XL Center Facelift Moving Forward?

[tykurez]

http://m.hartfordbusiness.com/article/20131206/NEWS01/131209935

I didn't see this posted, so forgive me if it was. Was going to post in the BPort thread since there was some discussion about the XL in there but figured this warranted its own thread.

The State Bond Commission next week is expected to award the XL Center in downtown Hartford another $1.8 million to finance the planning and design of capital improvements, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced Friday ..

The entire funding package is meant to help the facility be both functional and competitive over the next 10 years. This includes replacing the electrical, mechanical, and plumbing infrastructure, and making upgrades to the concessions, rest rooms, locker rooms, seating, security, technology, signage, and lighting ..

Construction is scheduled to begin in March with a completion deadline of October.

 

[iam76]

maybe they can afford to replace the tiles on the ceilings above my section.... Or maybe that horrible buzzing noise I hear every game.. Or maybe the lets hear some noise graphics from 1993... naw the place is great.... BTW i still hate the jumbotron

 

[dandar]

What could they actually do to make it better? The whole design of interior is just ugly. They are spending millions of our money to polish a turd.

 

[John]

maybe they can afford to replace the tiles on the ceilings above my section.... Or maybe that horrible buzzing noise I hear every game.. Or maybe the lets hear some noise graphics from 1993... naw the place is great.... BTW i still hate the jumbotron

I thought the buzzing was in my head. In the lightly attended games it drives me CRAZY listening to that.

 

[WestHartHusk]

What could they actually do to make it better? The whole design of interior is just ugly. They are spending millions of our money to polish a turd.

Nothing. There is nothing they can do to make it better - that whole thing needs to be slated for a demo and rebuild.

 

[John]

http://m.hartfordbusiness.com/article/20131206/NEWS01/131209935

I didn't see this posted, so forgive me if it was. Was going to post in the BPort thread since there was some discussion about the XL in there but figured this warranted its own thread.

I have some renovation ideas

 

[8893]

I think that the XL Center is a far inferior venue for a basketball game, especially for seats above the first few rows of the 200s. And I never really loved it as a concert venue. But, for some reason there seems to be a bit of genuine nostalgia for it among performers who have played it a lot over the years, and I have noticed that their shows there have an excellent vibe because of the affection they apparently have for the venue. Springsteen and Phish are just two recent examples that come to mind.

 

[John]

I think that the XL Center is a far inferior venue for a basketball game, especially for seats above the first few rows of the 200s. And I never really loved it as a concert venue. But, for some reason there seems to be a bit of genuine nostalgia for it among performers who have played it a lot over the years, and I have noticed that their shows there have an excellent vibe because of the affection they apparently have for the venue. Springsteen and Phish are just two recent examples that come to mind.

Billy Joel too

 

[UConnSwag11]

Do they still play games there bc people buy tickets to the xl center? What if we stopped buying xl tickets? Move all the games to gampel and a few at the casino or bpt? Just a thought/question

 

[CAHUSKY]

Billy Joel too

Saw Billy Joel and Elton John there in 1991. Think it was 91. Damn that was a good show.

 

[Rico444]

Saw Billy Joel and Elton John there in 1991. Think it was 91. Damn that was a good show.

Going to see Billy for the first time in February. Can't wait.

 

[John]

Going to see Billy for the first time in February. Can't wait.

Seen him three or four times (can't remember exactly) and he's a great performer.

 

[Rumrunner]

I saw a sneek peak of the RFP cover:

 

[jslack03]

They still have the hand me down scoreboards and advertising boards from the Staples Center from the 90's. You can see the light bulbs behind the signs...not even LCD!!

 

[DarthGrumpy]

As I have stated elsewhere, UConn and Hartford need to be separated. Each has their own unique challenges and issues and must be politically free to solve their own problems. UConn hockey needs to be in Storrs full-time. UConn basketball should be on-campus for 80% of their games with winter break games in Hartford (3 to 4) and Bridgeport (1 to 2) plus a pair of marquee games in NYC (prefer MSG; but Barclay’s is an option, too). This expands UConn’s brand and insures the best possible environment for UConn’s home games, i.e. student attendance.

