UConn:Design,Build & Manage New Rink

[HCCForever]

What year for intramurals? Played there 88-91. There were a lot of good games actually. Technically no hitting I think but some of the most physical games I have ever played. Lol. Late at night, freezing cold most times. Agree ice was as good as it gets!

I played 76 and 77. Wright B. I also took a 1 credit ice skating class at 8 in the morning. I was the only one with hockey skates. We used to call it Camp UConn since our dorm was very involved in sports

 

[Viet Vet]

Graduated in 1974. Went there a few times with my wife (married while in the Army, before UConn) for free skating. That place, long before being enclosed, was C...O...L...D!

 

[Deuce]

Very late at night too. FN cold.

Not only that but the locker rooms where you put your gear on were a separate building about 75 years away and the way it was all positioned made the walk to the rink the windiest walk on earth. It was like a giant wind tunnel off that bizarre shaped roof lol.

I also remember playing there at night o Cr where it was so cold there was literally a half inch of ice frozen to the glass. Only time in my life I ever put those little hand warmers inside my skates. Good times.

 

[AspyDad]

I have to believe that there will be a reexamination of even this plan after school and athletic dept. review the hit their budget will take because of Covid 19. Just sayin. Go UConn

 

[UCONNJACK]

I have to believe that there will be a reexamination of even this plan after school and athletic dept. review the hit their budget will take because of Covid 19. Just sayin. Go UConn

AD Dave said the new hockey arena is a go on the Rob Dibble show this afternoon. He also said the new stadiums, performance center, intramural field and ice arena will be a great athletic complex.

 

[CTBballfan243]

I have to believe that there will be a reexamination of even this plan after school and athletic dept. review the hit their budget will take because of Covid 19. Just sayin. Go UConn

Hey, nice picture of "Crazy Legs" Todd Krieger

 

[Viet Vet]

I am a big fan of David Benedict, but...………………...show me a spade in the ground before I celebrate.

 

[Stinger92860]

UConn averaged almost 4K at home last year. On campus will deliver many more students. This needs to be 4.5 to 5K.

 

[kingdobbs]

UConn averaged almost 4K at home last year. On campus will deliver many more students. This needs to be 4.5 to 5K.

Between COVID, the general in person attendance trend (ie declining across the board regardless of sport our competitive quality), and our financial situation, overbuilding is about the worst thing we can do right now.

 

[huskymedic]

UConn averaged almost 4K at home last year.

That was distributed - not actual (butts in seats) right?

 

[The Viking]

Once they started picking up steam and playing better there were several games of at least 5-6K Fannie's in the seats.

 

[UCONNJACK]

I am a big fan of David Benedict, but...………………...show me a spade in the ground before I celebrate.

Per upcoming BOT agenda construction of a $68 million dollars hockey arena is a go. University capital construction projects are a stimulus to the Connecticut economy.

 

[powerplay]

Per upcoming BOT agenda construction of a $68 million dollars hockey arena is a go. University capital construction projects are a stimulus to the Connecticut economy.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but i thought they proposed a $45M arena, now 68? Why the difference?

 

[UCONNJACK]

Per upcoming BOT agenda construction of a $68 million dollars hockey arena is a go. University capital construction projects are a stimulus to the Connecticut economy.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but i thought they proposed a $45M arena, now 68? Why the difference?

Hopefully more seating. The BOT agenda said every year that a capital construction project is postponed costs rises 4%.

 

[CTBballfan243]

Didn't I read somewhere where the geotechnical borings/testing/analysis determined that ground improvements would be required for the proposed building site? Maybe the 68 million includes the below grade ground improvements (helical piers, stone columns, piles.......).

 

[Duncan Idaho]

68MM for a 2700 seat(according to the director of hockey ops) hockey arena? Hoping for more. Anything less of a venue than what pc has would be awful.

 

[CTBballfan243]

The Quinnipiac University arena consist of twin arenas for basketball and hockey that share a concessions concourse. In 2007 the 180,350 square foot arena cost 52 million dollars. That's approximately $288/SF.
For 68 million, UConn's new arena should be the Taj Mahal. The proposed facility is going to be approximately 105,000 SF. That's approximately $650/SF. Even if the cost is 45 million, that's still $430/SF. That's a big difference compared to the Quinnipiac facility. The benefit of having shared concessions and shared bathrooms between arena's is a huge cost savings when you look at cost per square foot.

 

[zls44]

The Quinnipiac University arena consist of twin arenas for basketball and hockey that share a concessions concourse. In 2007 the 180,350 square foot arena cost 52 million dollars. That's approximately $288/SF.
For 68 million, UConn's new arena should be the Taj Mahal. The proposed facility is going to be approximately 105,000 SF. That's approximately $650/SF. Even if the cost is 45 million, that's still $430/SF. That's a big difference compared to the Quinnipiac facility. The benefit of having shared concessions and shared bathrooms between arena's is a huge cost savings when you look at cost per square foot.

They also blew the top off of a mountain to build it!

 

[uconnfan68]

If memory serves me, the proposed facility will cost $45 million. 6% for design services is reasonable.

Is that for the small rink (2500-3000?) when HE wants at least 6k? Will all HE be in HCC?

