Governor Malloy Won't Push For Costly XL Center Upgrades | Page 7 | The Boneyard

Governor Malloy Won't Push For Costly XL Center Upgrades

ct06111 said:
CRDA Pushes Ahead With $250 Million XL Center Renovation Plan, Public Hearing Scheduled

Public hearing on XL renovations is on tues November 29th
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With the recent revelation that Malloy's head of OPM Ben Barnes has again failed in his job and the deficit is approx $1.3 Billion I can't see how this can go through unless a major (i.e.: NHL Team) tenant appears. Let's just hope that the ice making fix they have to make is done properly with steel pipe not the poly pipe like they used at the Barclay's Center. If they make that mistake they may as well close the place down for hockey.
 
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Certainly can't fill 19,000 seats playing in this conference. Even had trouble filling the XL in the late Big East years
 
Anyone going to be in attendance for this meeting tonight?
 
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Hopefully this is just a formality to rubber stamp the project and formally move it forward for approval. Anyone know the status of the ice making system improvements that are on the table to be done...don't wanna beat a dead horse here BUT they need to do the right thing...and going pvc like they have at the Barclay's Center is NOT the right thing. That ice surface SUCKS!!!
 
They're going with copper lines and a Bavarian ice recipe that's just a lot colder than the standard ice.
 
FDNY99 said:
Hopefully this is just a formality to rubber stamp the project and formally move it forward for approval. Anyone know the status of the ice making system improvements that are on the table to be done...don't wanna beat a dead horse here BUT they need to do the right thing...and going pvc like they have at the Barclay's Center is NOT the right thing. That ice surface SUCKS!!!
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Basic re-hash of SCI presentation from 2015
No major news.

Confirmed with SCI and CRDA reps, will use top notch NHL approved steel piping. First quote was with plastic piping, but was re looked at(seeing situation @ Barclays) and they re-quoted and will use steel piping.

One concern with new ice slab, unless $250 million gets the green light, new slab will use old in-efficient ice chillers. They would need the room and $ to extend into Trumbull st. and either place the eventual new efficient chillers from the basement to a corner or on the roof. Didn't like hearing that, but new piping and current chiller can support the new ice slab for now.

Talked a little with SCI guy that did MSG.

Less things need to happen structurally with the XL than required with the renovations from MSG. I mentioned the 1billion budget. He was like nah, 250 should be good. Lots of holes and empty space to work with that can be used to expand XL footprint. Less concrete and beam/pillar movement.

Was encouraged by the support of the renovation plan. Mostly positive, but my buddy Joe Markley(state senator from SOUTHINGTON, CT) was there to be the only negative statement made about the project.

Fox61, courant, and nbc30 was there, so I think you'll see a segement on the local news either at 10 / 11 or tmrw.

Funny, I mentioned the courant gosslein article about the piping to the CRDA guy. He looked and me and shook his head like don't read 100% into what he writes. Has no clue. Lol. One, the articles he writes say 19,000 seating capacity. Presentation had 17k for hockey and 18k for bball. So don't completely trust what the courant is spinning about this project. Do your own research
 
ct06111 said:
Basic re-hash of SCI presentation from 2015
No major news.

Confirmed with SCI and CRDA reps, will use top notch NHL approved steel piping. First quote was with plastic piping, but was re looked at(seeing situation @ Barclays) and they re-quoted and will use steel piping.

One concern with new ice slab, unless $250 million gets the green light, new slab will use old in-efficient ice chillers. They would need the room and $ to extend into Trumbull st. and either place the eventual new efficient chillers from the basement to a corner or on the roof. Didn't like hearing that, but new piping and current chiller can support the new ice slab for now.

Talked a little with SCI guy that did MSG.

Less things need to happen structurally with the XL than required with the renovations from MSG. I mentioned the 1billion budget. He was like nah, 250 should be good. Lots of holes and empty space to work with that can be used to expand XL footprint. Less concrete and beam/pillar movement.

Was encouraged by the support of the renovation plan. Mostly positive, but my buddy Joe Markley(state senator from SOUTHINGTON, CT) was there to be the only negative statement made about the project.

Fox61, courant, and nbc30 was there, so I think you'll see a segement on the local news either at 10 / 11 or tmrw.

Funny, I mentioned the courant gosslein article about the piping to the CRDA guy. He looked and me and shook his head like don't read 100% into what he writes. Has no clue. Lol. One, the articles he writes say 19,000 seating capacity. Presentation had 17k for hockey and 18k for bball. So don't completely trust what the courant is spinning about this project. Do your own research
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I was more worried about the pipe they were gonna use in the ice surface slab. Going with the plastic piping now would have raised the price of the project and would have been a waste of money. Now it seems as if they are doing it the right way. The project can only fit x amount of seats into the present space. I looked closely at the presentation the CRDA put together and although a new facility would be the real way to go..what they put into that presentation will be awesome if it ever gets finished.
 
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ct06111 said:
XL Center Renovations Draw Support, But Money For Work Still A Question

Presentation from last night:
http://crdact.net/data/Unsorted/11-29-2016-XL-PublicHearingPresentation-73683-1.pdf

Project could be voted as early as the next CRDA meeting Dec 8th
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I look at it this way...you have to be in it to win it. To get the funding it has to be put up on the docket. As for Markley..I know the financial outlook in CT isn't good right now but here is a good question to ask him the next time you see him: Patrons of the XL Center contribute to downtown businesses every night there is an event. As someone who is in Hartford a fair amount of the year do you make it a point to go out for lunch, dinner and/or socialize at local Hartford businesses with your colleagues?
 
