The new practice facility...tours?

[Blakeon18]

A few days ago we read that the facility is opening in late June.
I wonder if come September UConn might offer fans a tour...I suspect avid fans would love to see it. Maybe offer a couple of days and times for Big Cheese types first. Season ticket holders...donors...etc. Then follow that with a tour for the little cheeses [and for the occasional Swiss cheeses...the ones with holes in their heads...you know who you are].

No offense to AD Warde and Prez Sue...but I bet fans would love to have a couple of players lead the tours. I would much rather have BonBon and Seven One do the honors than adminstration types.

Maybe have a ticket selling desk at the conclusion for folks to buy season packages or smaller ones.

I wonder if the new facility will be open to regular folks....as was Gampel....in the fall before official practices start? I am afraid I know the answer but still hope that a couple of the usual suspects....including me...can get a peek at the informal scrimmages in September.

BTW: advice for cinnamon-loving Moriah: get yourself a Panera cinnamon bagel...not their usual one but the crunchy one...fabulous.

 

[EricLA]

I don't know if/when tours will be available, but it still looks pretty "unready"... I haven't seen much work being done on the outside any more, though. Maybe they are done there are focusing on the interior now...

Practice facility

 

[UcMiami]

I have no idea about tours - I think the exterior except for landscaping and final decoration is complete - they will not be doing that stuff till the very end when the heavy traffic of construction work is completed.
The central section which is the 'hall of fame' part is supposed to be open to the public, but I suspect the rest of it will be closed - hopefully there are some windows onto the practice courts from the public area so people can at least watch from afar.
I also suspect they will have some practices on the Gampel court - have to make sure it is still 'home' and players get experience with the court and sight lines.

 

[SubbaBub]

The "commissioning" of a building can be quite a lengthy process. Particularly for a specialty building like this one.

By the time they test and debug all the building systems, fix and fit and finish issues, address any equipment warranty issues, they may already be practicing in it for months.

The ribbon cutting will happen as soon as a suitable photo op can be staged. Thia is probably the June date we keep hearing.

The good thing is the gym should be ready even if the public spaces and hot water heater aren't.

The stairs are ready right now.

 

[rbny1]

I don't know if/when tours will be available, but it still looks pretty "unready"... I haven't seen much work being done on the outside any more, though. Maybe they are done there are focusing on the interior now...

I check nearly every day on the webcam, and I get the impression it's nearly finished. They poured the sidewalks last week and also replaced the hanging blue plastic covering the front doorway with actual doors. They seem to be getting ready to landscape the lawn. Those are all signs to me that it's just about completed.

A couple of years ago many of us were kvetching, "When are we going to get a new practice facility?" Tada! It's almost here. I'll drink to that!

 

[jsloanjr]

I was there last week and IMO, August might be a better timeline...........Typical issues with any new building with changes and add on's and waiting for approvals so they get paid...........The exterior can be be done in Sept..........Landscaping is always last............It will be very special place...........

 

[Joe6cats]

...
I wonder if the new facility will be open to regular folks....as was Gampel....in the fall before official practices start? I am afraid I know the answer but still hope that a couple of the usual suspects....including me...can get a peek at the informal scrimmages in September.
...

blakeon18

Great idea! What if there were a box to collect anonymous donations to a non-profit, which one(s) to be chosen by the players. Everybody wins, nobody benefits directly, so what could there be to upset NCAA types? A quibbler might say the UConn Team brand benefits, but gimme a break.

 

[Buzzyboy]

I don't know if/when tours will be available, but it still looks pretty "unready"... I haven't seen much work being done on the outside any more, though. Maybe they are done there are focusing on the interior now...

Practice facility

I must be stupid or something because when I've gone to uconnhuskies.com or somewhere else, including your above site, all I see is a number of shots with clearing away for the foundation and the beginning of the framing with girders. I see nothing showing what has been done over the last many months and I don't know how to proceed. I can't conceive that there isn't more current shots and yet, if there are, I don't know what I'm doing wrong so as not to see them. Help, please?????

 

[Buzzyboy]

I must be stupid or something because when I've gone to uconnhuskies.com or somewhere else, including your above site, all I see is a number of shots with clearing away for the foundation and the beginning of the framing with girders. I see nothing showing what has been done over the last many months and I don't know how to proceed. I can't conceive that there isn't more current shots and yet, if there are, I don't know what I'm doing wrong so as not to see them. Help, please?????

I guess I have trouble with my windows explorer because I was able to finally see the picture when I used Chrome instead. I guess I'm not as stupid as I thought I was and I'm quite impressed with how great the exterior of the facility looks! Wow!