 

[huskymedic]

Is that for the small rink (2500-3000?) when HE wants at least 6k? Will all HE be in HCC?

Hockey East new team/new facility requirement is 4K.

 

[freescooter]

And no doubt that was waived since XL is available. Let’s be clear although some fans from Boston area College might not have wanted UConn, Hockey East has wanted them for years. They were not letting the lack of a facility on campus or capacity issues stop UConn from joining. The problem historically was UConn wasn’t interested in spending any money on the program. Zero scholarships. The coach was also the rink manager. Once Malloy decided UConn would make the move all the other stuff was worked out or around.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

And no doubt that was waived since XL is available. Let’s be clear although some fans from Boston area College might not have wanted UConn, Hockey East has wanted them for years. They were not letting the lack of a facility on campus or capacity issues stop UConn from joining. The problem historically was UConn wasn’t interested in spending any money on the program. Zero scholarships. The coach was also the rink manager. Once Malloy decided UConn would make the move all the other stuff was worked out or around.

Very true. The barrier was always UConn, not Hockey East. Though, it was fair for Hockey East to have no interest in the years that UConn didn't fund the program, forced them to play in a subpar facility, and as a result the team was one of the worst in the nation. Since UConn decided to back the program as it should, they've been a solid addition to the conference.

As to the capacity of an on-campus rink, COVID definitely complicated the process. I still believe if you're going to build the rink, make it future-responsive. It's difficult to assume that 10 years from now, everyone would be scared to attend a sporting event. With that in mind, spending $68 million for a 2,500-seat arena is not a good investment. It serves little purpose, spend all that money for a brand new facility to host games against Merrimack and Brown while the big games are outsourced to Hartford? Still a dumb idea.

Up the capacity to at least 4-4,500 and include requisite accompaniments such as locker rooms, practice/training space, some form of box seating, and solid A/V capability. In the interim it'd allow for more spacing of fans and down the line would be more suitable as a permanent home.

XL is not a long-term solution for UConn hockey, or UConn sports in general. The basketball teams can easily leave and play 100% of games on campus with little adjustment or ticket demand problems. The hockey team moving to a 2,500-seat arena permanently would pose problems.

 

[freescooter]

Very true. The barrier was always UConn, not Hockey East. Though, it was fair for Hockey East to have no interest in the years that UConn didn't fund the program, forced them to play in a subpar facility, and as a result the team was one of the worst in the nation. Since UConn decided to back the program as it should, they've been a solid addition to the conference.

As to the capacity of an on-campus rink, COVID definitely complicated the process. I still believe if you're going to build the rink, make it future-responsive. It's difficult to assume that 10 years from now, everyone would be scared to attend a sporting event. With that in mind, spending $68 million for a 2,500-seat arena is not a good investment. It serves little purpose, spend all that money for a brand new facility to host games against Merrimack and Brown while the big games are outsourced to Hartford? Still a dumb idea.

Up the capacity to at least 4-4,500 and include requisite accompaniments such as locker rooms, practice/training space, some form of box seating, and solid A/V capability. In the interim it'd allow for more spacing of fans and down the line would be more suitable as a permanent home.

XL is not a long-term solution for UConn hockey, or UConn sports in general. The basketball teams can easily leave and play 100% of games on campus with little adjustment or ticket demand problems. The hockey team moving to a 2,500-seat arena permanently would pose problems.

I sort of get your point but and it is a huge but... for good or ill UConn has committed itself to being something more than most other schools. It has generated lots of goodwill as a result but it also has downsides. UConn athletics Plays to a vastly different audience than do any schools outside the Big Ten. Honestly people in Worcester can barely tell you what UMass’s mascot is. The Rhode Island Legislature passed a resolution wishing Providence succes s in the NCAA tournament when URI was also in the field. BC, BU Northeastern. None of then have the same relationship with the State that UConn does. One of the ways that happens is by playing games outside of Storrs.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I sort of get your point but and it is a huge but... for good or ill UConn has committed itself to being something more than most other schools. It has generated lots of goodwill as a result but it also has downsides. UConn athletics Plays to a vastly different audience than do any schools outside the Big Ten. Honestly people in Worcester can barely tell you what UMass’s mascot is. The Rhode Island Legislature passed a resolution wishing Providence succes s in the NCAA tournament when URI was also in the field. BC, BU Northeastern. None of then have the same relationship with the State that UConn does. One of the ways that happens is by playing games outside of Storrs.

I understand, but the problem is the venue is horrible. Also, the team can't practice there much at all. Players benefit from practicing where they play. From a recruiting standpoint, it's a drawback that will only get worse.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

I understand, but the problem is the venue is horrible. Also, the team can't practice there much at all. Players benefit from practicing where they play. From a recruiting standpoint, it's a drawback that will only get worse.

I find it so ironic that when folks say that a city and its suburbs need to learn how to work together and such opportunities should be celebrated. Then, there's Hartford and Mansfield. The two cities collaborate to screw UConn - Mansfield blocks any attempt to build large, DI caliber sporting venues in Storrs (football, hockey, basketball) which benefits Hartford's deperate attempt to fix their downtown at the expense of the University.