Gov. Ned Lamont proposes $55M investment in Hartford’s XL Center arena

[Ts5034]

does Hartford even need an arena considering there's decent arenas at Storrs, Mohegan and Bridgeport?

It seems like this is an endless argument, but in my opinion, Mohegan Sun will always have the money to pay and out bid everywhere else in the state for big time acts. It wont matter if Hartford builds a new state of the art arena. I think the people making these decisions know that, and thats why they are budgeting money for small improvements that will just keep the XL Center above water. Like many have pointed out in these threads before, the XL Center is a ghost town in the summer because all the big concerts are at the Xfinity or Mohegan. Would a new arena change that? I highly doubt it. Thats why the main function of the XL is UConn basketball games. Is the place old and need improvements? Of course, but we are not at the point where the arena is unsafe or people are not attending games because the condition of the place.

 

[Waquoit]

What bugs me the most about the XL is how attempts to support it hurt UConn.

There is no UConn basketball without the XL. There is no UConn hockey without the XL. There is no UConn sports in the big-time without the XL. Blow up the XL if you want, but that doesn't help UConn. The XL is an asset for UConn.

 

[John]

It seems like this is an endless argument, but in my opinion, Mohegan Sun will always have the money to pay and out bid everywhere else in the state for big time acts. It wont matter if Hartford builds a new state of the art arena. I think the people making these decisions know that, and thats why they are budgeting money for small improvements that will just keep the XL Center above water. Like many have pointed out in these threads before, the XL Center is a ghost town in the summer because all the big concerts are at the Xfinity or Mohegan. Would a new arena change that? I highly doubt it. Thats why the main function of the XL is UConn basketball games. Is the place old and need improvements? Of course, but we are not at the point where the arena is unsafe or people are not attending games because the condition of the place.

yes - and Mohegan Sun has hijacked events out of the Hartford convention center too.

 

[John]

There is no UConn basketball without the XL. There is no UConn hockey without the XL. There is no UConn sports in the big-time without the XL. Blow up the XL if you want, but that doesn't help UConn. The XL is an asset for UConn.

if the UConn brand is as strong as we think it is and make it out to be, then it can still thrive being a strictly campus brand.

 

[Chief00]

The state isn't broke. It just has tremendously high pension obligations because it was underfunded for 30 years.

That constrains what you can do because that pension eats up a bigger slice of the pie.

As far as bonding, with no tolls for infrastructure, I find it highly unlikely we will even get $100 million for XL and no chance at $250 for a new building.

I am for a total rebuild to try and make the thing solvent. I also don't trust CRDA to execute on the plan. The casinos have really taken away a lot of events, and they manage their properties better.

Overall, I agree but the problem isn’t all on the contribution to pension side. The problem is also the design and structure of the pension and health benefits - they are too rich. Overtime and legislators travel expenses are two examples of items in pension calculations that shouldn’t be. Additionally, we need to tax pension money going out of state.

 

[Ts5034]

yes - and Mohegan Sun has hijacked events out of the Hartford convention center too.

Exactly, and thats why I think as far as the XL Center renovations go, instead of thinking “Big”, they should be thinking small. The article says that the money would be spent on the lower bowl and the addition of premium seating because that will offer a better ROI. Now, I agree that its insane that the XL Center suites are basically in the roof, but at this point, it is what it is. I said in my other post that the main event of the XL Center is UConn basketball. So in my opinion, any improvements to the arena should be made to offer a better game day experience. I know they just replaced all the seats about 20 years ago, and they seem to be holding up nice, but I think it would be a good idea to replace all the current seats with seats that have cup holders. MSG did a great job of that, and you kill two birds with one stone, new seats = more comfort, and you add a little amenity with the cup holder so people don’t have to constantly hold their drinks the entire time. How much could that actually cost? 5 million for the entire arena? That really is not a lot of money in the big picture of it all.

 

[glastonbury50]

I have total confidence that Lamont will find the most expensive way to run the XL into the ground.

 

[CL82]

There is no UConn basketball without the XL. There is no UConn hockey without the XL. There is no UConn sports in the big-time without the XL. Blow up the XL if you want, but that doesn't help UConn. The XL is an asset for UConn.

I think you pretty much have it backwards. There is no XL center without UConn. Right now UConn is subsidizing an out of date poorly managed arena. The current lease deal makes zero sense for UConn. I think Geno got it right when he suggested that rather having UConn lease there, the XL and UConn should simply split the profit. The only thing the current arrangement does is mask the deficit that the CDRA is running.

 

[John]

Considering the survey the season ticket holders got a few months ago concerning the premium seat renovation plan, how will people who were just sold "forever seats" fare when those seats no longer exist?

 

[Waquoit]

I think you pretty much have it backwards. There is no XL center without UConn.

I forgot you operate in a fact-free environment.

 

[Husky25]

I was at Monster Jam two weeks ago, tomorrow and I filled out the survey they sent too. One of the questions was, "What can we do better?". To which I left a one word answer: Venue.

Even in the 200s the rows are too close together. The only way I got rid of the cricks in my knees (I'm 5' 8-1/2" on a good day) was to straighten them on the drive home and drive with my toes.

Less than a week later, my family sat in Row H of the lower bowl for the Globetrotters. The rows were there are as close as above the concourse, only I didn't only have a 7 year old in tow. The father in the other family is 6'-4". We concluded that at least one seat in every row should be removed, with wider seats installed, but at the end of the day there is no inexpensive solution to put more room between rows.

About 24 hours later, I brought my 7 year old back to the XL Center for the Memphis game. I wrote about it in a different thread, but let's just concede that the arena and it's amenities are not built for 16,000 people as they exist in 2020. I was born in 1977, so I don't know for sure, but dare I say that it wasn't built for 16,000 people in 1970 either.

 

[John]

I forgot you operate in a fact-free environment.

Remove UConn basketball from the XL
vs.
Remove the XL from UConn basketball

You honestly think it's UConn basketball that'll be in trouble???

 

[CL82]

I forgot you operate in a fact-free environment.

Lol, well one of us does apparently, but thanks for doubling down on the notion there would be no UConn hockey or basketball without the XL Center. Those of us whose memories extend before 1974 respectfully disagree.

 

[John]

Lol, well one of us does apparently, but thanks for doubling down on the notion there would be no UConn hockey or basketball without the XL Center. Those of us whose memories extend before 1974 respectfully disagree.

I'd love to know his thought process. The XL is lucky that UConn even plays there at all, they certainly don't hold any sway over UConn basketball.

 

[CTBasketball]

I get yelled at to sit down more at Gampel so I will always love XL for that fact.

Tear it down and we all sit. Sounds lame.

 

[John]

I get yelled at to sit down more at Gampel so I will always love XL for that fact.

Tear it down and we all sit. Sounds lame.

well, when you're on the benches at Gampel, sitting and standing are really the same thing.

 

[sledog]

So how much are CT taxes going up due this brilliant halfassed proposal? More folks heading to FL, et al.