Future Division I Arenas

[triaddukefan]

Opening in the Fall. HPU will open its new arena-conference center-boutique hotel. It will be the class of the Big South Conference Probably better than alot of arenas in bigger conferences. I look forward to supporting My Panthers in the new place.

From the HPU website :

The arena will seat 4,500 spectators and include luxury suites, locker rooms, staff offices, concession stands, a merchandising area, media suite, film room, press conference room, weight room, athletic training room, hospitality area, high tech audio and video equipment, ticket office and practice gym.

The part with the Arena goes until the 2:50 mark

 

[triaddukefan]

For two years Elon had the premier arena in the Colonial. That title will go to James Madison as they open the Atlantic Union Bank Center this fall. It will seat 8,500



JMU's new home

 

[triaddukefan]

This wasnt supposed to be that serious of a thread

 

[triaddukefan]

Haha sorry bud. I just see ridiculous stuff like that and think it's not surprising most 20-somethings are struggling and alienated. The average HPU graduate shells out an estimated $173k for a bachelor's degree. I can think of better uses for $120 million in university funding than the construction of a "boutique hotel."

The arena is being privately funded and is already paid for, so no university funding was required. In terms of the university itself... it has poured in millions of dollars into upgrading and expanding the campus, its academic programs, and improving the student experience in the past decade or so.. and is poised to inject millions more this upcoming decade in student scholarships, academic programs and facilities. I see no problem with a smaller school trying to upgrade its academics and overall profile.

 

[triaddukefan]

Moving along..... in the Atlantic Sun.... Liberty University is scheduled to open a new arena in the fall. Its being built next to the current Vines arena... and will seat between 4,000. The current arena seats 9,000 and will be used for those games that expected attendance exceeds 4,000.

New Liberty Arena

 

[Plebe]

Ground was broken last November on the University of Texas' Moody Center. So named because the Moody Foundation is providing a $130M grant toward the $338M construction cost.

The Moody Center, scheduled to open in 2022, will replace the 43-year-old Erwin Center, aka The Drum.

Video: Texas GameDay Moody Center announcement - University of Texas Athletics

The Moody Foundation granted $130M for UT's new basketball arena and events center.

texassports.com

 

[garddog]

I will try to find the article, but championship sports raises a universities profile and supposedly brings in more and better students.

 

[TheFarmFan]

I will try to find the article, but championship sports raises a universities profile and supposedly brings in more and better students.

Here's one for you. Quoting the abstract:

This study finds that the average college ranking from U.S. News & World Report for the two years after winning a national championship in football or basketball is significantly improved compared to the two years before. Consistent with increased applications, acceptance rates are lower and SAT scores are higher. However, in a larger sample that includes schools that did not win a championship, a relationship between sports performance and academic rank was not found. These results bring into doubt the effectiveness, or at least efficiency, of pursuing success in major sports programs as a means to improve academic ranking.

 

[j66kicker]

Here's one for you. Quoting the abstract:
This study finds that the average college ranking from U.S. News & World Report for the two years after winning a national championship in football or basketball is significantly improved compared to the two years before. Consistent with increased applications, acceptance rates are lower and SAT scores are higher. However, in a larger sample that includes schools that did not win a championship, a relationship between sports performance and academic rank was not found. These results bring into doubt the effectiveness, or at least efficiency, of pursuing success in major sports programs as a means to improve academic ranking.

So it only works (for 2 years) if you actually WIN the national championship. In that case UConn has been following the program pretty well for the past 20 years or so, but is very anomalistic and should probably not be used as an example to emulate.

 

[TerpWomenFan]

So it only works (for 2 years) if you actually WIN the national championship. In that case UConn has been following the program pretty well for the past 20 years or so, but is very anomalistic and should probably not be used as an example to emulate.

I think it pertains more to men basketball than women basketball.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

The arena is being privately funded and is already paid for, so no university funding was required. In terms of the university itself... it has poured in millions of dollars into upgrading and expanding the campus, its academic programs, and improving the student experience in the past decade or so.. and is poised to inject millions more this upcoming decade in student scholarships, academic programs and facilities. I see no problem with a smaller school trying to upgrade its academics and overall profile.

Most (or perhaps it is many} athletic facilities are privately funded with naming rights included. At Arizona there are upgrades going on where donors are asked to donate to the capital projects specifically - they hit me up for a 5 year pledge. But the building only goes based on the funding.

The argument is that the monies would not be given for other purposes. That is not necessarily true. For my modest amount, if I hadn't been hit up for the Capital Campaign, I would still be giving, mostly to WBB. Plus, while some folks might give for a naming opportunity, what they are actually donating for can vary from an athlete academic center to a coaches office redo to a new locker room - or they can donate to an endowed scholarship. Very different uses for the money.

As to the improvements, I don't have any problem with them in the abstract, although Farm Fan's info is disturbing.

 

[triaddukefan]

In 2021... The Vandals of the University of Idaho get a new home. The Idaho Central Credit Union Arena. It will seat 4,200.....

From the U of Idaho website.

The state-of-the art 62,000-square-foot arena will hold 4,200 people and become the first mass-timber sporting facility in major college athletics.

"University of Idaho and ICCU are really trail blazers to build a wood-engineered structure of this size and magnitude on a university campus."


