Ideas for Convocation Center (Long!!)

[Salsa]

OK-We've already done this many times but I'd like to do it again and float some "wild" ideas.

Primary Strategy

1-First and foremost, make the Center "student friendly". This includes primary seating and freedom for standing, cheering, etc. (More about this later). What we want is a new "House that Roars

2-Make the Center "consumer friendly" overall. If cost requirements mean we have to reduce seating capacity to achieve this so be it. This means things like aesthetics, comfort, flexibility, convenience, and maximum entertainment. It would include things like parking convenience. Also lots of restrooms easily available, moreover "nice" restrooms in terms of appearance and facilities. It would also mean lots of concession areas with lots of choices. And a super sound system, scoreboards, and video boards.

3-As a Convocation Center, maximum use should be a priority, especially for students. The goal is to have students feel a sense of "ownership" and to be in the Center as often as possible for hoops and other athletic events, concerts, commencements, Presidents Day, job fairs, voting during elections, dance marathons, etc., etc., etc.

4-We have to remember that this Center is what we will have (with possible renovations) for another half century.

Some Design Issues

1-Capacity and Aesthetics-Maybe 8,000 for capacity, but aesthetics is crucial. And as I said above, if costs require that we sacrifice capacity for student and overall consumer friendliness, so be it. We want people to come into the Center, use it, and say "Wow!!". I know that some universities have built Centers, e.g., Miami, where lots of people feel unsatisfactory "multi-use accomodations" have been made. I'm guessing that there have to be real design challenges here.

2-I'm hoping that if there is an initial 6,000 to 8,000 capacity, the architecture will enable future renovations for increasing capacity, if needed, to perhaps 10,000 and yet the initial design won't look "cheap" or "provisional". Can't we make use of curtains, moveable walls, etc. for different uses to maximize good seating, convenience, and aesthetics?

Some Perhaps "Wild" Ideas"

1-Part of the "student friendly" design for hoops and other athletic events would be to have a 10-15 rows or so of lower level seating for students at least on one and maybe both sides. There would be a slight separation above this so students could stand, etc. without preventing fans above them to enjoy the game.. Also, on the South end, have lower level seating for the pep band, Sic Sic, Anderson Animals, etc. Upper level seating, if needed, could also be for students. Underneath the seating area would be basketball offices, meeting rooms, etc.

2-Perhaps the initial Center would have minimal lower level seating on the North end, but underneath the seating and remaining structure would be a new Campus Security Center. Part of the information/electronic technology could be shared with "Press Row" and other Center events, e.g. concerts. This would enable the University to request state/federal funds for new Campus Security facilities and apply them to building the Center.

3-Underneath the East side of the Center, along with restrooms and concession areas, would be facilities for a University Cooking Center that could be used for Cooking classes and also be used to prepare concessions for Center events and perhaps for hockey and football games. Since these Cooking facilities would be used a majority of the time for classes, once again the University could request public funding. Underneath the West side along with restrooms and concessions would be locker rooms for both home and visiting teams.

4-Critics of BG architecture talk about how diverse and bland it is. I was happy to see how the Sebo Center will be "unconventional" for athletic buildings. I'm hoping a new Convocation Center will continue this trend both inside and outside. An additional move in this direction, and this could be done slowly and piece by piece, would be to have a park and sports sculpture garden on the West side grounds of the Center. There could be gardens, sports sculptures, picnic grounds, and other area. This would provide an additional entertainment venue for students and visitors coming to the Center.

OK-I'm done--for now.

GO BG!!!

[dduncan]

Where is the new 'building' going to exist? What about luxury boxes?

And if BG does go ahead and decide to create a new arena, it would almost have to be a place where the hockey team can use as their new home also.

http://www.searscentre.com/arena/

This is a new arena that is being built in the burbs to house a hockey/lacrosse and other events. 11,000 at the max. Probably during concerts, where they can also use the floor as seating.

http://www.searscentre.com/construction/webcam.htm

[BGDrew]

Pretty good post, loved your ideas. One thing we need to keep in mind is that as much as you try to keep atmosphere, you're going to lose history when you go to a new venue. I HATE to bring up OSU but I remember watching some games down at St. John's Arena and it was surreal. Once you walked over to the Schott you were at a funeral.

