On Campus Arena Plans

[brasssbonanzaa]

UConn Update on Hockey Arena, Enrollment and On-Campus Housing Capacity and Occupancy. Vasington noted that UConn shortlisted and interviewed 3 responses to the RFEI; 2 all 3 responses gravitated toward the site near Freitas and not the Discovery Drive site. No decision has been made.

Makes more sense to be near Freitas as it'd be within the cluster of other athletic facilities. It'd be on an island by itself over by Discovery Drive.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Makes more sense to be near Freitas as it'd be within the cluster of other athletic facilities.

Shared versus replicated infrastructure

 

[ct06111]

https://boardoftrustees.uconn.edu/w...04/Att.-32-Athletics-District-Development.pdf

Page 1 into 2.

"New" hockey arena plans under review, but also trying to renovate Freitas is still a possibility.

 

[CL82]

https://boardoftrustees.uconn.edu/w...04/Att.-32-Athletics-District-Development.pdf

Page 1 into 2.

"New" hockey arena plans under review, but also trying to renovate Freitas is still a possibility.

I read that as saying we're renovating Freitas and building a new facility. Freitas as practice ice, or maybe just a recreational rink?

 

[FDNY99]

I read that as saying we're renovating Freitas and building a new facility. Freitas as practice ice, or maybe just a recreational rink?

The Freitas renovation seems to be as a practice facility with the training and weight facilities being shared among Baseball/softball and possibly soccer. Hockey will end up benefiting from this almost by default.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The Freitas renovation seems to be as a practice facility with the training and weight facilities being shared among Baseball/softball and possibly soccer. Hockey will end up benefiting from this almost by default.

I hope so. Maybe used for recreational skating as well? Not sure why they need a separate practice rink if they have a new on-campus arena. We have to build something to comply with Hockey East requirements, right?

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I hope so. Maybe used for recreational skating as well? Not sure why they need a separate practice rink if they have a new on-campus arena. We have to build something to comply with Hockey East requirements, right?

*Have* to, no. The league would certainly prefer it so UConn doesn't have to compete with other programs for game times, especially for a potential playoff QF series. It also would make UConn's recruiting significantly better to have a new on-campus rink.

I wouldn't be surprised if they do some renovations to Freitas with the intention of making it the exclusive home for the women's program. A few other schools have done that and their women's teams have excelled. It can also be a secondary practice facility for the men's team if need be. But if UConn were to build a new on-campus rink, the team would practice there regularly. It's a huge advantage to be able to practice on the same rink you play.

 

[UCONNJACK]

*Have* to, no. The league would certainly prefer it so UConn doesn't have to compete with other programs for game times, especially for a potential playoff QF series. It also would make UConn's recruiting significantly better to have a new on-campus rink.

I wouldn't be surprised if they do some renovations to Freitas with the intention of making it the exclusive home for the women's program. A few other schools have done that and their women's teams have excelled. It can also be a secondary practice facility for the men's team if need be. But if UConn were to build a new on-campus rink, the team would practice there regularly. It's a huge advantage to be able to practice on the same rink you play.

UMass has a practice rink attached to the Mullins Center. I'm not sure how other HE schools with multi purpose facilities handles practices. I suspect BU uses their former facility for practices. I've no idea where BC practices.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

UMass has a practice rink attached to the Mullins Center. I'm not sure how other HE schools with multi purpose facilities handles practices. I suspect BU uses their former facility for practices. I've no idea where BC practices.

UMass has the adjacent practice facility so they have a rink in the event Mullins is being used by the basketball teams. BU practices exclusively in Agganis and very, very occasionally in the women's team's rink (old men's rink) when there's a concert at Agganis. BC practices exclusively in Conte.

 

[freescooter]

UMass has the adjacent practice facility so they have a rink in the event Mullins is being used by the basketball teams. BU practices exclusively in Agganis and very, very occasionally in the women's team's rink (old men's rink) when there's a concert at Agganis. BC practices exclusively in Conte.

I don’t think BC practices exclusively at Conte by a long shot.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

I don’t think BC practices exclusively at Conte by a long shot.

Never heard of bcu practicing at nearby rinks nor ran into them, but it's not impossible. When working for a living, it's also not as if I roved around to Brighton, Watertown, and other rinks at all hours of the day searching for the barstads.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I don’t think BC practices exclusively at Conte by a long shot.

To my knowledge, they do. The only other rink nearby is the Cleveland Circle one run by the state parks and rec department, which is a piece of crap. I've never heard of them practicing there. Conte is used by both hockey and both basketball programs extensively.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

To my knowledge, they do. The only other rink nearby is the Cleveland Circle one run by the state parks and rec department, which is a piece of crap. I've never heard of them practicing there. Conte is used by both hockey and both basketball programs extensively.

