New arena???

[It's the Journey...]

My take on that would be to build separate facilities. Build a basketball/volleyball/gymnastics and concert/convocation/trade show facility in the south end of the football stadium. Thenk either biuld a "new" main sheet of ice and seating attached to the existing ice arena with the intent that the current ice arena would become the second sheet and in the future (15 years of so) would need to be replaced. Or do a complete renovation/rejuvination of the ice arena. I have one problem with this idea. I want it done right the first time. If is it a project that would last more than 6 months construction time tables could be affected due to the team needing a place to play and practice. That is why I am in favor of a new main sheet of ice constructed attached to the current facility. The new office wing should not be sacrificed just because it is attached to the ice arena.

[BleedOrange]

My take on that would be to build separate facilities. Build a basketball/volleyball/gymnastics and concert/convocation/trade show facility in the south end of the football stadium. Thenk either biuld a "new" main sheet of ice and seating attached to the existing ice arena with the intent that the current ice arena would become the second sheet and in the future (15 years of so) would need to be replaced. Or do a complete renovation/rejuvination of the ice arena. I have one problem with this idea. I want it done right the first time. If is it a project that would last more than 6 months construction time tables could be affected due to the team needing a place to play and practice. That is why I am in favor of a new main sheet of ice constructed attached to the current facility. The new office wing should not be sacrificed just because it is attached to the ice arena.

That would be a dream come true. However, wouldn't that be $$$ + $$$?


(What would really be a dream come true would be to replace Harshman, Kreisher, and the Jetson building. )

[It's the Journey...]

It could be, but looking at the size of each building I would hope the cost of both would be under 100 million. A new Ice Arena with chair back seats and some other stuff seating 4000 or so would be about right. And if you built the new arena as kind of a shell it could work. Leave the space open for a skate shop and things like that but don't put it in until the existing facility comes down. As for the convo I don't want anything over 7500 seats. Add 4 practice gyms, and sub main gym for volleyball and gymnastics, and about 20 locker rooms is about right. That allows for storage and room to host tournaments. We don't need 2 huge facilities, we don't even need 1 huge facility. We need 2 facilities that are the right size for BGSU for about 20 years. Hopefully the people in charge aren't thinking they need to build a cathedral for basketball or anything like that.

[Schadenfreude]

I don't think it should be located right off the end zone.

It should be at least far enough away to leave room for more permanent seating there, should the need arise.

Or, keeping an arena far enough away leaves room for temporary seating in case we want it for big games.

[FalconTurf]

My little suggestions:

Put the basketball/volleyball/gymnastics arena as close to the endzone as they want. People want to sit between the endzones not behind them. Build an upper deck if it is ever needed. The noise would be incredible.

Add 2 practice rinks on the tennis courts. Now were talking about some youth tournaments and available ice time. This should be completed first so practice ice is available while the Ice Arena is gutted and given a new face out front. If you can seat 2,000 or so around one of these then you have a year and a half to complete the arena (not perfect but this would work for one season).

EDIT - Or build new with these features.

[FalconTurf]

It could be, but looking at the size of each building I would hope the cost of both would be under 100 million. A new Ice Arena with chair back seats and some other stuff seating 4000 or so would be about right. And if you built the new arena as kind of a shell it could work. Leave the space open for a skate shop and things like that but don't put it in until the existing facility comes down. As for the convo I don't want anything over 7500 seats. Add 4 practice gyms, and sub main gym for volleyball and gymnastics, and about 20 locker rooms is about right. That allows for storage and room to host tournaments. We don't need 2 huge facilities, we don't even need 1 huge facility. We need 2 facilities that are the right size for BGSU for about 20 years. Hopefully the people in charge aren't thinking they need to build a cathedral for basketball or anything like that.

Good thoughts. Agree completely.

[BleedOrange]

It could be, but looking at the size of each building I would hope the cost of both would be under 100 million. A new Ice Arena with chair back seats and some other stuff seating 4000 or so would be about right. And if you built the new arena as kind of a shell it could work. Leave the space open for a skate shop and things like that but don't put it in until the existing facility comes down. As for the convo I don't want anything over 7500 seats. Add 4 practice gyms, and sub main gym for volleyball and gymnastics, and about 20 locker rooms is about right. That allows for storage and room to host tournaments. We don't need 2 huge facilities, we don't even need 1 huge facility. We need 2 facilities that are the right size for BGSU for about 20 years. Hopefully the people in charge aren't thinking they need to build a cathedral for basketball or anything like that.

