New Hockey Barn Concept Art/Floor Plan on Display?

[brasssbonanzaa]

Very promising and if on campus would be a huge positive for the program and school. That said, Jeff is a good reporter, but has been off on a few reports in the past.

 

[Fishy]

Hmmm....I dunno.

I'm hopeful and we know that they're working on it, but ready for an announcement?

Call me skeptical, but curious.

 

[FDNY99]

I am interested to see what they have. I know there has been a lot of talk about putting it on the old x Lot property with the new student rec center

 

[CL82]

You can't put it on campus. How are you ever going to get 5000 people in and out of Storrs? It would be a traffic nightmare. The people in Mansfield will never accept it. And it's just too damn far from Fairfield County!

 

[ATLDYKA]

You can't put it on campus. How are you ever going to get 5000 people in and out of Storrs? It would be a traffic nightmare. The people in Mansfield will never accept it. And it's just too damn far from Fairfield County!

How do they do it for basketball then and that is for 10,000 + fans?

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

You can't put it on campus. How are you ever going to get 5000 people in and out of Storrs? It would be a traffic nightmare. The people in Mansfield will never accept it. And it's just too damn far from Fairfield County!

.

Well played!

 

[noeynox]

How do they do it for basketball then and that is for 10,000 + fans?

I take it you missed the sarcasm? Think about the banter of an on campus football stadium.

 

[ATLDYKA]

I take it you missed the sarcasm? Think about the banter of an on campus football stadium.

You're right I did, guess I should read the full thread.

 

[Drew]

They should build a "hockey arena" in a 60'000 seat outdoor stadium on horsebarn hill that can also hold football games

 

[huskymedic]

jacobscourant 1:57pm via Twitter Web Client
Per tweet UConn verge of major announcement on on-campus arena: Obviously have to address hockey at some point: Told nothing more right now.

 

[FDNY99]

I have heard that the new barn may be placed on the present site of the Field House.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I have heard that the new barn may be placed on the present site of the Field House.

That'd be an awesome location, in the heart of campus. What do they even use the Field House/Geyer for these days?

 

[Jarhead_1775]

That'd be an awesome location, in the heart of campus. What do they even use the Field House/Geyer for these days?

Indoor track.

 

[Sportsman5]

That'd be an awesome location, in the heart of campus. What do they even use the Field House/Geyer for these days?

also recreation use by students for basketball. However, if there is a new recreation center being built on campus, than there shouldn't be a need for the field house

 

[Jarhead_1775]

Jacobs gave us a snippet what 4 days ago? What's going on? I expected an announcement before now.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Jacobs gave us a snippet what 4 days ago? What's going on? I expected an announcement before now.

Hmmm, big announcement when people are planning to celebrate Independence Day, on vacation, etc. Nope, even Hathaway might not pull off such an ill-timed delivery.

 

[huskymedic]

http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_268748/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=Xcln1HhJ

>>Manuel has been working with the school's new chief architect, Laura Cruickshank, who is preparing to present a master plan for entire campus, including the athletic facilities, in December to the Board of Trustees.

By that time, Manuel also hopes to have a better idea where the new hockey arena will be located. The school has considered the site of the current rink as well as other locations, he said. Officials even have looked into what it would take to retrofit Gampel Pavilion with an ice surface under the basketball floor. That does not appear to be the most viable option, he said.<<

 

[Dooley]

Interesting...

There are no plans and little legislative will to use public money for any of those projects.

"I'm sure (school officials) understand the economic realities of the state," said State Sen. Toni Boucher, a Wilton Republican and the ranking senator on the legislature's Higher Education Committee. "Right now, it would be very difficult for a request (for money) to get through."

There also has been talk of expanding to the school's 40,000-seat football stadium, Rentschler Field, in order to make UConn more attractive to one of the nation's top football conferences.

But Manuel said stadium size would not be a deal breaker for any conference and enlarging it won't make sense until the school can sell the existing seats.

"It's not about the size of stadiums; it's about what our fan base is," Manuel said. "It's about what we do. It's about academics. The stadium is just a piece of it."

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Interesting...

There are no plans and little legislative will to use public money for any of those projects.

"I'm sure (school officials) understand the economic realities of the state," said State Sen. Toni Boucher, a Wilton Republican and the ranking senator on the legislature's Higher Education Committee. "Right now, it would be very difficult for a request (for money) to get through."

