XL Center renovation

[gampelcrazies]

This is always gets me when these discussions pop up, someone badmouthing people that go to games.

Because it's a ridiculous thing to say. If UConn plays in Storrs you're not going to go because it's a little further away?

We have both Gampel and XL. Gampel is much much much further but if thats where they are playing thats where we are going.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I know. They should sell one of the garbage games to Mohegan. I'm sure they would get a nice payday.

Had a good turnout in BPort a few years ago. If it’s a novelty I’m sure UConn fans will support it at least once

 

[CL82]

I think people are missing the core point in this discussion. The XL Center is a perennial multi-million dollar money loser that is in need of $250M, at a minimum, of renovations. Realistically, if you want to make it a competitive facility, it should be knocked down and rebuilt at a cost of $500M, minimally. It's operations are largely supported by over-charging UConn to use the facility. It annually draws $2-$3M away from the UConn athletic department to mask the extent of its mismanagement. People are treating this discussion as if it were the scheduling of two equally viable venues. It's not.

There is a lot collateral damage from our current arrangement. Playing off campus is a bad for look us and has been used against us for years. UConn subsidizing the XL center makes our financials look worse which is bad PR for us and probably negatively impacts our attractiveness as a program.

Using the then brand new Hartford Civic Center made sense in 1975 when we were playing our home games in the Field House but somehow it has morphed into a claim of right. It shouldn't be. If the CDRA wants to keep UConn at the XL they should drop the high lease fees and split the profit of the games with UConn. Use of the XL should be judicious. Use it for big games and during break, that's it. But even then it makes zero economic sense to invest hundreds of millions in a facility that has reached the end of its useful life.

With the addition of the concourse to Gampel, concessions will be improved and seats will be added and the flow will be better. Stop by Teds and have a few beers before the game and few more afterwards if you want. It's a little inconvenient but probably doesn't justify CT spending $250M it doesn't have to keep that dinosaur going another decade.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

They really should. It would also be considered a "neutral" game and boost our NET.

I know KenPom uses “partial home game” or something like that. I don’t know if NET does but I highly doubt we’d get credit as a nuetral game unless we played Yale there something. Our PK80 game vs Oregon was “partial away” and our games vs Gonzaga in Seattle and Boston years ago were partials.

A game vs Gonzaga in Boston would definitely give me a partial

 

[Kolumbo]

I think people are missing the core point in this discussion. The XL Center is a perennial multi-million dollar money loser that is in need of $250M, at a minimum, of renovations. Realistically, if you want to make it a competitive facility, it should be knocked down and rebuilt at a cost of $500M, minimally. It's operations are largely supported by over-charging UConn to use the facility. It annually draws $2-$3M away from the UConn athletic department to mask the extent of its mismanagement. People are treating this discussion as if were the scheduling of two equally viable venues. It's not.

There is a lot collateral damage from our current arrangement. Playing off campus is a bad for look us and has been used against us for years. UConn subsidizing the XL center makes our financials look worse which is bad PR for us and probably negatively impacts our attractiveness as a program.

Using the then brand new Hartford Civic Center made sense when we were playing our home games in the Field House but somehow it has morphed into a claim of right. It shouldn't be. If the CDRA wants to keep UConn at the XL they should drop the high lease fees and split the profit of the games with UConn. Use of the XL should be judicious. Use it for big games and during break, that's it. But even then it makes zero economic sense to invest hundreds of millions in a facility that has reached the end of its useful life.

With the addition of the concourse to Gampel, concessions will be improved and seats will be added and the flow will be better. Stop by Teds and have a few beers before the game and few more afterwards if you want. It's a little inconvenient but probably doesn't justify CT spending $250M it doesn't have to keep that dinosaur going another decade.

Looking at places like Wintrust Arena and Peterson Events Center. They could probably build a brand new facility in Hartford for under $250 million if they don't include hockey. Maybe it makes sense to build smaller specialized buildings rather than a large civic center.

 

[John]

Looking at places like Wintrust Arena and Peterson Events Center. They could probably build a brand new facility in Hartford for under $250 million if they don't include hockey. Maybe it makes sense to build smaller specialized buildings rather than a large civic center.

but the Whalers are coming back.

 

[Kolumbo]

but the Whalers are coming back.

