Is the arena dead?

[SJHornet]

Sorry, didn't see this posted anywhere. Is the new arena they proposed dead now? I haven't heard anything about it lately and with the budget cuts I imagine it will be a hard sell. We desperately need to replace (or extensively renovate) the nest.

 

[SDHornet]

The arena or “events center” as it is referred to is still on the books. I think this recession put a huge damper on any serious fund raising efforts for the thing.

http://www.fm.csus.edu/Construction_Projects.htm

The site says its 6-8k seats which is too small imo. I think they are just throwing up something without putting enough planning and imagination into it. If it were up to me, I’d push for 10-12k seats that is a true arena that has capabilities to serve as an “event center”. SDSU has the arena formerly know as Cox that serves as a perfect example of what a well executed plan can produce. They have hosted a few NCAA men’s and women’s basketball regional tournament rounds and has tons of big name entertainers perform concerts there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viejas_Arena

The picture says it all.

 

[Green Cookie Monster]

It has a small pulse.

The day of getting a $10M check from Spanos is fleeting.

I think the school is trying to get a developer to provide seed money, notably the developer who has proposed a $500M University Village on the Ramona land. Another discussion is to have an event management company build and manage it leasing Sac State activities. At the end of a defined period of time the company will deed the arena to the school.

No talk usually means it is dead.

Contrary to others, I think we need a new arena to take the next step. New football stadium too. In our favor is the price of steel and concrete, it has dropped with the recession, so the original $$ figures for construction should have adjusted downward.

 

[SJHornet]

Interesting. I feel we may have better luck going for this thing after we see some recovery in this economy.

The site says its 6-8k seats which is too small imo. I think they are just throwing up something without putting enough planning and imagination into it. If it were up to me, I’d push for 10-12k seats that is a true arena that has capabilities to serve as an “event center”. SDSU has the arena formerly know as Cox that serves as a perfect example of what a well executed plan can produce. They have hosted a few NCAA men’s and women’s basketball regional tournament rounds and has tons of big name entertainers perform concerts there.

I have to disagree with this. San Jose State's event center seats 5,000, and it host plenty of concerts with big name entertainers. You have to factor in floor space for these kinds of things. it may be 6-8k, but with floor room you can pack in 10k. Also, Sacramento still has Arco Arena. the major acts and events that come through town will still be siphoned off to them, (or the new arena they keep talking about).I think it would be a good source of revenue for the school though.

If we can't get this thing built, what is plan B? Is there a plan B?

 

[Green Cookie Monster]

Plan B is to renovate the current gym by adding 2,000 seats. Personally, parking would be tight and no telling what will be discovered if construction is done, ie. Asbestos. Which would drive cost higher. Then we have a 3200 seat gym ala foolerton and cal poly.

We need an arena that can host small venue events such as graduation, why pay the maloof stooges to rent arco. Also small intimate concerts, conferences, marquee speakers and other events could be held there.

It is hard to justify a 7,500 arena when only 700 people show up for a DI mens basketball game. No demand means it is easy to not do anything.

 

[SDHornet]

SJ your argument is valid and definitely makes sense, I would just like to see this thing get done right so the Hornets don’t out grow the new arena in 10 years after completion. Will a 10-12k arena sell our for every Hornet game? No. Would a top of the line arena with all the bells and whistles get the edge over Arco when it comes to hosting a major event? Absolutely. The smaller 6-8k size will still draw some shows, but the larger venue will maximize profits. More seats equals more $$$. Back to the Cox Arena example, San Diego also has an old and decrepit “Sports Arena” that hosts concerts and events, but because Cox is newer and more up to date with its capabilities, it has the ability to draw the big name attractions over the older venue. I just think a venue like this has the potential to bring in a lot of revenue for the school and local economy and give the Sac region something to rally around.

GCM you have made some good points as well. It’s always the best time to build/buy in a recession if you have the cash flow. Yes the Hornets are only drawing 700 people per game, but a top of the line venue will draw better recruits, which will result in more wins, which will result in higher attendance. (Plus when the Kings leave, where else will people get their basketball fix?) Also I was thinking more down the line when Sac State moves to the WAC. I am sure the WAC would love a centralized location with a nice arena to hosts its men’s or women’s conference tournament. The fact that Sac State would be playing more regional opponents, and with a top of the line venue, they can get a few big name schools (like a couple Bay Area Pac-10 schools) to want to come play in Sac resulting in larger attendance numbers.

If plan B is executed, I think I will just cry. How would they squeeze 2,000 seats in that existing footprint? They would have to demo half of Yosemite Hall just to make room. At that point, you might as well just put up a new building from scratch.

 

[weberwildcat]

Sac getting a new arena of 6-8k would become a threat to WSU in basketball...but that is a good thing! I believe the main reason WSU is always good at hoop is quality of facilities. Our fans are very lucky.

Sac getting the new arena would be great, would be a great venue for many things other than baskeball and of course a facility to host the conference tournament.

I think an 8,000 arena would be perfect for WSU, we rarely can get more than 6-8k anyway and usually only when we host the conf tourney or play in-state games (usu, utah, byu). Other events such as graduation, WSU's own and a lot of the local high school's use it, concerts, many religions use it for annual events, concerts, all of these events fill it up and i'm sure make money for the school. I think the building's record is 14,000 for a religious event but it technically holds 11,773 or something close to that.

I honestly don't know our last sell out but I think it was 1996.

How can a nice arena not have a big affect on recruiting when you see the stadium? We do have a good coach but its an easy sell if you make the visit to WSU.
We are trying to get a new jumbotron as the old one is from the early 80's I think. But no one knows when. But other than that the stadium is really nice and in very good condition even though it wasu built in 1977.