There also has been talk of expanding to the school's 40,000-seat football stadium, Rentschler Field, in order to make UConn more attractive to one of the nation's top football conferences.

But Manuel said stadium size would not be a deal breaker for any conference and enlarging it won't make sense until the school can sell the existing seats.

"It's not about the size of stadiums; it's about what our fan base is," Manuel said. "It's about what we do. It's about academics. The stadium is just a piece of it."

Glad at least expanding the Rent has been discussed; but, I believe UConn has no choice with respect to a hockey arena as building an on-campus arena in the 3K to 5K range was part of the agreement to move to Hockey East. I just hope the politicians in Hartford are not hijacking UConn hockey to help push for a renovated XL Center.

 

[Adios]

They're pushing for a new arena in Hartford.

 

[Dooley]

They have been pushing for a new arena in Hartford since the 1990s. If there is one thing we can all count on from our state government, it's that they will continue to fudge any and all projects that have to do with sporting venues. If they hadn't dragged their heels in the 90s, Hartford would still have the Whalers and/or possibly the Patriots. The fact that the XL Center still looks exactly the same (inside the coliseum itself) as it did when the Whalers played there is just further proof that our politicians will never build a new arena. The renovated XL Center and its brand new spiffy "party deck" will have to hold the Connecticut sports fan for the next 30 years.

 

[TheDoggPound]

CRDA was given a deadline at the beginning of the year to come up with a replacement strategy for the XLC within 2 years. CRDA themselves have pushed up their own deadline and will have it be ready by the end of this year with it being presented Q1 2015. The purchase of the Church Street garage for $14M a couple months ago was to make room for a larger facility where the XLC sits. There is a new arena coming and it will be a major league facility.

The renovations at the XL Center by the CRDA's own admission are being done to make it - their words not mine - 'NHL-Ready'.

 

[DSquiz]

They have been pushing for a new arena in Hartford since the 1990s. If there is one thing we can all count on from our state government, it's that they will continue to fudge any and all projects that have to do with sporting venues. If they hadn't dragged their heels in the 90s, Hartford would still have the Whalers and/or possibly the Patriots. The fact that the XL Center still looks exactly the same (inside the coliseum itself) as it did when the Whalers played there is just further proof that our politicians will never build a new arena. The renovated XL Center and its brand new spiffy "party deck" will have to hold the Connecticut sports fan for the next 30 years.

The recent renovations were to extend the life of the XL another 10 years while they plan the replacement and in all likelihood begin building. It will not be 30 years.

 

[TheDoggPound]

The recent renovations were to extend the life of the XL another 10 years while they plan the replacement and in all likelihood begin building. It will not be 30 years.

The plan is already in place, the main obstacle will be funding. The renovations are meant to extend the XLC for 5 years contrary to what is said or printed.

Suzanne Hopgood, chairwoman of the CRDA on replacing the XL Center:

"I think it's important to understand what CRDA is doing as it relates to the XL Center. 1. The Venue Committee is working through determining if a. part of the existing facility can be used for a new XL Center and b. if a new state of the art facility can fit on the existing site - to that end CRDA is purchasing the Church St. Garage to ensure expansion space since today's arenas are shaped differently. 2. A new arena won't be operational for several years. In the meantime, the XL Center has tenants whose requirements need to be addressed: UConn Hockey, NCAA championship Men's and Womens' UConn basketball and AHL Wolfpack. The A/C system can't be relied upon to maintain hard ice, for instance. Those are the repairs and the renovation which are ongoing right now. They are necessary to keep the facility running at a standard that is necessary to accommodate the tenants. In addition to the above the XL hosts 180+ events/year, some of which are multi-night and total 600,000+ attendees /year. Separately the purchase of the Church St. Garage will allow the XL to sell tickets and parking simultaneously, if desired. CRDA will deliver a recommendation for the new arena to the state and city in Q1 of 2015 with financials and analyses that will have to match the proposed investment. The CRDA board will insist on a thorough analysis. CRDA invited and voted the city COO, Darrell Hill onto the Venue Committee in order to encourage city participation."

 

[UConn98]

So ... I guess the open-air arena won't be coming back?

I understand progress and all that, but I still would be amazed to see them knock down Freitas to build a new arena. That one was constructed a scant 16 years ago.