I was on campus last week for the first time in ages. I am glad I left Thursday night before Nemo shut it all down. Though, for old time’s sake, I would have snuck into the Hilltop cafeteria, stolen a tray, and gone sledding down Alumni Drive.
First, Ted’s has not changed. Second, just about everything else has. What is it with the metal clad buildings in the middle of what was Fairfield Road? I am also insanely jealous of the new business building in comparison to the 1950’s gulag I took classes in.
Anyway, I did walk into Gampel after spending way too much money on UConn swag for my family at the Co-Op. Wow, it is really starting to show its age after almost 25 years of service. It is also clear with classrooms and office under the floor and the building’s roof and superstructure, it would be cheaper and easier to build a new area than update Gampel (my fond memories of the place aside).
In an ideal world, UConn moves it’s basketball and hockey games to the XL in Hartford for 2 years while a new, 12,000 (basketball)/8,000 (hockey) seat dual–purpose arena is built where Gampel is today or potentially as part of the Storrs Center project (that project is a lot bigger that I thought it would be). Duel purpose makes sense for UConn because most ‘blue blood’ hoop schools do not have hockey. Once complete, all home basketball and hockey games must be held in Storrs, except for maybe a single ‘home’ game for both programs at MSG. Let Hartford fix its own problems (I know politics makes this very unlikely). Set aside 2K to 3K seats for students and most games should sell-out or be close to it. The ‘Big Dog’ would only be used for games and other events.
Both basketball teams can use the new practice facility while the hockey teams can use Freitas for practice (ideally a second sheet of ice is added to maximize practice time for both teams and allow the arena to be used by the community for free skate, local HS hockey, etc.). Due to the idiots who designed the complex, UConn would need a new competition pool, too. There should be room between Sherman field and the basketball practice facility for it to be put there.