On another note, the capacity issue comes up now and again. Some want the capacity at around 6-7K based on recent attendance figures. The opposing school of thought wants something more in the area of 10K. (This is will be our facility for another 50 years, and because if something is worth planning, then it worth planning for growth and success, I tend to be of the latter mindset.)

[Schadenfreude]

Put the basketball/volleyball/gymnastics arena as close to the endzone as they want. People want to sit between the endzones not behind them. Build an upper deck if it is ever needed. The noise would be incredible.

If permanent seats were to be added at Perry Stadium, I absolutely agree with you: The way to go would be to build up along a sideline. That's the next step the way I see it.

But I still think the south end zone should be left clear. Very long term, we may want the room. A bowl-shaped end zone could work there. Or, another option would be to simply add a section or two in that direction and not completely enclose it.

In the meantime, the space could be handy for temporary seating on those (currenty rare) occasions when we would need it.

[hammb]

It could be, but looking at the size of each building I would hope the cost of both would be under 100 million. A new Ice Arena with chair back seats and some other stuff seating 4000 or so would be about right. And if you built the new arena as kind of a shell it could work. Leave the space open for a skate shop and things like that but don't put it in until the existing facility comes down. As for the convo I don't want anything over 7500 seats. Add 4 practice gyms, and sub main gym for volleyball and gymnastics, and about 20 locker rooms is about right. That allows for storage and room to host tournaments. We don't need 2 huge facilities, we don't even need 1 huge facility. We need 2 facilities that are the right size for BGSU for about 20 years. Hopefully the people in charge aren't thinking they need to build a cathedral for basketball or anything like that.

On another note, the capacity issue comes up now and again. Some want the capacity at around 6-7K based on recent attendance figures. The opposing school of thought wants something more in the area of 10K. (This is will be our facility for another 50 years, and because if something is worth planning, then it worth planning for growth and success, I tend to be of the latter mindset.)

This town will NEVER justify a 10,000 seat arena. It's not just recent attendance, it's always. Even in McLeod's senior year we only sold out 4 or 5 games, and one of those was Michigan...we don't get Big 10 teams in the building every year. Even though we did sell out a few I don't think we turned many people away that wanted to attend either.

Building more than 6,000-7,000 and the very most just seems pointless. A larger capacity sounds great in theory, but unless you're consistently putting butts in those seats it lessens the atmosphere when they're empty, and it needlessly adds to construction costs (albeit not much). There's just no place in BG for a 10,000 seat arena. The last thing I want is a big, sterile environment like EMU has. They've got a great arena, but it feels so bland because there's never anyone there.

[bobio]

the Redhawk arena is way too big for oxford. The crowds are not nearly enough to give it any atmosphere at all. Give me Anderson Arena any day over that morgue

[BleedOrange]

It could be, but looking at the size of each building I would hope the cost of both would be under 100 million. A new Ice Arena with chair back seats and some other stuff seating 4000 or so would be about right. And if you built the new arena as kind of a shell it could work. Leave the space open for a skate shop and things like that but don't put it in until the existing facility comes down. As for the convo I don't want anything over 7500 seats. Add 4 practice gyms, and sub main gym for volleyball and gymnastics, and about 20 locker rooms is about right. That allows for storage and room to host tournaments. We don't need 2 huge facilities, we don't even need 1 huge facility. We need 2 facilities that are the right size for BGSU for about 20 years. Hopefully the people in charge aren't thinking they need to build a cathedral for basketball or anything like that.

On another note, the capacity issue comes up now and again. Some want the capacity at around 6-7K based on recent attendance figures. The opposing school of thought wants something more in the area of 10K. (This is will be our facility for another 50 years, and because if something is worth planning, then it worth planning for growth and success, I tend to be of the latter mindset.)

This town will NEVER justify a 10,000 seat arena. It's not just recent attendance, it's always. Even in McLeod's senior year we only sold out 4 or 5 games, and one of those was Michigan...we don't get Big 10 teams in the building every year. Even though we did sell out a few I don't think we turned many people away that wanted to attend either.