 

[John]

As I have stated elsewhere, UConn and Hartford need to be separated. Each has their own unique challenges and issues and must be politically free to solve their own problems. UConn hockey needs to be in Storrs full-time. UConn basketball should be on-campus for 80% of their games with winter break games in Hartford (3 to 4) and Bridgeport (1 to 2) plus a pair of marquee games in NYC (prefer MSG; but Barclay’s is an option, too). This expands UConn’s brand and insures the best possible environment for UConn’s home games, i.e. student attendance.

as a XL season ticket guy, it's cutting off my nose, but I agree - they need to ramp down the number of Hartford games.

 

[GlastonTim]

Let's load the schedule with top 50 teams and have GOOD games at the XL. Currently the only good games are Memphis and Cinci, maybe Stanford. Less cupcakes. Louisville and Syracuse were packed last year. If you play good teams the fans will come. Plus the XLC is only 15 minutes away for me.

 

[Waquoit]

I think that the XL Center is a far inferior venue for a basketball game, especially for seats above the first few rows of the 200s. And I never really loved it as a concert venue. But, for some reason there seems to be a bit of genuine nostalgia for it among performers who have played it a lot over the years, and I have noticed that their shows there have an excellent vibe because of the affection they apparently have for the venue. Springsteen and Phish are just two recent examples that come to mind.

Most recent - Pearl Jam. And the Dead (before the Htfd cops started rousting the Deadheads.) They released a live album of a Hartford show a few years back.

The place was always a bit off. It's 16,000 seats in a hole dug for 10K. But what would Hartford be without it? A new one will never be built. If it had never been built, UConn is in the A-10. But if UConn cuts it off, it will be a lose-lose.

 

[John]

Most recent - Pearl Jam. And the Dead (before the Htfd cops started rousting the Deadheads.) They released a live album of a Hartford show a few years back.

The place was always a bit off. It's 16,000 seats in a hole dug for 10K. But what would Hartford be without it? A new one will never be built. If it had never been built, UConn is in the A-10. But if UConn cuts it off, it will be a lose-lose.

I have to think that if Adrien's Landing was built and a crazy thing like that bus way can be built, than so can a new coliseum. You just need the right people to strike at the anvil at the right time.

 

[John]

I saw a sneek peak of the RFP cover:

Until those concourses are widened and we get some restrooms where the lines aren't snaking down the hallway and we don't butt-rub each other at the sinks, then you nailed it.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

This state kills me. It's like the state capital and center of the state shouldn't have a decent arena worthy of at least hosting an damn AAC tourney or NCAA regional. A new arena is sorely needed. We need a venue that people can get excited about seeing a game in. It needs to be the premier venue between Boston and NYC, which I guess it is, but that isn't saying anything because there are no other large venues between Boston and NYC.

They better not build a 10,000 seater or something stupid like that either because those are all around us in Bridgeport, Mohegan, Springfield, etc. Louisville has no pro team, they have a great arena. Same goes for Kansas City and soon to be Newark. Those are the buildings we need to compete with, not the Mass Mutual Center and Harbor Yard.

 

[CTBasketball]

A new arena would be excellent; but 90% of taxpayers and the state legislature don't want that. Especially when you consider the state's financial status.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

A new arena would be excellent; but 90% of taxpayers and the state legislature don't want that. Especially when you consider the state's financial status.

That's the problem with this state. Either people want to live in a state with nice things in it and developed cities or they don't. CT, up to now, has been the latter. We really need to wake up and become the former.

 

[Ozone21]

My 2 cents, The Civic Center is a DUMP! Old, concessions stink, concourses way to small, I alway go to the bathroom just as the tv timeout hits the 8 minute mark and i'm back in my seats by the time the game resumes. The Jumbotron is awful! at least the old one had the stats on the side. It's real nice they put in flat screens in the hallways, they only utilize 3/4 of the screen the rest says XL on the side. Sell the upper bowl for $5. I have had seats in the 200's, donate money to football as my seats are 3 rows of the field near goal line and I moved back three rows this year. Makes no sense. Tear it down, Start from scratch. DO IT RIGHT!!! Not to small!! 17,500-18,000 is the way to go. We need to get with the times! ok I'm done now

 

[CTBasketball]

That's the problem with this state. Either people want to live in a state with nice things in it and developed cities or they don't. CT, up to now, has been the latter. We really need to wake up and become the former.

The state keeps running these, "CT - We're Revolutionary" adds on TV. When in reality, nothing happened here during the American Revolution and the biggest innovation that this state has witnessed is the widening of the Merritt Parkway. It's sad.