Release of Study on Anderson Arena/Convocation Center

[Salsa]

A while back, it was publicly stated that the study concerning a renovation of Anderson Arena or the building of a new Convocation Center would be released towards the end of December. I believe the study was funded in part by a $50,000 state grant.

Well, if this is going to happen, it will have to be released in the next couple of days. Let's all hope it does happen.

Shall we all make our predictions?

I predict that the study will recommend a new Convocation Center.

Secondly, I predict it will recommend a capacity for basketball of anywhere from 8,000 to 10,000. The capacity would be slightly larger for commencements, etc.

[factman]

I believe the date it is to be released is January 7 or 8.

[factman]

I believe the date it is to be released is January 7 or 8. I think 7-8,000 would be large enough.

[BGSU33]

A while back, it was publicly stated that the study concerning a renovation of Anderson Arena or the building of a new Convocation Center would be released towards the end of December. I believe the study was funded in part by a $50,000 state grant.

Well, if this is going to happen, it will have to be released in the next couple of days. Let's all hope it does happen.

Shall we all make our predictions?

I predict that the study will recommend a new Convocation Center.

Secondly, I predict it will recommend a capacity for basketball of anywhere from 8,000 to 10,000. The capacity would be slightly larger for commencements, etc.

In looking at the Master Plan, it has a new Convocation Center, out towards the football stadium. I love Anderson Arena, but it does need a lot of work. I'm in favor of renovating AA if we can by expanding it and giving it a major facelift, but if we do build a new arena, I hope we incorporate a lot of the things that makes AA great into the new building. With seeing the Master Plan and knowing our needs, I can’t see us not building a new arena.

[transfer2BGSU]

With seeing the Master Plan and knowing our needs, I can’t see us not building a new arena.

33, the question is not IF we are going to build a convocation center, it's WHEN are we going to build the facility.

The Master Plan is a thirty-five year plan. The previous Master Plan was accomplished in a little over twenty years (if my memory serves me correctly from what Mr. Waddle said to our staff).

We will build a convocation center. It's just WHEN will we build it.

[Jacobs4Heisman]

I'll say it's functional by 2010.

[BGSU33]

With seeing the Master Plan and knowing our needs, I can’t see us not building a new arena.

33, the question is not IF we are going to build a convocation center, it's WHEN are we going to build the facility.

The Master Plan is a thirty-five year plan. The previous Master Plan was accomplished in a little over twenty years (if my memory serves me correctly from what Mr. Waddle said to our staff).

We will build a convocation center. It's just WHEN will we build it.

In understand what you are saying, but this topic HAS always been an if/when issue. Anderson Arena was outdated shortly after they opened its doors. It was an arena that had room for expansion (that never happened) and was built in the mold of a gym while many other venues around its time were built as true arenas. It might be called Anderson Arena, but it's more like Anderson Gymnasium. I'm not cutting on it, but if AA is an arena, then most high schools have arenas and not gyms too. With that said, there have been plays for a new arena for a long time. From building a multi-purpose venue for hockey and basketball that was shot down due to costs to a convocation center. I actually saw blueprint renderings when I was a men's basketball student assistant in the coaches office. I also remember them asking players for ideas for the name of the arena. So yes, the question has always been when but until it happens, it'll remain an if. As for an expected date, who the heck knows? Last I heard, it was projected to be in the late 1990s, and we know that didn't happen.

[JWEIII]

Everyone is going to think I'm knocking the program, but BG needs a better facility NOT a bigger facility. I don't know the average attandence number at Anderson, but if you put that into a 8-10 thousand capacity arena it's going to look silly. AND you are going to lose the noise factor that makes Anderson so tough.

Bottom line is we can't fill Anderson so why would you want something bigger?

Obviously, I hopping for the rennovation.

[PGY Tiercel]

Everyone is going to think I'm knocking the program, but BG needs a better facility NOT a bigger facility. I don't know the average attandence number at Anderson, but if you put that into a 8-10 thousand capacity arena it's going to look silly. AND you are going to lose the noise factor that makes Anderson so tough.