Building more than 6,000-7,000 and the very most just seems pointless. A larger capacity sounds great in theory, but unless you're consistently putting butts in those seats it lessens the atmosphere when they're empty, and it needlessly adds to construction costs (albeit not much). There's just no place in BG for a 10,000 seat arena. The last thing I want is a big, sterile environment like EMU has. They've got a great arena, but it feels so bland because there's never anyone there.

If your litmus test is McLeod's senior year, you have a very tiny frame of reference. When AA first opened in the early 60's, we filled it consistently. There are many 20 mile radius population centers similar to NEO that support ~10K arenas. For this sort of huge project, the university certainly is thinking well beyond Bowling Green proper and Keith McLeod's senior season as benchmarks.

The EMU basketball experience sucks. While their arena doesn't help that fact, NO arena would. Their TEAM sucks. EMU has a new, larger arena that has hosted only shitty teams. What when EMU gets good? On the other hand, CMU has the newer Dan Rose Center, which holds around 5-6. Akron has the JAR. You couldn't possibly one of those facilities, would you?


When we think of BG's recent attendance, or EMU's attendance, or Miami's even, the real problem the problem is NOT the surrounding population. The REAL problem is the public's overall lack enthusiasm for MAC athletics. A-10, Mountain West, and MVC schools don't face the same sort of "no-repsect" stigma, or at least not to the same degree. Will BG and the MAC be mired in this forever? That's a big question in itself, I guess.

6K is damned small. For a 50 year time frame, it's damned limiting and more short sighted than the AA decision made back in the late 50s. A new 6K seat facility in BG will solidly reinforce the perception that the public holds for BG athletics. Personally, my ideal would be 8.5 or 9. But, I've always believed/hoped that BG basketball would emerge beyond the "no-respect", middle-of-the-pack status and gain the type of public respect that, say, Dayton U has gained.

In short, if we end up with something like the JAR or Dan Rose Center for the next several decades, then what the hell's the point? It would make far more financial sense to leave the basketball team in AA and spend the millions elsewhere. This is a 30-50 year commitment, and all of the justifications for smaller sizes seem shortsighted and small-minded to me.

[It's the Journey...]

I agree a big (10,000) arena will not work for us. But there are ways to have more seating that is disguised. When we were at the University of Missouri their arena was a good pattern. All of their upper level seating was divided into lecture halls that had doors facing the arena. When the doors were opened they were arena seating. When the doors were closed they were lecture halls. But on the side of the doors facing the arena floor were murals and other University logos. It was a great way to make seating disappear when it was not needed. I still think no bigger than 7500, as close to the south end zone as possible, and with a BIG video board on it.

[factman]

I have heard lately from a reliable source, that there will be an announcement SOON, concerning this and that it will be a new arena (convocation center) on the intramural fields and major improvements to the ice arena.

[Falcon137]

I would think 6,000-7,000 would be a good number.

Miami which in my opinion is the class of MAC basketball has several factors working against them; the biggest of which being on any given night they have a home game they could have a UD (not Dayton U ) home game which brings in 13,000+, Xavier which brings in 10,000 every game to the Cintas Center and a 5/3 Arena which seats right around 15 or 16,000 (is that right? I'm just going on being to games there)and also a rising Wright St. program. So right away the only way Miami is getting a good crowd is if they're playing UD or Xavier at home. Even when Wally Szerbiak (sp?) was there they didn't draw well. All they have to draw from is Oxford and the immediate surrounding areas and the students.

I can't see any MAC programs getting to the point of an upper Mid-Major A-10 or MVC status team like a Dayton, Xavier or Crieghton. However, the MAC should be better than say the Horizon Leauge which has Butler, Wright St., Loyala Chicago, UIC, Detroit, etc..

If Orr can bring a winner in here there is no reason BG couldn't fill a 6,000 to 7,000 seat arena on a regualar basis. The only other team to compete with is Toledo 20 miles north. So right away you get Findlay it's suburbs and the communities around BG, add on a student body which would go to games in droves if there was a winner and all of the sudden you have a packed house with a great atmosphere.

[TG1996]

...on the intramural fields and major improvements to the ice arena.

If true, I think it's sad that it would go on the intramural fields... not just the "green space" thing, but I always loved that view out across those fields to the stadium. And the walk from campus to a football game with Perry Stadium like the light at the end of the tunnel...

I just hope if they do build a new arena, and they do build it out by the stadium, they find a way to make sure students get out there on a Wednesday night in February... BRRRRR!!!