Yup, Reilly Memorial's the Brighton/Cleveland Circle rink I referenced. In bcu's backyard, but barring a renovation in the last decade or so not in the greatest condition. Other nearby rinks: Newton Centre, Daly, West Roxbury, Brookline, Fessenden, Babson? Never heard of such practices, but possible given Conte's shared with bcu basketball (boys and women) and women's hockey.

 

[UCONNJACK]

Per upcoming BOT agenda renovations to the existing rink are scheduled to begin in 2019. See page 6 of 2019 Capital Budget. Does public space mean seating expansion?


https://boardoftrustees.uconn.edu/w...s/1799/2018/06/Att.-6-FY19-Capital-Budget.pdf

 

[CL82]

Per upcoming BOT agenda renovations to the existing rink are scheduled to begin in 2019. See page 6 of 2019 Capital Budget. Does public space mean seating expansion?

Hmm, it does sound like they may be considering expanding Freitas. Given the extent of work that has to be done, I wonder if it really more cost effective than building a new facility.

 

[ct06111]

Per upcoming BOT agenda renovations to the existing rink are scheduled to begin in 2019. See page 6 of 2019 Capital Budget. Does public space mean seating expansion?


https://boardoftrustees.uconn.edu/w...s/1799/2018/06/Att.-6-FY19-Capital-Budget.pdf

We'll see if this is just phase 1

But, I don't like what I see.

Public space is probably all the space right when you walk in that includes the concession and stretch aka S&C area.

The roof and the building is at the end of it's life cycle.

If they plan to upgrade the current public space into an actual S&C, classroom, and locker room space, then actually use current rink as a public skate area while phase 2 is building a new rink built adjacent to it, I would be OK with this.

But if they plan on jamming in more seats/bleachers at the current rink and try to pull a cheap fix, I would not be happy nor would coach cav

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

That sounds a lot more like Band-Aid fixes aimed at making the place look nicer along with a few behind the scenes additions, not with the goal of using it as the regular home facility of the program.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

That sounds a lot more like Band-Aid fixes aimed at making the place look nicer along with a few behind the scenes additions, not with the goal of using it as the regular home facility of the program.

Agreed, and hopefully distinct from evolving plans for a future more legit arena.

 

[RSTuthill]

The roof and the building is at the end of it's life cycle.

How do you figure?

 

[powerplay]

Colorado College partners with city of Colorado Springs for new on-campus Robson Arena

I didn't see this posted yet, just thought I'd share.

 

[FDNY99]

How do you figure?

It was in the report that was written for the planning of the olympic facility upgrade by the firm that did the design. They recommended a new facility due to the condition of the roof and building.

 

[RSTuthill]

It was in the report that was written for the planning of the olympic facility upgrade by the firm that did the design. They recommended a new facility due to the condition of the roof and building.

Less than 20 years old. The building is in perfect shape. Yeah, maybe some maintenance or replace the top layer of the roof which is designed to be maintained. But for the life of me I cannot understand that statement.

 

[zls44]

Less than 20 years old. The building is in perfect shape. Yeah, maybe some maintenance or replace the top layer of the roof which is designed to be maintained. But for the life of me I cannot understand that statement.

7 or 8 years ago they had to move home games to the XL Center because of snow on the roof. In New England.

The building is in perfect shape, if you're running a rec rink. Its not remotely suitable for this purpose.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Less than 20 years old. The building is in perfect shape. Yeah, maybe some maintenance or replace the top layer of the roof which is designed to be maintained. But for the life of me I cannot understand that statement.

Structural engineer? Been on or above the Freitas roof at all areas, or minimally at ceiling level at all areas, to legitimately assess the actual condition? Perfect shape based on thorough assessments by which unnamed structural engineer?

IIRC, concerns were also raised at some point regarding some components of Freitas' guts. To reiterate, I do not remember the specifics yet seem to recall possible HVAC, ventilation, refrigeration, plumbing, etc issues. Whether that is correct or any of the preceding were/are included in general references to the condition of the building is a different topic TBD.

 

[FDNY99]

Less than 20 years old. The building is in perfect shape. Yeah, maybe some maintenance or replace the top layer of the roof which is designed to be maintained. But for the life of me I cannot understand that statement.

Go read the report...the roof was engineered wrong ..the guys I know at UCFD said there was a serious worry the roof was going to collapse a few years ago when the games were moved. Sometimes just because something looks perfectly good doesn't meant thats the case.