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Message: [QUOTE="Drew, post: 2055961, member: 3723"] agree with this 100% a new arena for UConn cannot and should not be the motivation for renovating or completely rebuilding the XL Center. That motivation should be to provide an appropriate sized arena for the citizens of Hartford and the surrounding cities with modern day amenities that can attract outside events that the city is currently missing out on by having an arena in the decrepit state that the XL Center currently is in. UConn getting to play in this arena is a major SIDE benefit to building it but using UConn M/W basketball and hockey as the main reason to spend $250m-$500m on an arena that is located 30-35 minutes from the campus and knowing each basketball team only plays half their regular season games there is simply not appropriate. The ultimate goal of spending that kind of money on a project is that it will attract year round tenants and entertainment that has been alluded to in prior posts such as tournaments, major concerts, and more. If you read through some of these articles that have been posted in this thread the XL Center is losing a majority of their potential business in these industries to the casinos with modern day facilities- that should be the main reason for building this new arena. The fact that it will be a major benefit to UConn athletics moving forward just happens to be a side benefit of the project. [/QUOTE]