Bottom line is we can't fill Anderson so why would you want something bigger?

Obviously, I hopping for the rennovation.

The reason for something bigger are in my opinion, as follows. Something bigger allows for more people to actually be a part of their family members graduation instead of watching on CCTV in Olscamp. Something bigger means UAO or whatever can bring in some bigger entertainment venues. Something bigger encourages the University and students to do more to make larger crowds for games.

[SaxyIrishTenor]

I'm torn. New facilities DO draw crowds, but I'm not sure we'd be able to fill 8000 for a game. It has its perks for graduation, but I'm partial to the Doyt for that anyway... UAO would have a field day with bigger facilities.

[PGY Tiercel]

I'm torn. New facilities DO draw crowds, but I'm not sure we'd be able to fill 8000 for a game. It has its perks for graduation, but I'm partial to the Doyt for that anyway... UAO would have a field day with bigger facilities.

When graduating in December, I'm not real big on sitting outside. December graduation is getting big enough that Olscamp is used for overflow.

[Salsa]

President Ribeau, being the smart man he is, will promote this first and foremost as a Convocation Center which will have a variety of uses.

The student enrollment at BG is probably at least 4-5 times what it was when Anderson Arena was built.

I'm sure the consulting firm has a formula for what the capacity of a Convocation Center should be in proportion to student enrollment. With a current enrollment of 21,000 or so, the results might be as follows:

Formula Recommendation for capacity of Convocation Center

1/3 of student enrollment = 7,000 capacity

1/2 of student enrollment = 10,000 capacity

3/5 of student enrollment = 12,000

This is assuming that student enrollment remains the same over the forseeable future.

There are already enrollment pressures at BG. The new capital campaign will add some significant academic resources (buildings, scholarships, etc.) that could attract additional students. Certainly, it is not unreasonable to see a student enrollment of 24,000 or more within the next 10 years.

The worst thing BG could do, in my opinion, would be to sink $30-50 million into a Convocation Center that would be too small when it was completed or shortly thereafter.

My guess is that a Convocation Center that could be expanded might be the best option. But we don't want something that is architecturally and aesthetically questionable.

I would shoot for a 10,000 capacity and hope for significant state funding.

The recent successes of BG. academic and otherwise, plus what appears to be a major successful private fund raising campaign, plus the coming centennial celebration, make this an excellent time to approach state agencies and obtain significant funding for a Convocation Center.

[BGSU33]

Yeah, the last thing we want is to build a new building that is too small, and I'm not limiting this to basketball. It needs to be bigger than what we have for basketball, graduation, concerts, etc. I don't think we need a 13,000 seat arena like Ohio which is too big for hoops there but good for graduation, but I'd like to see something along the lines of 8,000 - 10,000 as well with a structure that does has basketball in mind.

[SaxyIrishTenor]

I'm torn. New facilities DO draw crowds, but I'm not sure we'd be able to fill 8000 for a game. It has its perks for graduation, but I'm partial to the Doyt for that anyway... UAO would have a field day with bigger facilities.

When graduating in December, I'm not real big on sitting outside. December graduation is getting big enough that Olscamp is used for overflow.

Well yes, but I'm graduating in May. And I realize there would need to be something done for the December graduation... Trying to figure how to get around it is the challenge.

[JWEIII]

I see the point as far as graduation goes. But, it just seems very wasteful to build such a large arena for December graduations. When I came through, there were "graduations." Depending on your college/degree you graduated at a different time. Is this still done? As I remember, there was no problem with tickets (or mabey I just didn't have anyone who wanted to come... anyway...).

As far as anything else... when was the last time Anderson sold out a "show"? For that matter, when was the last "show" Anderson? If the plan is to attract shows to raise money, I'd be all for it (bring on the Stones and the circus). But I just don't think a town/college the size of BG can support that size facility (no offense).

Finally, Anderson can rock with 3,000! When I go to a game I don't want to be able to hear the person next to me - ya know? I just think we would lose some of that home court magic...