Big Ten for UConn Key to Hartford Whalers Return

[gars44]

Also on Face the State, former Hartford Whalers owner Richard Gordon. Gordon, a successful Hartford developer, saw the ups and downs of owning a pro hockey team in Hartford and knows whether it can be done again. Gordon says absolutely it can, but he thinks one thing would really help speed things up: UConn must join the Big Ten.

I don't know much about this Richard Gordon, but is he quack? Sounds like such an odd thing to say, than his rationale of approaching the NHL was even odder. Can someone enlighten me on how what he is saying begins to make sense?

His kid played for BC and kicked a last second field goal in the early 90's for BC's first ever win against ND. And he's very rich. Does any of this make sense?

 

[noeynox]

He is successful, doesn't make the notion that the NHL, would care about what conference UConn is in anymore relevant. What it tells me is that this guy has the governors ear.

 

[White Dwarf]

Glad you were able to form words instead of just "LOLing" like a little school girl.

The ad hominem BS is weak

 

[Dooley]

While I won't LOL, White Dwarf's point is good one. There are several bigger/better markets ahead of Hartford with new arenas already constructed or with the financing in place. Kansas City, Seattle, Quebec, Toronto/Hamilton, and Oklahoma City (proven to be quite a sports market) would all be firmly ahead of Hartford for any franchises flirting with the idea of relocating. Before the Islanders agreed to leave the dump that they currently play in in Uniondale for Brooklyn, I thought moving them to Hartford might have been good to keep the loyal Islander fanbase fairly close but separating far enough away from "Ranger Country" while tapping into Hartford's old fanbase. Moving Florida or Columbus here would essentially be starting over from scratch (again). And all of this doesn't take into account our slow-to-act state legislature and city planners who have never had a forward thinking thought in their heads (where have you gone, Lew Perkins??).

If the NHL were to happen, Hartford needs to pass the bonding to build a new arena ASAP and it HAS to be in downtown Hartford. Playing in a suburb would cause the same attendance problems that they have in places like Sunrise, FL (Miami), hockey mad Ottawa (arena located outside of the city), and New Jersey. The Capitals always had attendance woes when they played their games outside of DC too. The arena MUST be in Hartford and it must be surrounded by enough bars/restaurants, hotels and other entertainment options. And they should probably call themselves the "Connecticut ______" to try to unite the entire state instead of the greater Hartford region.

All that said, I still would prefer UCONN to play all of its home games for hockey (required by Hockey East anyway) and basketball (except for maybe 2 or 3 games a year) on-campus. If the new Hartford arena is built close enough to, say, the convention and science centers, it can be used to compliment events at those places. It can also be used as the "winter" venue for concerts and other entertainment events. My point for saying this is that the new arena could find other events to fill up the non-NHL/hockey dates and wouldn't need UCONN to do it. Maybe play women's basketball in the new arena because most of the fanbase demographic for WBB is older and would probably not enjoy driving to Storrs for those weeknight games. If they expanded Gampel by, say, 2,000 seats and built a new 6,000 seat hockey arena in the spot of the current arena, then both programs would become money makers and not have to lease a downtown arena to play its games. Not to mention, the home court / home ice advantage enjoyed by playing games on campus speaks for itself.

Just my two cents.

 

[FrostyNuggets]

Richard Gordon should rot in hell for running Ron Francis out of town.

 

[gars44]

He is successful, doesn't make the notion that the NHL, would care about what conference UConn is in anymore relevant. What it tells me is that this guy has the governors ear.

Right. He's rich. That's my whole take on this!

 

[Dooley]

Richard Gordon should rot in hell for running Ron Francis out of town.

Don't forget about Ed Johnston. All he could net in return for trading one of the best players in NHL history (not to mention an excellent defenseman and a decent depth defenseman) was an undersized center who couldn't stand on his skates and a defenseman who couldn't play a lick of defense (or hit the net). I'll give him a pass for Jeff Parker since he was concussed in his first game at Landover, Md and never returned to his ability (which was fairly limited to begin with anyway).

 

[Atross]

Well the first thing you want is people actually coming into the city to shop or go out. The problem is the high cost for parking. Why would I go spend money on parking then spend more on top of that when I could just go out to other areas where the parking is free? Second it's becoming too expensive to go to the XL Center. How are you going to get people to spend money afterwards due to high costs of going to events? There needs to be a balance. Hartford is not New York or Boston or even New Haven.

 

[WestHartHusk]

Well the first thing you want is people actually coming into the city to shop or go out. The problem is the high cost for parking. Why would I go spend money on parking then spend more on top of that when I could just go out to other areas where the parking is free? Second it's becoming too expensive to go to the XL Center. How are you going to get people to spend money afterwards due to high costs of going to events? There needs to be a balance. Hartford is not New York or Boston or even New Haven.

Well the alternative is effective mass transit but CT residents are against that too.

 

[Atross]

Well the alternative is effective mass transit but CT residents are against that too.