Idk about the NHL being realistic. I think they're using that too help push this thing forward but this needs to be done at some point regardless. That building is awful in its current state and unless the state and city are fine with bleeding money keeping it status quo until it's finally gone and we have nothing then it needs to be done
 
Don't know if this adds to the conversation, but this is how Indianapolis paid for Lucas oil. The northern and southern areas of the state were strongly against contributing their tax dollars to the effort. In then end, though, everyone chipped in a little. The biggest fiasco was putting the place up without figuring out how to cover the additional $10 million in annual operating expenses over the RCA Dome.

Although it got done fairly responsibly, you do have the example of Louisville, a couple of hours to the south. Not exactly sure how Indy has come so much further than Louisville since the early 80's. Our stadiums have certainly been a big part of it, but as mentioned, it's good to have a paying primary tenant (even though they ask for and get upgrades that normal people have to pay for). Indy built the Dome without the Colts, but most places aren't going to be so lucky.

I'm all for not letting an aging venue fall into being a second-or-third-class facility. Hopefully you guys can find a way to get it done.

Marion County has raised taxes for food and beverage sales, auto rental taxes, innkeeper's taxes, and admission taxes for its share of the costs. Meanwhile, there has been an increase in food and beverage taxes in the 8 surrounding doughnut counties (with the exception of Morgan County) and the sale of Colts license plates.[4]

The County Commissioners of each county voted whether to levy the 1% food and beverage tax proposed by Marion County. Sweetening the deal for the those counties was the fact that half of the revenue from the tax would stay in the respective county. Morgan County was the only county to turn down the offer, yet in a later vote, it levied its own 1% tax – thus keeping all of its additional generated revenue.
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Perfect opportunity to re-do Gampel and build the on-campus Hockey Arena. Investing a cent into this building (and Hartford) is a waste. The XL Center really has full-time purpose, maybe other than as a concert venue. No pro teams are coming there, and UConn is in Storrs. DELUSIONAL.
 
MASSconn said:
Perfect opportunity to re-do Gampel and build the on-campus Hockey Arena. Investing a cent into this building (and Hartford) is a waste. The XL Center really has full-time purpose, maybe other than as a concert venue. No pro teams are coming there, and UConn is in Storrs. DELUSIONAL.
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For the love of God UConn is never going to stop playing in Hartford. Get over it
 
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FartMan69 said:
For the love of God UConn is never going to stop playing in Hartford. Get over it
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And if this is built to NCAA standards we can regain ourselves as at least a first weekend March Madness site. And add in NCAA Regional hockey as well. These are the types of events that will make the building get to/surpass economic viability and increase hotel stays and drive up restaurant meals. This is called economic development. Tourism like NCAA tourneys helps tremendously. Onward and upward, I say.
 
FDNY99 said:
After he sent that letter to the Islanders this was a formality.
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You know, I typically have pretty strong feelings about any given government policy or spend, but I admit this one finds me with many mixed feelings.

I feel like there are some pretty compelling reasons to save the money, but some equally compelling reasons not to just let the thing fall into a blighted pit of despair.
 
Scrap it.. knock it down... build a 16k state of the art arena. Make it small but great... people will come. The XL Center never will be great. Basically the Winnipeg/Oklahoma City model kicked up a notch. A NHL team will become available.... the league has propped too many of these franchises as it is. You've got to have the arena though. Hartford doesn't. The building has got to be part of the draw... Look at the precedent set by the new MLB, minor league baseball, heck even minor league hockey. The AHL is setting attendance records based in part on some great new small arenas.

And hire Deepster to monitor the construction. ;)
 
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CTFAN4LIFE said:
And if this is built to NCAA standards we can regain ourselves as at least a first weekend March Madness site. And add in NCAA Regional hockey as well. These are the types of events that will make the building get to/surpass economic viability and increase hotel stays and drive up restaurant meals. This is called economic development. Tourism like NCAA tourneys helps tremendously. Onward and upward, I say.
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Exactly what's been going on in Bridgeport with the Bluefish and Sound Tigers and WBA. I never imagined Bridgeport would become as cleaned up as it is now. Used to be quite a mess. 10 years ago, there was fear around Harbor Yard for visitors. Not anymore. People feel comfortable parking on streets now.

Hartford is going to be cleaned up. They're following Bridgeport's plan.
 
In Indianapolis it was fairly obvious that Market Square Arena needed to go. Not much public outcry about renovating vs new, but there were a few loud voices out there that wanted to keep the old place.

In retrospect, renovating the old place would have been a constant uphill battle to bring events and people in. I just hope we collectively get over the need to replace pro-sports homes every 20-25 years.
 
XL is fine the way it is and what it is used for. More $ is the lipstick on a pig analogy. The NHL or NBA teams would want a brand new arena.
We've put too much money into the XL already and this will no way pass the CT Senate should it get that far. I doubt it will even be in their budget.
 
Alum86 said:
XL is fine the way it is and what it is used for. More $ is the lipstick on a pig analogy. The NHL or NBA teams would want a brand new arena.
We've put too much money into the XL already and this will no way pass the CT Senate should it get that far. I doubt it will even be in their budget.
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Oh it won't pass the Senate even if it is in a tie, Wyman breaks the tie.
 
ZachCT12 said:
Oh it won't pass the Senate even if it is in a tie, Wyman breaks the tie.
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she would vote yes, but I do not see a tie or even it being in a pkg
 
We are focusing on the wrong sport (NHL) and stadium (XL). Rentschler is perfect for an MLS team. We need to get an investor to fund a team. The stadium is already built and the USMNT has already played there, soccer is popular in CT, and Hartford had the second best TV ratings for the World Cup.
 
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