I really think it will start filling up when you get the new arena.

 

[weberwildcat]

Also, where will they build the 'events center'? On campus or somewhere else?

 

[Green Cookie Monster]

On campus, right across the street from the stadium.

 

[SactoHornetAlum]

I've been to the Dee. Its the nicest facility in the conference. Hands down. Weber fans should be very proud to have that crib as their's. Actually, one of the best arena's in the West.

 

[OldHornet]

It seems all of the Universities in the state of Utah have great basketball facilities. UVSU has a great arena, and they were a JC!

 

[SJHornet]

That is one nice arena! You guys have to be proud of that thing. If Sac State had something half that nice I'd be happy.

While thinking about this subject i got to thinking, what about a big wherehouse type building with large scafolding type seating? It would be cheaper. It wouldn't have to look like a wherehouse or a giant box, it could be styled on the outside, but it would in fact be just that, a giant one roomed building. The other plus to this design would be it could be a good venue for conventions and trade shows.

I drew up some examples of this design but I don't know how to get pictures on this thing.

 

[Green Cookie Monster]

That is one nice arena! You guys have to be proud of that thing. If Sac State had something half that nice I'd be happy.

While thinking about this subject i got to thinking, what about a big wherehouse type building with large scafolding type seating? It would be cheaper. It wouldn't have to look like a wherehouse or a giant box, it could be styled on the outside, but it would in fact be just that, a giant one roomed building. The other plus to this design would be it could be a good venue for conventions and trade shows.

I drew up some examples of this design but I don't know how to get pictures on this thing.

.

You can put your schematics on flickr, photobucket and then link it to a post. Use the img link and post the url link in between the headers.

Care to build it? I'm game.

 

[SJHornet]

Ok, I got a photobucket account and I'm going to try and post em. sorry if it doesn't work.

Ok, the idea is a giant box with some simple structures inside. the fold-up stands are ment to make room for trade shows. the upper 'deck' also is retractable so vendors can set up booths for trade shows or conventions. I thik this kind of design would be much cheaper than a regular arena.

If I didn't post the images right the website is: http://s916.photobucket.com/albums/ad1/SJAnfield/
I did it under photobucket, my name: SJAnfield

If it didn't work, the photobucket address is: http://s916.photobucket.com/albums/ad1/SJAnfield/
My name on it is SJAnfield

Thanks Green Cookie Monster for your help!

 

[SJHornet]

Yeah, I screwed that up

 

[cecesdada]

Looks pretty cool to me. The first Arco Arena was in a big wherehouse.

 

[SDHornet]

Good idea SJ. I think this is kind of what they have in mind, only I would have to think that some of the seating is going to be permanent (And more architecturally appealing ). The issue I have with the adjustable seating is that it can look pretty tacky and over time can be a maintenance nightmare. Also I sure hope that they will have seating on every side of the court (Baseline seating on both sides.). Either way, an arena with permanent seating doesn’t restrict the venue from hosting conferences, concerts, and other events. Here is a link to the Arena formerly known as Cox that shows the flexibility of the venue even though all seating is permanent:

http://www.as.sdsu.edu/viejas_arena/seat.html

The permanent seating will restrict the floor space to a certain extent, but when that demand reaches a certain size; I would have to think a bigger venue would be more appropriate to host larger events (Sac Convention Center, Cal Expo, Arco, etc.).

 

[SactoHornetAlum]

Good idea SJ. I think this is kind of what they have in mind, only I would have to think that some of the seating is going to be permanent (And more architecturally appealing ). The issue I have with the adjustable seating is that it can look pretty tacky and over time can be a maintenance nightmare. Also I sure hope that they will have seating on every side of the court (Baseline seating on both sides.). Either way, an arena with permanent seating doesn’t restrict the venue from hosting conferences, concerts, and other events. Here is a link to the Arena formerly known as Cox that shows the flexibility of the venue even though all seating is permanent:

http://www.as.sdsu.edu/viejas_arena/seat.html

The permanent seating will restrict the floor space to a certain extent, but when that demand reaches a certain size; I would have to think a bigger venue would be more appropriate to host larger events (Sac Convention Center, Cal Expo, Arco, etc.).

I cant believe they renamed it Viejas :roll:

 

[SDHornet]

I cant believe they renamed it Viejas :roll:

That’s nothing. The brilliance of the SDSU administration struck again by not only selling the naming rights to a local Indian casino, but severely underselling the naming rights to a local Indian casino.

“Beginning July 1, the 12,845-seat venue known as Cox Arena will be Viejas Arena. The $6.9 million, 10-year deal includes a proviso against using the word “casino” on signs and advertising or making any reference to gambling.”

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/mar/18/1n18viejas235141-sdsus-cox-arena-be-called-viejas/?uniontrib

That’s a meager $690k per year for arguably one of the most used venues in San Diego County. SDSU got worked. :lol:

 

[JackHornet]

There weren't a lot of people bidding for the naming rights to Cox. SDSU got most of that money up front, I believe 80%, so they are spending it on athletics.

You also should have read further to this:

"Cox paid $4.8 million for 12 years when the arena opened in 1997. It was built for more than $30 million at the site of the Aztec Bowl football stadium. Cox decided not to renew the deal."

So SDSU went from $400,000 a year to almost $700,000 a year for naming rights. Not a bad deal.

We would be stupid to build a 10,000-12,000 seat arena. As mentioned before we have Arco.

I have heard that the schools is thinking about asking students to step up again and pay for the arena. But that will only go on the ballot when the rec center is completed.

Speaking of the rec center, any updates? It should be opened in Sept, 2010. Hopefully they are still on schedule.

Not much is being updated on the website.

http://www.csus.edu/destination2010/environmentfacilitiesprogress.stm