Even PNC Arena was built for under $250 mill, although that was out by N.C. State and not downtown.

Construction cost	$158 million ($238 million in 2018, adjusted for inflation.[2])

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Looking at places like Wintrust Arena and Peterson Events Center. They could probably build a brand new facility in Hartford for under $250 million if they don't include hockey. Maybe it makes sense to build smaller specialized buildings rather than a large civic center.

Yeah but could it house Monster Jam?

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

One thing that must be done at XL (I’ve talked about this before) is take the Wolfpack logo off the ice. So embarrassing playing top level NCAA hockey on an AHL logo. The fact that UConn is building a new 2500 seat on campus hockey arena should show everybody that UConn has no intentions of leaving the XL behind.

 

[XLCenterFan]

I've been to over 150 home games in my life, with an even split of Hartford/Gampel, and I've always felt that Hartford was the better spot for games.

Unless you live on campus, it's a hike to get to Storrs. Concessions suck and they don't sell beer. Tickets are much more limited.

The crowds at Storrs as of late have been anemic. I was at one game last year at Gampel where they opened up the lower section to anyone in the building. There are more people at every single women's game than there were at the St. Joe's game.

For anyone who can't remember the old BE, and is singing about Gampel, just wait until a ranked UCONN team squares off in Hartford against a ranked Nova/Georgetown/PC/Marquette/Seaton Hall/Butler/Xavier.

Gampel is good for some games, but I would prefer we leave the scheduling as is...play at both. To me, it is advantageous for an athletic program to maintain a presence in the center of the state, which is also the capital city.

 

[XLCenterFan]

Also, this is a good discussion. The CRDA should be monitoring this thread.

 

[wheelerdog]

What is this new Gample concourse some folks are referring to? Is there a definite plan for that or is it someone's pipe dream?

 

[Ts5034]

I think people are missing the core point in this discussion. The XL Center is a perennial multi-million dollar money loser that is in need of $250M, at a minimum, of renovations. Realistically, if you want to make it a competitive facility, it should be knocked down and rebuilt at a cost of $500M, minimally. It's operations are largely supported by over-charging UConn to use the facility. It annually draws $2-$3M away from the UConn athletic department to mask the extent of its mismanagement. People are treating this discussion as if it were the scheduling of two equally viable venues. It's not.

There is a lot collateral damage from our current arrangement. Playing off campus is a bad for look us and has been used against us for years. UConn subsidizing the XL center makes our financials look worse which is bad PR for us and probably negatively impacts our attractiveness as a program.

Using the then brand new Hartford Civic Center made sense in 1975 when we were playing our home games in the Field House but somehow it has morphed into a claim of right. It shouldn't be. If the CDRA wants to keep UConn at the XL they should drop the high lease fees and split the profit of the games with UConn. Use of the XL should be judicious. Use it for big games and during break, that's it. But even then it makes zero economic sense to invest hundreds of millions in a facility that has reached the end of its useful life.

With the addition of the concourse to Gampel, concessions will be improved and seats will be added and the flow will be better. Stop by Teds and have a few beers before the game and few more afterwards if you want. It's a little inconvenient but probably doesn't justify CT spending $250M it doesn't have to keep that dinosaur going another decade.

This is an excellent point, and this is really what the XL argument should be all about. If hundreds of millions of dollars are spent on an XL Center renovation, or building an entire new arena in Hartford, will that investment ever pay off? I still think Mohegan Sun will win over the A list concerts since they can guarantee more money even though the arena holds less, and the Xfinity theatre will always have the top concerts during the summer. That once again leaves UConn as the only real tenant.

From a UConn basketball perspective, we always want to consider ourselves as one of the blue bloods of college basketball along with UK, KU, Duke, North Carolina. One thing all of those schools have in common is that they are synonymous with the arena they play in...and each of those arenas are old facilities. I always felt having two home courts just takes away a little luster.

 

[NC_Uconn_Fan]

From a UConn basketball perspective, we always want to consider ourselves as one of the blue bloods of college basketball along with UK, KU, Duke, North Carolina. One thing all of those schools have in common is that they are synonymous with the arena they play in...and each of those arenas are old facilities. I always felt having two home courts just takes away a little luster.

