants would be attracted to the University, and that the State Police and University Police were unable to adequately police a large number of participants in a way to insure that UCONN students such as Jafar Karzoun would be safe ... (and that) the University of Connecticut failed to adequately supervise and/or train its employees to insure that students such as Jafar Karzoun would be safe while attending the University of Connecticut."

UConn task force calls for end to wild partying during annual Spring Weekend

Was this your freshman or sophomore year? Toss in the Jasper Howard death... Did you expect them to look the other way /not ramp up enforcement? They lessen the restrictions now and another tragic accident happens - then what?

Time change and everything (or most everything) is recorded and documented. Lose/lose.

I really don't want to get into it again, but it's not just about Spring Weekend and it's not even about the lock down. The whole point is that the culture of UConn changed a lot in 4 years and if you weren't there to see it and experience it, you just wouldn't really get it. We've got people coming out from the class of 2014 who were there like I was and saw what a dramatic change it was, but some people still want to act like we're exaggerating.

 

[huskymedic]

I really don't want to get into it again, but it's not just about Spring Weekend and it's not even about the lock down. The whole point is that the culture of UConn changed a lot in 4 years and if you weren't there to see it and experience it, you just wouldn't really get it. We've got people coming out from the class of 2014 who were there like I was and saw what a dramatic change it was, but some people still want to act like we're exaggerating.

Point taken... but society in a whole has changed dramatically in the last 4+ years, UConn is a just microcosm.

 

[Rocktheworld]

I really don't want to get into it again, but it's not just about Spring Weekend and it's not even about the lock down. The whole point is that the culture of UConn changed a lot in 4 years and if you weren't there to see it and experience it, you just wouldn't really get it. We've got people coming out from the class of 2014 who were there like I was and saw what a dramatic change it was, but some people still want to act like we're exaggerating.

I watched the change myself. I started Fall 08, graduated May 2012. The last good Spring Weekend was 09 my freshman year. Then that kid got killed the next year (by a non-UConn student), then the year after that UConn really stepped it up and the weather was awful, and that pretty much killed it; there was essentially nothing my last year. But by that time I was a senior and could drink off campus legally wherever the hell I wanted so I didn't care. At least in 2011 we had a moment when Kemba and Co won it all.

They were kind of right about it being sanctioned by the University. I'll never forget in 09 Mike Hogan walking around X-lot. Pretty sure he was at Celeron as well. Of course as students we loved it, but looking at it from outside of that bubble now, I can't believe he did that.

 

[JMick]

I watched the change myself. I started Fall 08, graduated May 2012. The last good Spring Weekend was 09 my freshman year. Then that kid got killed the next year, then the year after that UConn really stepped it up and the weather was awful, and after that there was essentially nothing my last year (but by that time I was a senior and could drink off campus legally wherever the hell I wanted so I didn't care).

They were kind of right about it being sanctioned by the University. I'll never forget in 09 Mike Hogan walking around X-lot. Pretty sure he was at Celeron as well. Of course as students we loved it, but looking at it from outside of that bubble now, I can't believe he did that.

I just wish they didn't crack down on everything. Spring Weekend, sure, I get it. It made sense. But they effectively killed everything for under classmen. I had a house my senior year just far enough off campus that we didn't have any issue with 150+ people at our house; but if I just tried to go to see my friends at Celeron? Forget about it. Cop at the end of rape trail checking for ID's or asking people to open their bags. Undercover cops walking up and down Hunting Lodge Rd busting people for trying to get to parties through the woods, nondescript containers with booze, etc. It just went a little too far

 

[Rocktheworld]

I just wish they didn't crack down on everything. Spring Weekend, sure, I get it. It made sense. But they effectively killed everything for under classmen. I had a house my senior year just far enough off campus that we didn't have any issue with 150+ people at our house; but if I just tried to go to see my friends at Celeron? Forget about it. Cop at the end of rape trail checking for ID's or asking people to open their bags. Undercover cops walking up and down Hunting Lodge Rd busting people for trying to get to parties through the woods, nondescript containers with booze, etc. It just went a little too far

Damn. Guess I escaped just before they started running while with undercover stuff and blocking off public areas. Although my junior year is when they started having a cop outside Carriage and instituted a curfew.

Spring Weekend was kind of like Hamsterdam (from the Wire). For a while it survived as a kind of short, tucked-away thing to keep all the madness contained in one somewhat manageable place at a time and law enforcement stood relatively idly by just making sure all out calamity was prevented. But then enough over-the-top stuff started going down (most perpetrated by, again, non-UConn kids) and the press really caught on and made it super public and then

 

[BUConn10]

Some parents want the high school downtown. Moving the high school is the smartest option. They are hemmed in and need a major revamp of the building.To tear the building apart while students are going to school there would be idiotic so it may happen. There is plenty of room at the Depot campus for a larger regional school and all the fields for athletics and the Vo-Ag program. Storrs center is dead in the summer. They need to get more people living there year round.

Only problem with moving EO Smith that I foresee that is that there is a prison literally across the street from the depot campus, as well as the abandoned Mental institute that many people believe to be haunted, not joking. I could see parents not loving the depot campus relocation area.

 

[huskymedic]

Only problem with moving EO Smith that I foresee that is that there is a prison literally across the street from the depot campus, a.

Bergin has been closed for 5 years now.