On Campus Arena Plans

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

If you just did the lower bowl with standing room up top it would be about right.

Up top, for standing room + some bigger donor luxury boxes.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

UConn could easily replicate QU's arena with about 5 or 6 more rows to bring capacity to ~4-4,500 at a very modest price.

 

[Guapo]

Make the field house into a Gutterson-like rink

I said this tongue-in-cheek.

But the more I think about it, the more I like it.

Center of campus and we could probably do it for a decent price.

The fact that there is UConn sports history in the building is just a cherry on top.

 

[zls44]

I said this tongue-in-cheek.

But the more I think about it, the more I like it.

Center of campus and we could probably do it for a decent price.

The fact that there is UConn sports history in the building is just a cherry on top.

I...actually love this idea...but I don't think the Field House is tall enough. What it'd cost to raise the roof would probably make it pointless. But the location itself wouldn't be a bad site, considering the replacement is being built.

 

[huskymike]

The proposal states a 3,500 seat arena. Hockey East states minimum 4,000. Why the difference? Would HE approve this? Just an opinion but if the XL Center doesn't get done, shouldn't UConn have a contingency plan to bump it up a bit? I understand money is tight, but I'm leaning towards the notion of go big or go home or if you're gonna do it, do it right. Granted it doesn't have to be Pegula's Palace but I always felt 5,000 was a good number. Just seems 3,500 is under-selling us and according to HE by-laws, doesn't meet the minimum.

B. Facilities • Minimum seating capacity 4000 with 20% of capacity being chair-back seats. Current HEA members must have a minimum capacity of 2000 with 20% of capacity being chair-back seats. • Hockey East logo prominently displayed in the facility and on the ice surface. Logo size to be consistent with others in the facility. • Visiting team locker room must be a minimum of 500 sf (not including showers and toilets) and able to accommodate student-athletes, staff, and equipment. • Locker room(s) with private shower and toilet to accommodate game officials • Game time-clock connected directly to the scoreboard clock in home, visitors, and officials locker rooms • Locker rooms equipped with dry erase boards and markers

 

[Guapo]

I...actually love this idea...but I don't think the Field House is tall enough. What it'd cost to raise the roof would probably make it pointless. But the location itself wouldn't be a bad site, considering the replacement is being built.

I do now know for sure, but I can't imagine the field house roof is that much lower than Freitas'

 

[Guapo]

• The proposal states a 3,500 seat arena. Hockey East states minimum 4,000. Why the difference? Would HE approve this? Just an opinion but if the XL Center doesn't get done, shouldn't UConn have a contingency plan to bump it up a bit? I understand money is tight, but I'm leaning towards the notion of go big or go home or if you're gonna do it, do it right. Granted it doesn't have to be Pegula's Palace but I always felt 5,000 was a good number. Just seems 3,500 is under-selling us and according to HE by-laws, doesn't meet the minimum.

B. Facilities • Minimum seating capacity 4000 with 20% of capacity being chair-back seats. Current HEA members must have a minimum capacity of 2000 with 20% of capacity being chair-back seats. • Hockey East logo prominently displayed in the facility and on the ice surface. Logo size to be consistent with others in the facility. • Visiting team locker room must be a minimum of 500 sf (not including showers and toilets) and able to accommodate student-athletes, staff, and equipment. • Locker room(s) with private shower and toilet to accommodate game officials • Game time-clock connected directly to the scoreboard clock in home, visitors, and officials locker rooms • Locker rooms equipped with dry erase boards and markers

Am I reading the proposal wrong or is it just saying the seating needs to be a minimum of 3500 seats?

 

[huskymike]

Am I reading the proposal wrong or is it just saying the seating needs to be a minimum of 3500 seats?

The proposal states a minimum of 3,500. However HE says minimum 4,000. I'm just confused why UConn wouldn't request a bid for the HE minimum of 4,000.

 

[FDNY99]

The proposal states a minimum of 3,500. However HE says minimum 4,000. I'm just confused why UConn wouldn't request a bid for the HE minimum of 4,000.

Am I reading the proposal wrong or is it just saying the seating needs to be a minimum of 3500 seats?

If you read it closely it says a minimum of 3500 seats BUT also states that it must meet all Hockey East and NCAA hockey requirements.

 

[huskymike]

If you read it closely it says a minimum of 3500 seats BUT also states that it must meet all Hockey East and NCAA hockey requirements.

Only 8 Men's games a year... seems a bit steep for only 8 games a year.

 

[FDNY99]

Only 8 Men's games a year... seems a bit steep for only 8 games a year.

Women will also play every home game there, plus any HE playoff games...not just a men's hockey facility. Same with the practice facility. If they are smart they will also allow the CIAC to play the state HS finals there as well...they used to play them at the Civic Center.

