|
Post by #1CoyoteFan (Admin) on Oct 6, 2010 15:56:48 GMT -6
AD David Sayler talked and Yankton's quarterback club about the new arena. Right now they are just in the planning stages and there is no timetable for when it will be built since they have to raise the $32 mill for it yet.
|
|
|
Post by pierreyote on Oct 6, 2010 17:04:23 GMT -6
Thanks for the update. Do those numbers from the article seem correct for what is being proposed?
SDSU 1. A 50 million dollar upgrade to CAS, on top of the new Dykehouse Center and Video Board. 2. Building a 35 million dollar indoor practice facility.
USD 1. Renovations to the Dome and 2. Building a basketball arena and athletic office space for a total of 32.5 million.
|
|
|
Post by Coyote Fan on Oct 6, 2010 17:50:00 GMT -6
If anyone wants an idea of what we could be looking at for a new arena look no further than the McLeod Center attached to the UNI Dome on the University of Northern Iowa's campus. It opened in 2006. The seating capacity is just below 7,000. David Sayler hinted on one of his chats that he wants seats to be at a premium where a sellout would be possible. To me that statement hints this type of an arena all over it. Just replace the purple seats with red and we may be close to seeing what could be built at USD. Last night I started looking at different athletic sites just to see what kind of basketball arenas are typical from mid major conferences. I think what USD needs to do is use the Missouri Valley Conference, which is a high mid major basketball conference, as an example of what to build on campus in Vermillion. Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by Coyote Fan on Oct 6, 2010 18:10:01 GMT -6
Here is the Taylor Center in Mankato. Many people will be pushing for this type of an arena. I think it's a great facility but not one of my personal favorites. Luckily it only seats 4,800 so I think USD will be looking for a higher capacity. The thing I didn't like about it is simply that it was too cushy or NBA like. I didn't feel like I could get into the game. I sat way too far back in my seat and I typically like to sit on the front edge of my seat during many games. The angle of pitch is too low. Too far back, not high enough. UNI's arena looks like it's a bit steeper. I hope that whatever USD does that they elect an arena that has a steep angle. It allows more people to be closer to the court with better sight lines and the noise penetrates more with a high angle. Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by pierreyote on Oct 6, 2010 18:16:38 GMT -6
I think you are correct and would enjoy something like the Mcleod Center however I don't think we will go 7000k large. I think, even though I don't completly agree, a 4-4.5k seat arena is the target size. Just for fun I linked two other arenas that our new or newly renovated. Bowling Green-Stroh Center (5000 seats) grfx.cstv.com/schools/bgu/graphics/stroh-center-render08-1200.jpgand Santa Clara-Leavy Center (4500 seats)
|
|
|
Post by pierreyote on Oct 6, 2010 18:19:15 GMT -6
Let me try that again Leavey Center at Santa Clara Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by pierreyote on Oct 6, 2010 18:20:26 GMT -6
Strohs Center at Bowling Green Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by pierreyote on Oct 6, 2010 18:21:56 GMT -6
I agree on the Taylor Center. The pitch is terrible and the seats are too far away. I want an arena where the seats are right on top of the court.
|
|
|
Post by Yote 53 on Oct 6, 2010 19:20:10 GMT -6
Thanks for the update. Do those numbers from the article seem correct for what is being proposed? SDSU 1. A 50 million dollar upgrade to CAS, on top of the new Dykehouse Center and Video Board. 2. Building a 35 million dollar indoor practice facility. USD 1. Renovations to the Dome and 2. Building a basketball arena and athletic office space for a total of 32.5 million. Yeah, this is what bothers me as well. SDSU gets an extra $50 million? We will need expanded Dome seating for football, anything less is unacceptable. I could make a case that in the future a 16k seat Dome will not be adequate. Maybe we should be asking for a brand new football facility, too.
|
|
|
Post by #1CoyoteFan (Admin) on Oct 6, 2010 19:38:23 GMT -6
Sayler said today that the ideal seating capacity would be in between 5,000 and 5,500 because he wants the sold out sign to be out in front of the arena a few times a year, so there won't be anything as big as the McLeod Center.
On the point of the Taylor Center being like an NBA facility, well, the money was donated by Glen Taylor, the owner of the Timberwolves. Just a fun fact there, and I think that attributes to how it was designed.
I think a 16,000 seat Dome right now is perfect. I don't think USD can complain about more than 16,000 right now since they aren't getting a full 10,000, so worry about that first before wanting something bigger than 16,000. During pheasant season there is no way to fill 16,000, ask SDSU.
Sayler also has experience in getting funding for a basketball arena and all the designs and such since he did the same thing while at Rice, when they did a $27 mill renovation to the existing arena a few years ago.
|
|
|
Post by Coyote Fan on Oct 6, 2010 20:03:42 GMT -6
I think it's a mistake to only build it at 5,000. The USD-SDSU game alone is going to sell that out plus. I think 7,000 is about right. If we want our program to grow and to build for the future we don't want an arena to be something that is going to be outgrown. If USD's ultimate goal is the Missouri Valley for all sports and the program continues to grow at USD I just don't think building it too small is very wise. If we are going to only build it for 5,000 seats than why wait so long, lets get the thing built. It shouldn't cost as much to build it.
Another arena I kind of liked was Nebraska-Kearney's arena. I was down there for the Women's championship game and I kind of liked it.
|
|
|
Post by Coyote Fan on Oct 6, 2010 20:10:43 GMT -6
This is UNK's arena. It's capacity is 6,000 Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by Coyote Fan on Oct 6, 2010 20:18:47 GMT -6
PierreYote,
Of the two facilities I like the Santa Clara arena much better. I like the over brightness of the facility with the natural light coming in from the windows. I also like how they place the higher up seats on the upper deck. Those would appear to be good seats with a nice view. I think of all the facilities posted I like UNI's if it's going to be 6,500 in seating. I am not sure how many Santa Clara's holds but if it's closer to 5,000 I like the look of that one.
|
|
|
Post by Yote 53 on Oct 6, 2010 20:41:35 GMT -6
If we're gonna plan ahead on seating for the basketball arena we should plan ahead for football seating. SDSU is thinking 22,000 for the future, why should we be thinking so much less? I doubt their football attendance keeps up the current pace, though. A couple of bad seasons have a way to flatten or kill attendance. Their current 0-4 start isn't going to help their attendance growth, and I don't see their schedule getting any easier so the misery should continuie for a while.
The thing is, right now CAS seats 10,000 but they can keep packing them into to endless SRO areas. The Dome is capped, it can only handle so much.
|
|
|
Post by GoYotes on Oct 6, 2010 20:55:35 GMT -6
SDSU needs 85 million to get where they need to & the U only needs 32.5 million to get where they want. Despite all the derogatory comments from many Rabbit fans towards what they refer to as the Dakota Dump, it shows the wisdom of having the Dome. We don't need a separate indoor training facility.
A dome with seating of 15,000-16,000 will meet our needs for many years (nothing wrong with a sellout on occasion). My preference for an Arena would be a normal capacity of in the 4500-5000 range with a closed off area with additional practice facilities that can have additional seating of 1500 - 2000 pulled out when needed.
|
|