Hockey Arena Groundbreaking/Progress

[CTBballfan243]

Benedict saying it’s going to be “one of the toughest tickets to get in town” kinda irks me. I have supported this team for the last 7 years and it sounds like I’ll be lucky to see a game there. UConn asking me for donations was a non starter. I had kids in college for most of the pre Toscano period, so donating to our athletic teams (beyond all the tickets I’ve purchased over the years) was not a priority. Besides, I’ve been a Connecticut taxpayer all of my adult life, so they get some of my money by default. The more I think about, the more it upsets me. They are holding people hostage to having to donate big bucks if they want to see a game there. I get that it’s business, but it rubs me the wrong way. Someone talk me off the ledge please.

Once the newness of the building wears off you will be able to get tickets to the new arena. Maybe not this season, but next season shouldn’t be a problem to catch a game.

 

[Bomber36]

Once the newness of the building wears off you will be able to get tickets to the new arena. Maybe not this season, but next season shouldn’t be a problem to catch a game.

Yeah, but I want them this season. It’s already been a historic year and will probably get better. But I have to watch every second half home game on TV? That sucks. I do hear you though, but if it’s a great year next year won’t be any easier.

 

[kibblesnbits]

Rink capacity for the four major D1 programs in CT:

Sacred Heart (new) - 3,600
Yale - 3.500
QU - 3,386
UConn (on campus, new) - 2,600

How embarrassing that the state's flagship university, with far and away the largest student enrollment among the four schools, has the "rinky dink" rink.

I doubt that Sacred Heart really has 3,600 seats. The pictures show a rink with 9 rows around the bowl (versus 11 at Quinnipiac and 8-9 for most of the bowl at UConn). Like UConn and QU there is a small club area with a few rows of seats upstairs (SHU's looks a little bigger than the others but still can't have more than a few hundred seats). If capacity at SHU is 3,600 that would have to include standing room and that still seems like a stretch.

 

[UCMB88]

I doubt that Sacred Heart really has 3,600 seats. The pictures show a rink with 9 rows around the bowl (versus 11 at Quinnipiac and 8-9 for most of the bowl at UConn). Like UConn and QU there is a small club area with a few rows of seats upstairs (SHU's looks a little bigger than the others but still can't have more than a few hundred seats). If capacity at SHU is 3,600 that would have to include standing room and that still seems like a stretch.

It's a legit 3,600.

 

[The Viking]

Is it Benedicts fault that Sacred Heart gets to build a great arena with 1000 more seats because it's done with seperation from government and /or union costs and timelines?

 

[kibblesnbits]

It's a legit 3,600.

It's not even close. That video just confirms what I said - the seating bowl is much smaller than Quinnipiac's and there are only a few hundred seats upstairs. The only way they can come close to 3,600 is if they are including standing room.

 

[CL82]

Somewhere documents exist that explain how they came up to the 3600 person count. I don’t care enough to actually go look for them. I will say, it’s a very nice barn. Good for them.

Like all of us, I’m not thrilled about the capacity of Toscano, but other than that, it is a first class facility that is going to give our guys a nice home ice advantage. It’s all good.

 

[Austin316]

It might be small but it’s going to be one of the loudest barns in the US. Games will be packed. Place will be loud. Atmosphere it’s going to be awesome!

 

[CL82]

So not intended to be an apples to apples comparison, because we are still under construction, but the big capacity difference seems to be the seats behind the net and the extra rows where we have vendors/club seating. Keep in mind that there is a row of counter height chairs that still need to be installed at the tables behind the last row of seats, which is a nice touch. It feels as if we are steeper than the SHU Arena. I like that because it will feel as if the crowd is right on top of the players. That’s a nice design touch that will give us additional home ice advantage. I have to note that chair backs all the way around the SHU arena is sweet.

 

[huskymedic]

Is it going to be completed on schedule?

I'm hoping I'm wrong, but is the camera facing the parking lot to not show that they are behind schedule?