Attendance is down. That has to be addressed before any conference would even consider UCONN. Parking Rates and Event costs need to be reviewed.

 

[Bill Sussman]

Attendance is down. That has to be addressed before any conference would even consider UCONN. Parking Rates and Event costs need to be reviewed.

Not that I disagree with the whole notion of reviewing parking rates for downtown but how much do you all pay for parking during an XL Center game. I can find garage parking for 5 bucks within easy walking distance. Not sure how you lower the rates from that without demanding free parking (which may be what you are asking for)

 

[specialisthusky]

Well the first thing you want is people actually coming into the city to shop or go out. The problem is the high cost for parking. Why would I go spend money on parking then spend more on top of that when I could just go out to other areas where the parking is free? Second it's becoming too expensive to go to the XL Center. How are you going to get people to spend money afterwards due to high costs of going to events? There needs to be a balance. Hartford is not New York or Boston or even New Haven.

Street parking is free weekdays after 6 and all day on weekends.

 

[WestHartHusk]

Attendance is down. That has to be addressed before any conference would even consider UCONN. Parking Rates and Event costs need to be reviewed.

Where to start? Attendance doesn't matter anymore for conference realignment - it is about eyeballs and TV networks. And even if attendance did matter, what proof do you have that parking prices are affecting it versus the economy/better TV coverage/better TV technology? And finally, even if attendance mattered for CR, and parking rates impacted attendance, who should do what about it? Last I checked, the parking rates are set by private lot owners who make their own determination as to how to maximize profit. If we are going to play pricing czar, then I think every pitcher of beer that I buy at City Steam should come with free nachos and a lap dance.

 

[Husky25]

Well the first thing you want is people actually coming into the city to shop or go out. The problem is the high cost for parking. Why would I go spend money on parking then spend more on top of that when I could just go out to other areas where the parking is free? Second it's becoming too expensive to go to the XL Center. How are you going to get people to spend money afterwards due to high costs of going to events? There needs to be a balance. Hartford is not New York or Boston or even New Haven.

The XL Center can only control the rates for its own garage and they probably contract with a separate operator to begin with. All the lots in the downtown area are for profit businesses. Of course they are going to try and maximize their cash in flow. It's economics 101. Be that as it may, I assure you that attendance is not down because of the $10 parking.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

Well the first thing you want is people actually coming into the city to shop or go out. The problem is the high cost for parking. Why would I go spend money on parking then spend more on top of that when I could just go out to other areas where the parking is free? Second it's becoming too expensive to go to the XL Center. How are you going to get people to spend money afterwards due to high costs of going to events? There needs to be a balance. Hartford is not New York or Boston or even New Haven.

You are correct. Hartford is not NYC or Boston. That is why parking is $5 to $10 instead of $20 to $40 downtown on event nights...Parking in Hartford really is not bad. It's the mind set of the suburban oriented people of CT that needs to adjust to the reality that most parking in the city will cost a little. I think a new arena would improve the overall experience of going downtown to see an event though and would increase demand significantly.

 

[Ha Who]

You are correct. Hartford is not NYC or Boston. That is why parking is $5 to $10 instead of $20 to $40 downtown on event nights...Parking in Hartford really is not bad. It's the mind set of the suburban oriented people of CT that needs to adjust to the reality that most parking in the city will cost a little. I think a new arena would improve the overall experience of going downtown to see an event though and would increase demand significantly.

I agree. I walk three blocks and pay $5.00. This is also helps me get out of the city faster by avoiding the mess around the garages near the XL

 

[HuskyHawk]

The Big Ten has nothing to do with any NHL team coming to Hartford. Hartford is a better hockey market than many others, despite its size. It also has a great brand in the Whalers, who are always in the top ten in merchandise sales among NHL teams, despite not even existing any more. It's a balance of the arena, a downtown that needs revitalization and entertainment options (as well as more residential) vs other markets. KC is a terrible hockey market and OKC would be as well.

 

[Atross]

The Big Ten has nothing to do with any NHL team coming to Hartford. Hartford is a better hockey market than many others, despite its size. It also has a great brand in the Whalers, who are always in the top ten in merchandise sales among NHL teams, despite not even existing any more. It's a balance of the arena, a downtown that needs revitalization and entertainment options (as well as more residential) vs other markets. KC is a terrible hockey market and OKC would be as well.

This is why I'm talking about parking. First of all there has to be proof that people want to be in Hartford. How do you revitalize when as has been said the suburban market really doesn't want to go into the city and the workforce leaves to go back to the bedroom communities surrounding Hartford? There needs to be an incentive. Granted parking is cheaper than New York or Boston but what is there to do in Hartford that can't be done in West Hartford, Avon, or Middletown where parking is free? Yes parking is a private enterprise and the rates are $10 or so but that's still $10 that would still be in my pocket elsewhere. Circling to find the free parking can be a hassle. Yeah we have all these studies about what to do but are people really inclined to go into Hartford on the weekend or for that matter during the week on a cold February night?