A building with low ceilings may hinder renovations but could improve the quality of noise in the arena as well. I'd love to see a great emphasis placed on an arena that is pleasing to the eye and is a challenge to play at for visitor's. I think Nationwide Arena does a great job of doing this.

I'd rather see the hockey team stay at the Ice Arena and see a good chunk of capital funneled into adding a nice new sheet with seating for 6-7k.

[Bleeding Orange]

Salsa - I vote that you move idea #2 out of the "Wild Ideas" section because that is simply the most logical, rational thing I think I have ever read. By housing the University Police in a new convo center, a couple of things happen: (1) game day security becomes easier with facilities on-site (which seems to me to be the biggest challenge for campus police in most years), (2) it gives the University the freedom to implode the commons where the UP are currently housed (which I think is in the Master Plan if I'm not mistaken, and really just need to happen anyways for anyone who has seen it lately), and (3) as you said, opens up the possibility for some serious state dollars.

Great, great post Salsa!

[Boomerx30]

I would personally like to see something similar to the Ryan Center at the University of Rhode Island. The size is pretty good and it is very versatile.

http://gorhody.collegesports.com/facili ... enter.html

[dduncan]

That example at Rhode Island is a good one.

A co-worker and I use this site to see what arenas are planning to open/renovate/close/re-name for updates to a mapping database. Maybe you can find some more examples in here:

http://www.arenadigest.com/archives/archives.htm

[Germainfitch1]

I would personally like to see something similar to the Ryan Center at the University of Rhode Island. The size is pretty good and it is very versatile.

http://gorhody.collegesports.com/facili ... enter.html

I like everything but the fact that the student section is not on the floor. That is Andersons best attribuute.

[BGDrew]

Placing students behind the baskets would be a great idea. Put the Sideline Squad on one side and the Animals on another? The ends let the students stand and makes more money by selling the "high dollar" seats at midcourt.

[PGY Tiercel]

Placing students behind the baskets would be a great idea. Put the Sideline Squad on one side and the Animals on another? The ends let the students stand and makes more money by selling the "high dollar" seats at midcourt.

It is a great idea, UK has the eRUPPtion zone. It is standing room only right behind the one of the baskets. Specifically set up so no one will complain and yell at students to sit down. You can see the risers where students stand in this image, (I have always sat way up in that left corner)

[Flipper]

we need to build something like the Holmes Center down at Appalachian State. Seats 8,000...students right on top of things at midcourt and the hotdogs are hot and the pepsi is cold.

I'd link to it...but I've seen it live. Do your own damn research.

[BGorDeath]

There will not be a dual basketball/ice arena. It takes 6-7 hours to change out from one sport to another. That would kill hockey and basketball on the same nights. Plus, the money it would cost in staffing to do the change out would be an on-going expense. Build the extra sheet of ice at the ice arena and a separate center for basketball, graduations, concerts and the like.

[BGSUVA]

How about something like the Siegel Center at VCU? It is a new arean up in Virginia, pretty nice, and seats 7,500. I've been there once for the VHSL state championship for basketball last year. I liked it, but there were two things to improve on 1) more room on the concourse, and 2) more concessions.
http://www.siegelcenter.com/doitall.html
theres a little info about it.

http://vcurams.vcu.edu/sc/viewseat.html
That has a seating chart and an outside picture of it.

http://www.pbase.com/jstrader/vapreps_s ... otogallery
There are pictures from our state championship...I couldn't really find anything good pics of the interior, but I'll see what I can do.

[NWLB]

I keep thinking they need to look at building an arena that is asymmetrical. It might be hard, and not as well suited to convocations, but it might allow for lower roofs, luxury boxes, and a student section at point-blank range to the court. Maybe as part of a renovation of one side of Doyt Perry Stadium, they could tuck it under part of the stadium? Maybe an end-zone arena?

Radical ideas: replace memorial hall totally. Build a massively renovated Ice Arena, part of which would be the home to the ROTC programs-thus adding state/federal money to the project.

Radical on radical: incorporate the massive steel trusses from memorial hall, which they had to haul into BG by train, into an expanded ice arena or other such project.