 

[CL82]

I said this tongue-in-cheek.

But the more I think about it, the more I like it.

Center of campus and we could probably do it for a decent price.

The fact that there is UConn sports history in the building is just a cherry on top.

The idea does kind of grow on you, doesn't it? IIRC the roof was high enough. Still have parking and locker room issues. But if you are gutting it, you should be able to do the locker room and you could use the garage across from Gampel. You'd also have to update the HVAC. But the location would be perfect.
You should email AD Dave with idea. It's worth considering it.

Here's Quinny's arena. It's a little small for our needs.

 

[FDNY99]

The idea does kind of grow on you, doesn't it? IIRC the roof was high enough. Still have parking and locker room issues. But if you are gutting it, you should be able to do the locker room and you could use the garage across from Gampel. You'd also have to update the HVAC. But the location would be perfect.
You should email AD Dave with idea. It's worth considering it.

Here's Quinny's arena. It's a little small for our needs.

I said this tongue-in-cheek.

But the more I think about it, the more I like it.

Center of campus and we could probably do it for a decent price.

The fact that there is UConn sports history in the building is just a cherry on top.

If the roof line isn't high enough BUT they can go down without any issue problem is solved. Watched may a men's game there as a young lad...would be a cool place that's for sure. They may have to replace the facility though with something for track and the other sports that utilize that space.

 

[huskymedic]

The idea does kind of grow on you, doesn't it? IIRC the roof was high enough. Still have parking and locker room issues. But if you are gutting it, you should be able to do the locker room and you could use the garage across from Gampel. You'd also have to update the HVAC. But the location would be perfect.
You should email AD Dave with idea. It's worth considering it.

Here's Quinny's arena. It's a little small for our needs.

High Point Solutions Arena maxes out @ 4k w/ SRO. Add a few more rows and it's more than sufficient and likely more cost effective.

 

[CL82]

Watched may a men's game there as a young lad...would be a cool place that's for sure.

Feel the same way. It would be very cool to walk through the same doors to see a hockey game.

 

[CL82]

High Point Solutions Arena maxes out @ 4k w/ SRO. Add a few more rows and it's more than sufficient and likely more cost effective.

Agree. 4k seating with standing room is the minimum, in my opinion. I'd like to see us not repeat the same mistake we made with Gampel and add a concourse.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I also don't know that the Field House's structure is literally wide enough to be able to support the width of a rink and the stands on either side. This is in addition to the roof not being tall enough. That said, from a site perspective, it makes a lot of sense and knocking down Greer would probably not be very expensive.

 

[CL82]

UConn Master Plan
Take a look at page 82/83 of the Master Plan (87 & 88 of the PDF.)
Put in a nice plaza in between Gampel and Werth and the new arena. It would look very attractive and cohesive.

That said, the RFB went out. They aren't changing plans unless it was very cost effective, which I doubt it would be.

 

[FDNY99]

View attachment 25313

Potential Freitas expansion.

@CL82 you have to think that this would be the preferred location..utilizing Freitas ice sheet as a practice facility, 1 set of locker rooms for both teams with athletic training facilities, etc....

 

[Guapo]

Wow, this was probably the most well received post I've ever had on the boneyard.

Having said that, it probably won't happen but it was an interesting thought experiment.

I just want them to do this right.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

UConn could easily replicate QU's arena with about 5 or 6 more rows to bring capacity to ~4-4,500 at a very modest price.

Perhaps, but the latter likely depends on one's definition. How does @brasssbonanzaa define "very modest price"? Whether whatever that sum can be summoned up via arena-targeted donations, possible revenue bonds, etc. may be the biggest current challenge.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Perhaps, but the latter likely depends on one's definition. How does @brasssbonanzaa define "very modest price"? Whether whatever that sum can be summoned up via arena-targeted donations, possible revenue bonds, etc. may be the biggest current challenge.

Modest as compared to other recent arena builds. QU's arena does a nice job of being modern but fairly bare bones. I don't know how much it cost exactly since it was built in tandem with the basketball arena, but at $52M in total for both, that's half of what BU's arena cost, below Omaha's, PSU's, and ND's. I'd ballpark it at around $35M. Obviously a large amount of money, but modest compared to what others have cost.

 

[huskymedic]

Modest as compared to other recent arena builds. QU's arena does a nice job of being modern but fairly bare bones. I don't know how much it cost exactly since it was built in tandem with the basketball arena, but at $52M in total for both, that's half of what BU's arena cost, below Omaha's, PSU's, and ND's. I'd ballpark it at around $35M. Obviously a large amount of money, but modest compared to what others have cost.

Yup... and when packed it’s a great atmosphere and loud.

