XL Center Facelift Moving Forward?

[kingdobbs]

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.

Yeah, I've actually visited at least three battle sites here in the state that say "You're wrong".

There were significant (as in more than minor skirmishes) in Ridgefield and Groton, and raids on houses and shipping ports in Westport, Norwalk, Fairfield, and New Haven.

It wasn't Lexington, Yorktown or Saratoga, but it wasn't *nothing*.

 

[CTBasketball]

Yeah, I've actually visited at least three battle sites here in the state that say "You're wrong".

There were significant (as in more than minor skirmishes) in Ridgefield and Groton, and raids on houses and shipping ports in Westport, Norwalk, Fairfield, and New Haven.

It wasn't Lexington, Yorktown or Saratoga, but it wasn't *nothing*.

I know of them, but nobody knows about them except for us and scholars.

 

[8893]

Billy Joel too

Never saw him at the Civic Center, but have seen him a few times and he has always been great. He strikes me as one of those artists, like Bruce, who comes to play and deliver every single show. I've heard him explain a few times that his secret is being hungry (literally, for food) when he goes on stage because it makes him a little pissed off at the audience and gives him more of an edge, which enhances his performance.

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.

Heard great things about that Pearl Jam show and wanted to go as I've never seen them and they are one of very few on my bucket list, but couldn't pull it off with the Phish show only two nights later.

Saw the Grateful Dead, Jerry and countless others there more times than I can count. Forgot about that Hartford show that was released as a D ick's Pick. IIRC that was reported to be the first Grateful Dead show that Trey Anastasio (from Phish) attended. I was also at that show and I think I had just seen them (Grateful Dead) for the first time myself a few months earlier in New Haven. In any event, when I saw Phish there a few months ago Trey waxed nostalgic about all the concerts he had seen there, as he attended high school at the Taft School in Waterford. I believe he also said something about he and Page (keyboard player) figuring out that they were both there for the same Dead show years before they met. I'm not sure if that's supposed to be the same show, but the timing certainly works.

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 agree with all of that, sadly. I don't have an answer.

 

[sledog]

Hmmm. Any MAJOR snowstorms coming soon???

 

[jleves]

Hmmm. Any MAJOR snowstorms coming soon???

LOL

 

[amory]

just knock that POS down and let's forget it ever existed. it's like a tumor on the ass of uconn basketball

 

[Dogbreath2U]

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

Where at, NYC?

 

[GlastonTim]

A new arena isn't going to fill the stands.

 

[Rico444]

MSG. He signed a contract with them; he's going to do a show there once a month indefinitely.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2...to-be-a-madison-square-garden-franchise/?_r=0

 

[DarthGrumpy]

...and soon to be Newark...

Newark? The Prudential Center, aka the Rock, has been opened since 2007 and is the home arena for the NJ Devils and Seton Hall basketball (went to 2 UConn games there myself). It holds 17K to 20K depending on the event and if I remember the article in the local paper as 1 of the top 10 grossing arenas in the country (MSG and Barclay’s are ahead). It’s easy to get to by the highway and is on the subway (PATH) line from NYC. Newark is not the safest city around; but, even at night, if you stay in the corridor between the Rock and the train station, it’s safe.
Webster Bank Arena is a different class. It holds between 8K and 10K and is also next to a train station. Bridgeport, too, is not the safest area around; but, I cannot comment how the area around the arena is as I have never been in that area except to catch the ferry.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Yeah, I've actually visited at least three battle sites here in the state that say "You're wrong".

There were significant (as in more than minor skirmishes) in Ridgefield and Groton, and raids on houses and shipping ports in Westport, Norwalk, Fairfield, and New Haven.

It wasn't Lexington, Yorktown or Saratoga, but it wasn't *nothing*.

I live in a town with a bunch of those metal street posts along the main road announcing that Washington slept here, Washington ate here, etc. The Continental Army used the road (trail then) to as a supply route for iron and timber between the Hudson River and down in Trenton.

 

[Waquoit]

Webster Bank Arena is a different class. It holds between 8K and 10K and is also next to a train station. Bridgeport, too, is not the safest area around; but, I cannot comment how the area around the arena is as I have never been in that area except to catch the ferry.

UConn fans love to bitch about parking. Webster will give them all they can handle. Good thing the game is on a weekend afternoon, if it was on a weekday night it would be the last one in Bpt.

 

[John]

UConn fans love to bitch about parking. Webster will give them all they can handle. Good thing the game is on a weekend afternoon, if it was on a weekday night it would be the last one in Bpt.

there's plenty of parking in the lot across from the arena.

 

[tykurez]

there's plenty of parking in the lot across from the arena.

It won't draw like the Elton John concert did last month (obviously) but the traffic and parking for that were atrocious. So bad, in fact, that the place was still filling up a 1/3rd of the way through his set.

That being said, the arena is really nice. It's well laid out, there's not a bad seat in the place, and their facilities and "scoreboard" put the XL Center to shame.

