Gampel

[FartMan69]

With the big game Sunday being played on campus it got me thinking about the future of the building. I know the master plan includes a new atrium but I didn't see anything about renovations to the existing arena. It's over 20 years old and is really showing it's age and lack of amenities and seating capacity is almost embarrassing for one of the countries premiere programs. Does anyone have any clue if the school is going to address this in the near future? Or if anyone has any ideas on improvements or what they'd like to see please throw them out there as a distraction from this awkward family get together would be much appreciated.

 

[Bryan Lord]

Whats up with those ceiling tiles? The school acts like they were invented by some dead Italian guy and cant be replaced.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Whats up with those ceiling tiles? The school acts like they were invented by some dead Italian guy and cant be replaced.

Gampel is basically a Stradivarius of buildings in that way... double-edged sword

 

[FartMan69]

Whats up with those ceiling tiles? The school acts like they were invented by some dead Italian guy and cant be replaced.

Lol here we go

 

[8893]

They would sooner rebuild the Roman Colosseum. Gampel is beyond that in terms of historic and artistic importance. We just have to accept that it simply can't be touched except by the uniquely skilled hands of its now-deceased genius creator.

Patoni, thy name is as masterpiece brought to life.

 

[dante]

They are trying to build a new 4-5k seating arena for the hockey why not build 15k multipurpose arena ?

 

[WestHartHusk]

They are trying to build a new 4-5k seating arena for the hockey why not build 15k multipurpose arena ?

In a nutshell: the same reason Gampel was built with 8,000 seats - Hartford. I believe the city/state want to build a new arena downtown in the next 5-7 years...if Gampel has 15,000 seats no games would ever be played in Hartford, making a new arena unjustifiable.

 

[chapwilvaug72]

yo dudes spoiled

i enjoyed 4 yrs of action yank conf style in hugh s greer fieldhouse with green synthetic floor, baseball netting and indoor dust bowl track for olympic sport doods

i dont get the new hockey arena, who da hey cares about hockey pucks; but with current mgmt of athletic dept i sure they care to emphasize weaknesses and overlook building on strengths-wooozza; no common sense aall over the place

 

[Stainmaster]

yo dudes spoiled

i enjoyed 4 yrs of action yank conf style in hugh s greer fieldhouse with green synthetic floor, baseball netting and indoor dust bowl track for olympic sport doods

i dont get the new hockey arena, who da hey cares about hockey pucks; but with current mgmt of athletic dept i sure they care to emphasize weaknesses and overlook building on strengths-wooozza; no common sense aall over the place

Because hockey is a weakness? Have you been following the team this year? Get f@hcking real.

 

[zls44]

They are trying to build a new 4-5k seating arena for the hockey why not build 15k multipurpose arena ?

Because there are three nationally recognized programs who have done that and have either bad home rinks (Wisconsin and Ohio State) or bad both (BC). You don't want an arena with 9000 empty seats. It sucks.

 

[dante]

In a nutshell: the same reason Gampel was built with 8,000 seats - Hartford. I believe the city/state want to build a new arena downtown in the next 5-7 years...if Gampel has 15,000 seats no games would ever be played in Hartford, making a new arena unjustifiable.

Louisville upgraded their facilities ACC and look at them now. Rutgers upgraded their facilities and look at them now. Cincinnati is upgrading their facilities and well I don't want to see them leave us behind. Uconn having a new arena doesn't mean that they won't play in Hartford. If Hartford wants to bring another NHL team then they're going have to build another arena regardless of what UConn does.

 

[dante]

Because there are three nationally recognized programs who have done that and have either bad home rinks (Wisconsin and Ohio State) or bad both (BC). You don't want an arena with 9000 empty seats. It sucks.

What do you mean bad rinks?

Looks good to me. Notice the 3 decks on those arena? they could close the decks that wont be sold out and put a curtain just like the XL Center did when UConn hockey played BC.

 

[ConnZag3]

What do you mean bad rinks?

Looks good to me. Notice the 3 decks on those arena? they could close the decks that wont be sold out and put a curtain just like the XL Center did when UConn hockey played BC.

Having gone to the University of Wisconsin, the Kohl Center is a great hockey venue so not sure what the point of the above post was. Wisconsin consistently gets 10k+ for hockey games. They're terrible this year but have been in the Frozen Four a couple times in the past decade iirc.

For basketball on the other hand, the Kohl Center is terrible because it was built for hockey. Multipurpose arenas are great to save money but typically terrible for basketball as the sight lines are made for hockey.

 

[zls44]

Having gone to the University of Wisconsin, the Kohl Center is a great hockey venue so not sure what the point of the above post was. Wisconsin consistently gets 10k+ for hockey games. They're terrible this year but have been in the Frozen Four a couple times in the past decade iirc.

For basketball on the other hand, the Kohl Center is terrible because it was built for hockey. Multipurpose arenas are great to save money but typically terrible for basketball as the sight lines are made for hockey.

That's basically my point- if you build a venue to be good for basketball and good for hockey, it never works out. And even with Wisconsin leading the country in attendance- there's thousands of empty seats. You could even argue the two least-intimidating venues in the Big Ten (hockey) are the Kohl Center and Value City, because they're just too damn big.

College hockey is cramped, inconvenient and loud.

 

[dante]

That's basically my point- if you build a venue to be good for basketball and good for hockey, it never works out. And even with Wisconsin leading the country in attendance- there's thousands of empty seats. You could even argue the two least-intimidating venues in the Big Ten (hockey) are the Kohl Center and Value City, because they're just too damn big.

College hockey is cramped, inconvenient and loud.

Your point is let's build a small but modern arena for the hockey team but let the bread and butter basketball teams play in a mid size outdated where heaven forbids the tiles may fall on spectators head?LOL Seriously how can they even think of building a hockey arena before fixing the tiles at Gampel?
Also why do you point out the bad for the hockey team with a new 15k arena and not point out the good for the basketball programs for instance more money ? and a more intimating home court? and why not maybe even cheaper tickets.
How does MSG do with both sports?

 

[zls44]

Your point is let's build a small but modern arena for the hockey team but let the bread and butter basketball teams play in a mid size outdated where heaven forbids the tiles may fall on spectators head?LOL Seriously how can they even think of building a hockey arena before fixing the tiles at Gampel?
Also why do you point out the bad for the hockey team with a new 15k arena and not point out the good for the basketball programs for instance more money ? and a more intimating home court? and why not maybe even cheaper tickets.
How does MSG do with both sports?

You build a 5500 seat hockey barn...and you also build a Gampel replacement. Fixing the ceiling tiles doesn't change the million other issues with it from a revenue standpoint- no luxury boxes, small capacity, few amenities.

MSG does great with it. Great place to watch either. That's the exception, not the norm.

 

[dante]

You build a 5500 seat hockey barn...and you also build a Gampel replacement. Fixing the ceiling tiles doesn't change the million other issues with it from a revenue standpoint- no luxury boxes, small capacity, few amenities.

Now wouldn't that be sweeeeet

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Why couldn't you convert Gambel into a 6000 seat Hockey Arena
and build a new larger BB facility?

 

[zls44]

Why couldn't you convert Gambel into a 6000 seat Hockey Arena and build a new larger BB facility?

It might cost as much as a new arena. The building is all concrete; youd need to remove the entire seating bowl and rebuild.