 

[CTBballfan243]

If the roof line isn't high enough BUT they can go down without any issue problem is solved. Watched may a men's game there as a young lad...would be a cool place that's for sure. They may have to replace the facility though with something for track and the other sports that utilize that space.

I don't know much about the field house, but if there isn't a basement then the existing building foundation footings will be approximately 4 feet below the ground surface. Therefore, you can't go much deeper without undermining the existing building footings (which is a bad thing). You can underpin the existing foundation footings (i.e. lower the existing footings) but that will cost significant $$$$ IMO. Anything is possible, but going deeper is not as simple as it sounds.

 

[FDNY99]

I don't know much about the field house, but if there isn't a basement then the existing building foundation footings will be approximately 4 feet below the ground surface. Therefore, you can't go much deeper without undermining the existing building footings (which is a bad thing). You can underpin the existing foundation footings (i.e. lower the existing footings) but that will cost significant $$$$ IMO. Anything is possible, but going deeper is not as simple as it sounds.

I have been to way too many buildings in Manhattan that have started to or were in the process of failing due to under pinning....If there isn't a safe way to do it then I say no way.

 

[jho]

UVM’s Gunderson Fieldhouse (capacity 4,035) has a similar layout to the UConn Fieldhouse with 10-12 rows on each side of the ice and 18-20 rows behind the goals but unfortunately, the dimensions of our Fieldhouse would only permit 6-8 rows of seating on each side of the ice. While you may be able to have around 15 rows behind each goal, I doubt that you get more than 2,500 seats. It would be difficult to expand on either side given the steel supporting the roof curves all the way down to the floor. Also, forget about a Gampel retrofit because a 200 x 85 ice seat won’t fit on the current floor. Even if you could squeeze it in by losing the lower level seats in each end, you’d have sightlines worse than the Barclays Center for hockey. You’d also have to figure out how to get a Zamboni into the lower level since there are no ramps - an intentional design element to prevent Gampel from competing with the Hartford Civic Center for concerts.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Modest as compared to other recent arena builds. QU's arena does a nice job of being modern but fairly bare bones. I don't know how much it cost exactly since it was built in tandem with the basketball arena, but at $52M in total for both, that's half of what BU's arena cost, below Omaha's, PSU's, and ND's. I'd ballpark it at around $35M. Obviously a large amount of money, but modest compared to what others have cost.

Got it, modest as you define yet even a moderately estimated $35M is not just a large amount of money for a public university in 2017 (versus Quinnipiac's private school fundraising a decade+ ago). Based on today's Connecticut state economic and political climate, UConn's historical fundraising limitations, UConn's overall conference and resulting media contract challenges, and building non-UConn affiliated opposition to things UConn, prospects of raising $35M's not just a subjective large amount of money. It's a sh|t load of money!

 

[Guapo]

Got it, modest as you define yet even a moderately estimated $35M is not just a large amount of money for a public university in 2017 (versus Quinnipiac's private school fundraising a decade+ ago). Based on today's Connecticut state economic and political climate, UConn's historical fundraising limitations, UConn's overall conference and resulting media contract challenges, and building non-UConn affiliated opposition to things UConn, prospects of raising $35M's not just a subjective large amount of money. It's a sh|t load of money!

There is some evidence that the new alumni association is having greater success fundraising than its predecessor.

I'd like to think that AD Dave isn't just putting this request for interest out there for fun; you have to figure he has some idea about where the funding for this project will come from.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

There is some evidence that the new alumni association is having greater success fundraising than its predecessor.

I'd like to think that AD Dave isn't just putting this request for interest out there for fun; you have to figure he has some idea about where the funding for this project will come from.

Some greater fundraising success, yes. However, sufficient to surprisingly have to cover $40-something million (or, even a good chunk) much sooner than projected?

While you may have to figure AD Dave has some idea about where the funding will arise, that also may be a wishful stretch. Or, perhaps it's a backs-against-the-wall, throwing a lot more cards at the big-time challenge and potentially hopeful opportunity.

 

[FDNY99]

Some greater fundraising success, yes. However, sufficient to surprisingly have to cover $40-something million (or, even a good chunk) much sooner than projected?

While you may have to figure AD Dave has some idea about where the funding will arise, that also may be a wishful stretch. Or, perhaps it's a backs-against-the-wall, throwing a lot more cards at the big-time challenge and potentially hopeful opportunity.

There is some evidence that the new alumni association is having greater success fundraising than its predecessor.

I'd like to think that AD Dave isn't just putting this request for interest out there for fun; you have to figure he has some idea about where the funding for this project will come from.

You also have to add that a “promissory note” or term of league admittance is coming due as well. Benedict was pretty clear in the Jacobs article posted in this thread that they needed shovels in the ground and facility done by 2019 as terms of the acceptance/upgrade into HE but that HE has given them an extension. I’m sure this is also part of that the extension Deal.