UVM New Arena Thread

[UVM Hoop Cat]

Yeah, would obviously be a terrific location in terms of proximity, but would never happen with parking so close to downtown and also probably preservation/zoning/hill section. There isn't enough places to park in Burlington as it is- putting UVM and Mens hoops games downtown would be a problem.

Saw lot's of good basketball in that gym though- Champlain College had the best basketball teams within 3 hours driving in any direction.

[c00per]

Originally Posted by UVM Hoop Cat

Champlain College had the best basketball teams within 3 hours driving in any direction.

Hands down.

[VT Cats Fan]

I don't think this is really new "news" but Dr. Corran mentioned in a newsletter, I just received, that fundraising has begun for a $55-$65 million project that would seat 6000-6500 and would be constructed next to the PFG complex. He mentioned that this will be the largest philantropic effort in the school's history.

Exciting, certainly, but how long is it going to take to raise that kind of money?

[UVM Hoop Cat]

Originally Posted by VT Cats Fan

Exciting, certainly, but how long is it going to take to raise that kind of money?

It's really not a large sum of money relatively speaking but post-2008 in the economic environment we are in now it may take longer. That being said, I feel that UVM has more bodies dedicated to fundraising then we had previously, and people like the donors for Virtue field make money in all economic environments.

I guess closest comp for projects we have is the Davis Center- and someone can correct this data if it's wrong, but from what I could find the project was announced in 2003 and was finished & built in 2007 and cost around $61mm. Again, all of this before 2008 in a much different environment.

UVM certainly has alums and parents where a few of them could write checks that could reach that amount very quickly- but the timing, global economic issues esp. in developed economies like US and Europe, and the upcoming November election are all things that are causing uncertainty and could delay substantial gifts from some donors.


I'm super excited though- once it starts, it means it's actually going to happen. We're beyond the "study/research/talk about it/do nothing/talk about it some more" phase. Actually moving into action now.

[MileHiCat]

If the government raises tax rates starting in 2013, charitable deductions will be more valuable to high earners. Could help fundraising a bit, although I never condone higher taxes. But that is a discussion for another board.

[bosiydid]

Very excited for you guys and hopefully it gets done soon...we in Albany have been waiting for a very long time for a football stadium so we know the feeling. Good luck!

[source67]

UVM President Talks Dollars — and a Neighborhood Cruise with Chief Schirling
http://7d.blogs.com/offmessage/2012/...tion-proj.html

[Vermonster]

Originally Posted by UVM Hoop Cat

It's really not a large sum of money relatively speaking but post-2008 in the economic environment we are in now it may take longer. That being said, I feel that UVM has more bodies dedicated to fundraising then we had previously, and people like the donors for Virtue field make money in all economic environments.

I guess closest comp for projects we have is the Davis Center- and someone can correct this data if it's wrong, but from what I could find the project was announced in 2003 and was finished & built in 2007 and cost around $61mm. Again, all of this before 2008 in a much different environment.

UVM certainly has alums and parents where a few of them could write checks that could reach that amount very quickly- but the timing, global economic issues esp. in developed economies like US and Europe, and the upcoming November election are all things that are causing uncertainty and could delay substantial gifts from some donors.


I'm super excited though- once it starts, it means it's actually going to happen. We're beyond the "study/research/talk about it/do nothing/talk about it some more" phase. Actually moving into action now.

We could always ask George Lucas http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/1...n_2067145.html

I can see it now. Lucas Arena, and the endless Star Wars references to go along with it!

[Catcountry21]

Hopefully another Championship game at Patrick will bring about more "talks" on this.

SHould help our late recruiting period as well. If I was Becker I'd get a couple high level recruits in for the game on Saturday.

[Catcountry21]

Approximately a thirty million dollar architectural/landscape and renovation project, the New Athletic Campus shall upgrade the existing facilities to a state-of-the-art sports complex.

Simultaneously, the athletic complex will be given a new sense of place, presence, and physical form, on campus.

The complex includes an athletic events plaza, a student athlete success center, new artificial turf fields and a complete upgrade of the existing athletic campus facilities. The Post Field on the main campus will include: a sunken outdoor stadium with artificial grass, lighting, press box, and an air-supported winter roof for winter; an urban pedestrian walk with concessions, seating, locker and storage facilities, and an events-plaza; a secondary artificial turf field with viewing platform, seating, and lighting; a Ticket Building for tickets, storage, concessions, game analysis, and administrative offices; a new track; 6-8 tennis courts; several natural grass recreational fields; and a variety of landscape elements intended to support pedestrian connections and exterior spaces surrounding the Gutterson/Patrick Gymnasium.

Centennial Field, a satellite athletic campus, will receive a new softball facility, complete with lockers, offices and team rooms. The existing interior athletic facility will receive a complete renovation, including: a completely revised entry and entry-lobby sequence; the renovation of the existing gym into a permanent, modern, arena-style basketball facility; reorganization of administrative offices and programs; a new state-of-the-art weight room facility; a newly constructed conditioning center, and general renovation and reorganization of support spaces, including locker rooms, storage, rest rooms, ticket booths, conference rooms etc.

http://www.gbarchitecture.com/projec...ic-masterplan/

[icemchine9]

Not sure if renovating Patrick was what I had in mind. Guess it would depend on how it it would be implemented. Anything would be an improvement though.

[UVM Hoop Cat]

Absolutely works for me.

Not sure if there's a better on-campus option then where Patrick/Gutterson currently is located and if they made Patrick more spacious (actual seats with actual leg room) and added capacity (say anywhere between 4500 and 6000) and made it modern (Lockers, concessions, actual ticket office and ticket stands, video monitor)- then I'm not sure if there is anything else we'd ever actually need.

[icemchine9]

Renovating Patrick would also avoid the dreaded BU situation where they have an awesome facility but never use it because of hockey.

[hoopcat]

Sounds like a band aid to me. Gutterson also blows, 30 million is a lot for a renovation. Double the money and do it right. Easy for me to say, though.


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[Blakely4Prez]

Originally Posted by icemchine9

Not sure if renovating Patrick was what I had in mind. Guess it would depend on how it it would be implemented. Anything would be an improvement though.

Renovating Patrick I think is the best way to go. As much as all of us on here are basketball crazed, the athletic dept is all about hockey. With a multipurpose arena, I fear that we'd still be playing 85% of our games in Patrick and then the big ones in the new place much like BU and Agganis. That's not much of a homecourt advantage.

Also, love the cats, but...even with the success of this years team, we were still averaging around 2500 fans even for big games. The most fans in Patrick this year were for a womens game during the pack the house promotion. Yes, I understand with a better facility it might attract more fans, but building something that holds about 6000 fans when we are only drawing around 2500 on average would seem caverness.

Renovating Patrick seems like the best way to keep the fans on top of the opponents and still keep our home court advantage