I mean looking at the calendar there are 39 days until Jan 14 so time is certainly not on their side right now. And that's not even factoring in Xmas & NYE.

 

[CTBballfan243]

Let’s make some ice already!!!!!

 

[WestHartHusk]

It's a legit 3,600.

Nice barn. But damn that music was precious.

 

[DblCrossbar]

View attachment 81932
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So not intended to be an apples to apples comparison, because we are still under construction, but the big capacity difference seems to be the seats behind the net and the extra rows where we have vendors/club seating. Keep in mind that there is a row of counter height chairs that still need to be installed at the tables behind the last row of seats, which is a nice touch. It feels as if we are steeper than the SHU Arena. I like that because it will feel as if the crowd is right on top of the players. That’s a nice design touch that will give us additional home ice advantage. I have to note that chair backs all the way around the SHU arena is sweet.

Another difference: I can't see the opposite end of the SHU rink, but it appears to be chair backs everywhere and in the Toscano pic there appear to be flat benches on the near side. The plan is to experience both - hopefully UConn will be playing SHU next year - or as part of the CT ice tournament - to make that a definite destination.

 

[jho]

They’ve started to make ice.

 

[CL82]

Another difference: I can't see the opposite end of the SHU rink, but it appears to be chair backs everywhere and in the Toscano pic there appear to be flat benches on the near side. The plan is to experience both - hopefully UConn will be playing SHU next year - or as part of the CT ice tournament - to make that a definite destination.

I’m curious to hear your comparison of the two. Both are very nice and seem like great places to see a game. Have you been to Quinnipiac’s rink? That looks nice as well.

 

[CL82]

They’ve started to make ice.

Yeah, I was watching that last night at six. It has to be the worlds tiniest Zamboni.

 

[UCONNJACK]

They’ve started to make ice.

Wouldn’t the lines, circles and logos be painted before putting the ice down?

 

[huskymedic]

Wouldn’t the lines, circles and logos be painted before putting the ice down?

The lines, logos, circles, etc usually are painted in between the multiple layers of the ice.

 

[jho]

Wouldn’t the lines, circles and logos be painted before putting the ice down?

First that put down a couple of thin layers of ice, then they paint the surface white. After that they paint the lines and then put additional layers of ice over that.

 

[dbmill]

The lines, logos, circles, etc usually are painted in between the multiple layers of the ice.

That's what I thought.

 

[Vuce]

Just saw pics of the new arena and admittedly haven’t followed the progress but wow that’s embarrassing. 9 rows of seats? Looks like some kind of club program. UMass built theirs 30 years ago and it’s still nicer than this minor league place. Awful.

 

[UCONNJACK]

Just saw pics of the new arena and admittedly haven’t followed the progress but wow that’s embarrassing. 9 rows of seats? Looks like some kind of club program. UMass built theirs 30 years ago and it’s still nicer than this minor league place. Awful.

It’s not fair to compare the Mullins Center to the Toscano Family Ice Forum. The Mullins Center is a multi purpose facility while Toscano is strictly an ice rink. Check out the below Wikipedia link for the Mullins Center.

Mullins Center - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Vuce]

It’s not fair to compare the Mullins Center to the Toscano Family Ice Forum. The Mullins Center is a multi purpose facility while Toscano is strictly an ice rink. Check out the below Wikipedia link for the Mullins Center.

Mullins Center - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

I am very familiar with the Mullins Center - I’ve been there many many times. It’s even more embarrassing that for a hockey only facility that this dinky arena was the best UConn could do. It’s screams small time. And all of our big games will be in the almost 50 year old XL Center.

 

[gampelcrazies]

I've said it before and I'm sure others have said it but they really should have considered building a multi purpose arena for both basketball and hockey.

 

[CTBballfan243]

The hockey arena is beautiful and will be awesome. The team and students are going to love it. The arena should provide a great atmosphere for a college hockey game. People need to lose the small man inferiority complex.