New home of the Vandals

Most (or perhaps it is many} athletic facilities are privately funded with naming rights included. At Arizona there are upgrades going on where donors are asked to donate to the capital projects specifically - they hit me up for a 5 year pledge. But the building only goes based on the funding.

Well the new arena for High Point will be named in honor of the School President and His Wife.

 

[Centerstream]

I have no skin in this game, but the $120m could easily have been donated to fund financial aid. But then rich bigwigs don't get their names on the buildings. Every university, Stanford included, is guilty of this to greater or lesser degrees. But building entertainment complexes that cost twice the University's entire endowment suggests that education is not where the preponderance of resources are being directed.

Incidentally, I found an interesting 2012 Bloomberg article about HPU's interesting strategy. One tidbit:

And you are entitled to your opinion. High Point as a city is trying to grow and get out of the shadow of Greensboro. Someone might look at this as a boost to the whole community, not just the school. IMO.

 

[triaddukefan]

Progress over in High Point.

And you are entitled to your opinion. High Point as a city is trying to grow and get out of the shadow of Greensboro. Someone might look at this as a boost to the whole community, not just the school. IMO.

You know that of the 12 biggest cities in the state... High Point is the ONLY one without an arena (public or private) for community events or things of that nature. They finally got a minor league baseball team (from Bridgeport CT) and built a new ballpark downtown last year... it was a success.

 

[Centerstream]

I was aware of the minor league team in HP and how they are hoping it is a continued success. I have not seen the stadium yet but I love how both minor league stadiums in Greensboro and Winston are in the downtown area and just jump out to passing motorists. Not sure if it is the same in High Point, I only saw the plans for it...

 

[garddog]

Central NC is getting too crowded. All those towns used to be separate and now they are all just locked together.

 

[triaddukefan]

I was aware of the minor league team in HP and how they are hoping it is a continued success. I have not seen the stadium yet but I love how both minor league stadiums in Greensboro and Winston are in the downtown area and just jump out to passing motorists. Not sure if it is the same in High Point, I only saw the plans for it...

Winston has the advantage in terms of how it jumps out due to it being right on the highway, and Peters Creek.... but Greensboro's is more integrated into downtown.. with restaurants and apartments next door and new hotel across the street. The one in HP doesnt jump out like that... its a street over from Main Street. They are building a food hall across the street from the ballpark Stock and Grain | The Triad’s First Food Hall

Not sure if you knew... but they are building an office building right next to the ballpark... when I say right next... I mean RIGHT next..... its gonna be in right field. This is a rendering ... but Its up... they are just completing the interior of it now.

 

[triaddukefan]

@Centerstream

Updated photo on the office building at the GSO ballpark

 

[triaddukefan]

If somebody can blast a 450ft bomb into right field...... it might take out a window.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Winston has the advantage in terms of how it jumps out due to it being right on the highway, and Peters Creek.... but Greensboro's is more integrated into downtown.. with restaurants and apartments next door and new hotel across the street. The one in HP doesnt jump out like that... its a street over from Main Street. They are building a food hall across the street from the ballpark Stock and Grain | The Triad’s First Food Hall

Not sure if you knew... but they are building an office building right next to the ballpark... when I say right next... I mean RIGHT next..... its gonna be in right field. This is a rendering ... but Its up... they are just completing the interior of it now.

View attachment 53404

That's a thing.

Columbia has an office building immediately adjacent to its park in right field as well.

Nice park in a weird environment. Former state asylum grounds (one of those turn of century sprawling campuses) that was supposed to be developed into planned retail/residential development that hasn't quite materialized.

Lot of crumbling old buildings around and overgrown that await demo or Reno if anyone is interested. There was some recent progress that I wonder has been squashed. Financial crisis probably set them back a decade - now this.

 

[Ozimoto]

I wonder if the old B&O warehouse (converted to offices) in right field at Camden Yards had any influence on these stadiums.

My wife used to work for a company that had offices in the warehouse. Great place to watch the game from in air conditioned comfort during ridiculously hot July Sunday afternoon games....

Yeah, the Orioles aren't any good, but they have a great park to play in.

 

[triaddukefan]

The opening of HPU's new arena pushed back a year

High Point University arena project delayed for a year




A university spokeswoman confirmed Thursday that construction was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and that the facility is now scheduled to open sometime before the 2021-22 basketball season.
"HPU took a measured response in the spring when the pandemic began, which slowed the construction timeline," university spokeswoman Katie Hamlin said via email.

 

[triaddukefan]

Some of these new mid-major arenas are impressive. James Madison's new place

 

[DefenseBB]

Some of these new mid-major arenas are impressive. James Madison's new place

Umm, just a wild guess here, but do you work for an Architectural firm or a contractor? You seem pretty handy with the various spec drawings and updates. And we all thought that Mike Brady was dead...Fear not Sherwin Schwartz, he's in the rurals of Carolina....

 

[triaddukefan]

Umm, just a wild guess here, but do you work for an Architectural firm or a contractor? You seem pretty handy with the various spec drawings and updates. And we all thought that Mike Brady was dead...Fear not Sherwin Schwartz, he's in the rurals of Carolina....

Ha. No, just have had an interest in sports stadiums since I was a young lad.