 

[Husky25]

Granted parking is cheaper than New York or Boston but what is there to do in Hartford that can't be done in West Hartford, Avon, or Middletown where parking is free?

Top 10 Division 1 college basketball. That's the whole point. Parking is a part of the cost. Wanna reduce the cost? car-pool. Take a bus. There are a ton of Park & Rides that are free. There's a ton to b1tch about vis a vie the Xl Center (Over priced concessions, terrible environment, no discernible home court advantage) Parking is not one of them.

By the way, Public Parking is not free in Middletown or West Hartford until after 6 and only on the street.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

Why does he point to the B1G for hockey? Isn't Hockey East the better conference and if nothing else wouldn't it draw better given the proximity of our opponents? That alone makes me question his theory.

 

[HuskyHawk]

This is why I'm talking about parking. First of all there has to be proof that people want to be in Hartford. How do you revitalize when as has been said the suburban market really doesn't want to go into the city and the workforce leaves to go back to the bedroom communities surrounding Hartford? There needs to be an incentive. Granted parking is cheaper than New York or Boston but what is there to do in Hartford that can't be done in West Hartford, Avon, or Middletown where parking is free? Yes parking is a private enterprise and the rates are $10 or so but that's still $10 that would still be in my pocket elsewhere. Circling to find the free parking can be a hassle. Yeah we have all these studies about what to do but are people really inclined to go into Hartford on the weekend or for that matter during the week on a cold February night?

It's been like that for as long as I can remember. Hartford has been screwed by a few historic quirks. One of them is the extremely small size of the city itself. Another is I-91 screwing up the riverfront and I-84 splitting off the north-end. Next, U-Hart sits on the Bloomfield border, and Trinity on the southern border (or thereabouts). Both are too far from downtown to walk. Added to that, there is no public transit beyond buses, and people hate buses.

If given enough money and zoning power, I think the city would be best served by running quick light rail to both UHart and Trinity, connecting at Union Station. Run the line through Bushnell Park and include a stop at the Bushnell, Hartford Hospital and Trinity. Then run a line past the UConn law school and up to U Hartford. The goal needs to be to drive young people to want to live in Hartford. People drive bars, restaurants and theaters.

 

[ZooCougar]

Could we put the new arena near the Rent? Other cities have these big Commercial-Entertainment areas, such as the one in KC that has the Legends Outdoor Mall, Sporting KC (MLS) arena, NASCAR, Cabela's, Nebraska Furniture Mart etc..

 

[ZooCougar]

I think the whole premise of B1G and NHL just links two relatively unattainable objectives.

 

[Husky25]

I think the whole premise of B1G and NHL just links two relatively unattainable objectives.

UConn is light years closer to a Big Ten invite than the NHL is from returning to Hartford. But to blame parking is simply ludicrous.

 

[WestHartHusk]

This is why I'm talking about parking. First of all there has to be proof that people want to be in Hartford. How do you revitalize when as has been said the suburban market really doesn't want to go into the city and the workforce leaves to go back to the bedroom communities surrounding Hartford? There needs to be an incentive. Granted parking is cheaper than New York or Boston but what is there to do in Hartford that can't be done in West Hartford, Avon, or Middletown where parking is free? Yes parking is a private enterprise and the rates are $10 or so but that's still $10 that would still be in my pocket elsewhere. Circling to find the free parking can be a hassle. Yeah we have all these studies about what to do but are people really inclined to go into Hartford on the weekend or for that matter during the week on a cold February night?

I think you are really pushing against the tide if you think parking is going to get cheaper. In fact, I suspect that parking prices will continue to rise as this current generation moves backs into cities and reclaims the neighborhoods that were destroyed for cheap parking and convenient car access. This is why projects like the new high-speed rail between New Haven - Springfield along with the CT Fast Track are going to be vital going forward, and the opposition to them is so short-sited.

But to take your comment head-on, there is a ton of proof that people want to be in Hartford. The very prices you reference are the proof that people do want to go out in Hartford - if there was no demand the price would be significantly lower. Also, the fact that Hartford apartment occupancy is at 97% is further proof that people want to be in Hartford. And the thousands of apartments that are proposed and/or underway in downtown alone are further proof. Just off the top my my head, these are the projects that are underway: the Front Street Apartments site is currently being remediated and funding is secured for construction; the Clarion Hotel conversion is funded and underway; Colt Apartments are doubling in size with construction underway; 110/120 Pearl (or something like that) has purchased two buildings on the corner of Trumbull with conversion plans being drawn up; The Professional building above Black Bear is being converted entirely to apartments and construction is underway; the Masonic Building above Tavern is underway for conversion; and the Bank of America conversion (a few hundred apartments alone) is ready to begin once the IRS clarifies a NJ court decision. That list doesn't include any of the other proposals for in and around downtown like new apartment buildings alongside Bushnell Park and just over the I-84 bridge and at the corner of Main & Asylum.