 

[8893]

There is plenty of parking at and near Webster, but the traffic flow and patterns are terrible. Parking at the venue itself is likely to be problematic if you expect to arrive or depart at peak times, as there's only one way in and one way out, and each may require you to round the block with 3 lefts or 3 rights to get to where you need to go. If your whole krewe is able-bodied, the best bet is to park in the large shopping center parking lot on the other side of the highway and walk to/from the venue, as you will undoubtedly move faster than the traffic. That's what I did for Neil Young and it worked out well. I parked without problem at the venue for the AmericanaRama show, but that was a several-hour festival and we arrived late and left early, so we didn't hit peak times.

I'll have at least one younger kid and at least one senior for the UConn game so the parking options are not great for us; for that reason I think we're just going to take the train from Stratford.

 

[HartbeatHusky]

Newark? The Prudential Center, aka the Rock, has been opened since 2007 and is the home arena for the NJ Devils and Seton Hall basketball (went to 2 UConn games there myself). It holds 17K to 20K depending on the event and if I remember the article in the local paper as 1 of the top 10 grossing arenas in the country (MSG and Barclay’s are ahead). It’s easy to get to by the highway and is on the subway (PATH) line from NYC. Newark is not the safest city around; but, even at night, if you stay in the corridor between the Rock and the train station, it’s safe.
Webster Bank Arena is a different class. It holds between 8K and 10K and is also next to a train station. Bridgeport, too, is not the safest area around; but, I cannot comment how the area around the arena is as I have never been in that area except to catch the ferry.

You're right, I knew the Devils played there but was thinking they were moving for some reason. That's the Islanders moving to Brooklyn. My point is that Hartford should not compete with Bridgeport, Springfield, Mohegan, and Providence as an arena venue. It should compete with Newark, Louisville, Kansas City, etc.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

You're right, I knew the Devils played there but was thinking they were moving for some reason. That's the Islanders moving to Brooklyn. My point is that Hartford should not compete with Bridgeport, Springfield, Mohegan, and Providence as an arena venue. It should compete with Newark, Louisville, Kansas City, etc.

No problem. The Nets (basketball) moved last year from the Rock to Barclay's in Brooklyn (they previously moved from the IZOD in the Meadowlands to the Rock in 2010/11). The Islanders scheduled to move from Nassua out on Long Island to Barclay's in 2015. I actually like the Rock and would love if UConn played some games there; but, it does nothing for UConn's brand as the press treats Newark like it's in upstate NY or somewhere and not 15 miles from Times Square.

 

[John]

No problem. The Nets (basketball) moved last year from the Rock to Barclay's in Brooklyn (they previously moved from the IZOD in the Meadowlands to the Rock in 2010/11). The Islanders scheduled to move from Nassua out on Long Island to Barclay's in 2015. I actually like the Rock and would love if UConn played some games there; but, it does nothing for UConn's brand as the press treats Newark like it's in upstate NY or somewhere and not 15 miles from Times Square.

I never went to it, but was the Bredan-Bryne Arena decent? Seems like it would have been XL-ish due to the era it was built.

 

[NCHusky91]

The Byrne/Meadowlands arena was a lot nicer than the HCC/XL center ever was, it just didn't have the "necessities" of a modern arena, like club seats nor a lot of luxury boxes. It was one of the first arenas to have them mid-level. Also, the upper levels weren't the ridiculous nose-bleeds like at the HCC. They did play the last non-dome final four in '96 there (damn you Erick Dampier). If anything, it was a little sterile at times.

 

[John]

The Byrne/Meadowlands arena was a lot nicer than the HCC/XL center ever was, it just didn't have the "necessities" of a modern arena, like club seats nor a lot of luxury boxes. It was one of the first arenas to have them mid-level. Also, the upper levels weren't the ridiculous nose-bleeds like at the HCC. They did play the last non-dome final four in '96 there (damn you Erick Dampier). If anything, it was a little sterile at times.

that was the (in)famous 3-team final four that I see in the official NCAA record books.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

I never went to it, but was the Bredan-Bryne Arena decent? Seems like it would have been XL-ish due to the era it was built.

I went to a Sesame Street show at the IZOD Center (aka Meadowlands, Byrne, Continental Airlines, etc.) last year and it looked really worn down. The arena hosts a lot of those type of events now, which I believe give it a good revenue stream; but, the big events now go to the Rock or across the Hudson. Over the long term, I honestly don’t know how long it will be around. After all, MetLife Stadium, which is across the street, could use more parking.

 

[g_smith]

I would really enjoy some games at Mohegan - it is ranked 5th best venue in the world for concerts. So by default far superior to XL.

 

[Ts5034]

I would really enjoy some games at Mohegan - it is ranked 5th best venue in the world for concerts. So by default far superior to XL.

Thats why I would like for UConn to get an invite to play in the Hall of Fame Tipoff. Id doesnt look like thats going to happen for at least the next 3 years. It would still be nice to have one regular season game at Mohegan.