You are correct sir. I live in ACC country, all big time schools play on campus. I can't imagine Duke or UNC splitting games with another venue because it was more convenient or held more fans. On campus venues for all sports is best.

 

[XLCenterFan]

We shouldn't be doing things just because "that's how everyone else does it." I feel that Gampel/XL splitting the games works for UCONN in CT. I have never had a problem with this whatsoever. In fact, I always thought it was kind of cool.

Also, I don't see taxpayer money going into the XL as needing a return on that investment. Public money gets spent on things we like (or don't like), and our use is the return. We shouldn't think of everything as a stock trade or business transaction. Plus, I don't see how $200-$300 million will ever be truly recouped through the arena. Without private investment, maybe through long-term property and sales taxes, and leasing the arena, but how much can the XL generate per year through this?

 

[Waquoit]

Because it's a ridiculous thing to say. If UConn plays in Storrs you're not going to go because it's a little further

Not just me. Pretty much the entire fan base has decided they don't want to deal with the extra 1.5 hours it takes to attend a weekday Gampel game. Plus, Gampel sucks if you are taller than 5-7.

 

[Chin Diesel]

We shouldn't be doing things just because "that's how everyone else does it." I feel that Gampel/XL splitting the games works for UCONN in CT. I have never had a problem with this whatsoever. In fact, I always thought it was kind of cool.

Also, I don't see taxpayer money going into the XL as needing a return on that investment. Public money gets spent on things we like (or don't like), and our use is the return. We shouldn't think of everything as a stock trade or business transaction. Plus, I don't see how $200-$300 million will ever be truly recouped through the arena. Without private investment, maybe through long-term property and sales taxes, and leasing the arena, but how much can the XL generate per year through this?

Problem is one public entity (XL) gouging another public entity (UConn) to mask XL's true cost to the tax payers. Has the double effect of making it seem like Uconn's finances are worse off than they are really.

 

[gampelcrazies]

Not just me. Pretty much the entire fan base has decided they don't want to deal with the extra 1.5 hours it takes to attend a weekday Gampel game. Plus, Gampel sucks if you are taller than 5-7.

You think the seats at XL are comfortable????

 

[CL82]

Not just me. Pretty much the entire fan base has decided they don't want to deal with the extra 1.5 hours it takes to attend a weekday Gampel game. Plus, Gampel sucks if you are taller than 5-7.

1.5 hours?

 

[Chin Diesel]

1.5 hours?

Probably suggestion of round trip.

 

[kelseypup]

They should play 1 or 2 games a year at other venues in the state like Bridgeport and Mohegan Sun. Probably help build interest around the state.

 

[Ha Who]

The only hope for the XL and the state which they ate too small minded and political to seriously entertain would be to sell the XL to the tribes under the condition they renovate or rebuild. In return give them a casino in Hartford.

 

[jdb50]

So if UConn builds the planned concourse at gampel, allowing it to put more seats at the mid-level and upgrade from bleachers to individual seats, you’d have no problem with playing all games in Storrs, right?

I would have a problem with all games in Storrs. I think we should be playing some games in Hartford. Forget Bridgeport and Mohegan(which are smaller than Gampel). This concept of building interest in a State this small for the State U by paying all over is crazy. Hartford has a larger capacity and this is why we should be playing there. The University and State government has to negotiate to lower the price we are paying to have the games there. As for Gampel it was built on the cheap and no school would put up a building with that design now. This includes the roof which is bizarre as well as the narrow seating areas and the wasted space with the walkways.

 

[Waquoit]

You think the seats at XL are comfortable????

What goshdarn route are you taking where it's an extra 1.5 hours?

You guys are both nitwits. First, one guy wants to argue that a cushioned seat with enough room where people can actually get in and out is somehow not massively superior to a bench seat where the guy in front of you is in your lap. And the fastest route from the XL to Gampel is 34 minutes one way. That's 68 minute round trip with no traffic. When is there no traffic on I-84E during weekday rush hour besides never? Add the fact that it takes much longer to get in and out of Storrs than Hartford. The delta is > 1.5 hours easy.

 

[Waquoit]

The only hope for the XL and the state which they ate too small minded and political to seriously entertain would be to sell the XL to the tribes under the condition they renovate or rebuild. In return give them a casino in Hartford.

The tribes don't want a Hartford casino.