Football gets field turf

Tech83 · Post by **Tech83** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 3:29 pm

Puckhead wrote: If we can get the roof fixed then we just need a few modifications. Compressors, coolers, 2nd sheet of ice, locker rooms,
sound system. concessions, bathrooms........... I realize that $ 10 million is a big number. We would like the University, City of BG, the State, and private enterprises to please come together to get this done.

We spent $2.5 Million at Hobart Arena. The work included Toilet Room Renovations, Locker Room Renovations, New Concession Stands (by yours truly), Troy Hall of Fame (me again), new concourse ceiling and lighting, new windows, brick restoration, new concourse flooring, new ice (Chillers, larger surface, dashers, the whole works), new sound system, new seating, new A/C for the building, and a storage addition (yep.... did that part also).

BTW - Scoreboards can be had for free if you talk to your soda supplier

.... They like the advertising and ususally will pay for the boards if they get to advertise and supply soda for a fix number of years (I think typically 5).

The Owner did multiple contracts and I asissted when needed.

Also - Hobart has seating in the round and holds about 4,000. They also have basketball surfaces they can put over the ice and they hold both state hockey and Bball tournaments at the venue.

So again, $10 million could do some damage and quite frankly would not be hard to raise if you have a plan (Completed Schematic Design with cool drawings and models to show potential donors) and professional fundraisers.

FWIW - I worked with a fellow BG grad on the renovation. Troy High School plays their hockey games at Hobart and the Dayton Bombers (ECHL) usually schedule two game at Hobart each season and sell out. We have talked about trying to get BG to play a game at Hobart - maybe against OSU or Miami. That would be sweet.

BGDrew · Post by **BGDrew** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 3:34 pm

Considering how long it took us to raise money for the last renovation, and given how frugal our more famous alumni have been, it'll be hard to raise that much money.

Tech83 · Post by **Tech83** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 3:57 pm

I disagree and its based on my professional experience.

Now that the University has recognized many of them, bobbleheads, reunions and the like, they are approachable. The AD himself or even the President needs to travel TO those Alumni and personally make the plea.

Or invite them to participate in the plannnig process. It gives major donors a feeling of authorship and involvement.

That is how its is done.

Just to give you an idea, the majority of the $2.5 million raised for Hobart was given by one family..... different nuclii, but the same family.

Puckhead · Post by **Puckhead** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 4:03 pm

Is Hobart where we played in the Dayton tourney a few years ago?

What is going in between the baseball and the softball?

I would like to see the study / proposal that Capital Development or Student Affairs has created. I'd like to know what they propose and the estimated costs. Tech83 sounds like you are an architect/developer.
You hit it on the head, get some schematics; fund raising and recruiting will follow.

TG1996 · Post by **TG1996** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 4:04 pm

Puckhead wrote:What is going in between the baseball and the softball?

8 tennis courts for varsity play. I posted the release on it in "Other Schools", but it sounds like the courts behind the IA are no longer needed at the end of this project.

transfer2BGSU · Post by **transfer2BGSU** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 4:12 pm

TG1996 wrote:8 tennis courts for varsity play. I posted the release on it in "Other Schools", but it sounds like the courts behind the IA are no longer needed at the end of this project.

Not quite sure I would call what is behind the Ice Arena "tennis courts". This project will definitely be well received by Coach Dean and the team.

bgbill · Post by **bgbill** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 4:24 pm

[quote="Puckhead"]Is Hobart where we played in the Dayton tourney a few years ago?quote]

BG played in the Lefty McFadden tournament at the Nutter Center at Wright State.

bgbill · Post by **bgbill** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 4:28 pm

McConvey wrote: Although I have to admit, TG made a good call on the deep fried ravioli in St. Louis!

Hey, that was me!

Tech83 · Post by **Tech83** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 4:44 pm

bgbill wrote:
Puckhead wrote:Is Hobart where we played in the Dayton tourney a few years ago

BG played in the Lefty McFadden tournament at the Nutter Center at Wright State.

Bill were you at the Lefty? Nicholas was the little boy who got the stick from McMasters after the Friday night victory over Niagra.

bgbill · Post by **bgbill** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 6:01 pm

Wheresoever Falcon icers are/were, I am/was.

McConvey · Post by **McConvey** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 10:41 pm

bgbill wrote:
McConvey wrote: Although I have to admit, TG made a good call on the deep fried ravioli in St. Louis!
Hey, that was me!

Both of you recommended it, my friend.
And it was a good recommendation! I enjoyed my ravioli very much.

I also wore my little FF fleece to work today and got three comments on it.

Tricky_Falcon · Post by **Tricky_Falcon** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 11:00 pm

Puckhead wrote:Football got lights, a scoreboard and now new turf; Hockey got some new lights, and boards.

Didn't they do something with the roof a few years ago, redo the coaches offices and the meeting room by the coaches office, lockerrooms and make other renovations? I know it's not a new stadium and work still needs to be done but they are doing things..

Bleeding Orange · Post by **Bleeding Orange** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 11:30 pm

Tricky_Falcon wrote:
Puckhead wrote:Football got lights, a scoreboard and now new turf; Hockey got some new lights, and boards.
Didn't they do something with the roof a few years ago, redo the coaches offices and the meeting room by the coaches office, lockerrooms and make other renovations? I know it's not a new stadium and work still needs to be done but they are doing things..

I believe you are talking about the photovoltaic cell instillation as far as the roof goes, and you're right, we did build an entirely new lockeroom along with coaches offices and one of the coolest team lounges I have ever seen. Despite what Puckhead says, the hockey program certainly hasn't been ignored. There are a lot of us hockey die-hards out there in the BG community, but we need to realize that things take time while other things get priority. Simply put, the football team has had more success on a national level over the past 4-5 years, and that program has gotten the school a lot of attention not only from casual fans, but from donors, as well. Unfortunately, our hockey program has not had a similar level of attention, so it really doesn't make sense to compare the respective programs' facilities upgrades.

In my mind, success = facilities. I know we all want to believe that recruiting is nefariously affected by our facilities, but none of our teams have had the greatest facilities, and look what the football team did from 2003-05 and the women's hoops team has continued to accomplish. Our facilities have not had a significant impact upon the hockey program's success - and, for the record, I am in no way trying to imply that Coach P is the program's problem either. What has befallen BG hockey over the past decade is, in my opinion, much more complex and convoluded than either of these two aformentioned factors can account for.

Falcon Fanatic · Post by **Falcon Fanatic** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 12:10 pm

Bleeding Orange wrote: we did build an entirely new lockeroom along with coaches offices and one of the coolest team lounges I have ever seen.

Just to clarify, they did not build an entirely new lockeroom. They upgraded the one they had with new lockers, improved showers (old ones leaked out water continuously), etc. The previous training room/closet was converted into a player's changing room. What they added was a weight room, training room, skate sharpening room, along with new offices for the coaches, a lounge and a video conference room.

Puckhead · Post by **Puckhead** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 2:22 pm

To also clarify:
the lights that were added in 2005 with state/university money;
the boards and glass that was replaced in 2006 was with state/university money.
The locker room, lounge and weight room was private money. Special thanks should be given to Buddy, Rob Blake, Nelson Emerson and many of us die hard Falcon Fans.