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New Arena

hello (just found this site... of course Pounder is in here... he's everywhere! :)),

This is exciting. As an alum, part time grad student, and a donor, I want to help in any way I can.

I was curious if there has been any thought towards using the facility to host the Winter Hawks. It would be a nice way to keep the building full an extra 35-40 nights per year and generate additional $$$ to pay for the arena.
 
The Cactus Leaguer said:
hello (just found this site... of course Pounder is in here... he's everywhere! :)),

This is exciting. As an alum, part time grad student, and a donor, I want to help in any way I can.

I was curious if there has been any thought towards using the facility to host the Winter Hawks. It would be a nice way to keep the building full an extra 35-40 nights per year and generate additional $$$ to pay for the arena.
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I think the Winter Hawks' attendance capacity would exceed what PSU is looking to do on campus.

However, additional revenue streams will play a key role in getting this project going.
 
Yeah, including the Winter Hawks is a really nice thought, but I just don't see it working. The Winterhawks would need a larger venue, and unless they could somehow help pay for the arena (unlikely considering their current predicament), I don't see it being mutually beneficial. Now, MLS and PSU football in a renovated PGE Park...that would be a match made in heaven.

BTW: Welcome Cactus! I remember you from the Oregon Stadium Campaign forums, where I used to post a long time ago.
 
Yeah, I was worried about that as well, but the Rose Garden seems to be too cavernous, especially for weekend games. Maybe they could split it and play 1/2 their games (the weeknight games) at PSU? And besides, most of the WHL arenas are tiny anyway.

And speaking of PGE Park, that is one of my side motivations for asking... freeing up the Memorial Coliseum site for a AAA baseball stadium in order to get the Beavers out of PGE Park. I know it's a pipe dream, but I can dream.

ManOfVision - what was your name at the OSC forums?
 
The Cactus Leaguer said:
Yeah, I was worried about that as well, but the Rose Garden seems to be too cavernous, especially for weekend games. Maybe they could split it and play 1/2 their games (the weeknight games) at PSU? And besides, most of the WHL arenas are tiny anyway.

And speaking of PGE Park, that is one of my side motivations for asking... freeing up the Memorial Coliseum site for a AAA baseball stadium in order to get the Beavers out of PGE Park. I know it's a pipe dream, but I can dream.

ManOfVision - what was your name at the OSC forums?
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I posted under the name GameTime.

With the turnover of Rose Quarter management to AEG, I don't think we'll be seeing a baseball stadium around there. More likely, we'll see some mixed use development anchored by an ESPN Sportszone, a Hard Rock, or something like that. I think we're in for an LA Live, downtown Disney kinda place. We'll have to get the Beavers out of PGE by other means.
 
Interesting read:

http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=121443168872554000

Most interesting parts for us Viking fans:

If Portland were to land an MLS franchise, it would do so with the provision that enhancements to PGE Park would bring it up to MLS standards and make it a soccer venue. Portland State would continue to play its home football games there, however.

and

We’re talking about bringing a major league (soccer) team to the city, plus what the Beavers could do to a surrounding neighborhood, plus the benefit to Portland State. There is a very real economic benefit to all, as well as the softer side in terms of civic pride.”
 
We've also had a discussion about this under MLS to Portland in the Other Sports forum. The new part of today's Tribune article is that Paulson is now thinking 20,000 for PGE capacity instead of the previously suggested 30,000. This wouldn't be as good for PSU's chances of ever moving up to the WAC, but it would still be a big improvement to have some seating along the east sideline. Sounds like some seats would be removed from the north endzone to make way for an eatery or something.
 
ManOfVision said:
The Cactus Leaguer said:
Yeah, I was worried about that as well, but the Rose Garden seems to be too cavernous, especially for weekend games. Maybe they could split it and play 1/2 their games (the weeknight games) at PSU? And besides, most of the WHL arenas are tiny anyway.

And speaking of PGE Park, that is one of my side motivations for asking... freeing up the Memorial Coliseum site for a AAA baseball stadium in order to get the Beavers out of PGE Park. I know it's a pipe dream, but I can dream.

ManOfVision - what was your name at the OSC forums?
Click to expand...

I posted under the name GameTime.

With the turnover of Rose Quarter management to AEG, I don't think we'll be seeing a baseball stadium around there. More likely, we'll see some mixed use development anchored by an ESPN Sportszone, a Hard Rock, or something like that. I think we're in for an LA Live, downtown Disney kinda place. We'll have to get the Beavers out of PGE by other means.
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Yeah, I've heard that as well, but:

1. There is room for both; and
2. Putting AAA baseball there fits well with what is happening (successfully) nationwide. The newest developments are going up right now in Columbus and Charlotte, two similar-sized metros with other "Big 4" (or "Big 5", depending on where NHL/MLS fit into the equation) franchises. They are combining AAA baseball, mixed-used development, shared infrastructure, and a large indoor arena into sites near downtown. Add in the convention center, the streetcar, and the possbilities for a convention center hotel, and Portland would be stupid not to try for the same thing.
 
I think a better site close to the Rose Garden would be the Portland Public Schools headquarter's building. It is right across Broadway from the Rose Quarter. I think the City should keep the Memorial Coliseum as a venue for the Winter Hawks.
 
VikThunderous said:
I think a better site close to the Rose Garden would be the Portland Public Schools headquarter's building. It is right across Broadway from the Rose Quarter. I think the City should keep the Memorial Coliseum as a venue for the Winter Hawks.
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Definitely a better footprint. MC would be a tighter fit but it could still work and would closer to the RQ and convention center.

But I think you hit the nail on the head, PPS is more likely to happen.

I just find it interesting that the Blazers' new event management company (AEG, I think) is talking about getting rid of Memorial Coliseum and putting in a smaller facility to house events for 5,000 to 7,000 people (this was in the Trib last week). Seems like this would compete with the replacement for the Stott Center which would be disappointing. Too bad they can't pool together resources on a fully shared venue, but the Rose Quarter is too far from the PSU campus and the shared infrastructure benefits of the RQ disappear if the facility is at the PSU campus (although there is still infrastructure to be shared at PSU to be sure).
 
The Cactus Leaguer said:
VikThunderous said:
I think a better site close to the Rose Garden would be the Portland Public Schools headquarter's building. It is right across Broadway from the Rose Quarter. I think the City should keep the Memorial Coliseum as a venue for the Winter Hawks.
Click to expand...
Definitely a better footprint. MC would be a tighter fit but it could still work and would closer to the RQ and convention center.

But I think you hit the nail on the head, PPS is more likely to happen.

I just find it interesting that the Blazers' new event management company (AEG, I think) is talking about getting rid of Memorial Coliseum and putting in a smaller facility to house events for 5,000 to 7,000 people (this was in the Trib last week). Seems like this would compete with the replacement for the Stott Center which would be disappointing. Too bad they can't pool together resources on a fully shared venue, but the Rose Quarter is too far from the PSU campus and the shared infrastructure benefits of the RQ disappear if the facility is at the PSU campus (although there is still infrastructure to be shared at PSU to be sure).
Click to expand...

I believe it will be hard for AEG to replace the MC. The MC was built to memorialize those who died serving our country. Vets get very concerned when people talk about knocking down the MC. I think PSU needs to coordinate arena efforts with the City. A PSU arena downtown would help the downtown community. The reason why I've advocated for an arena on the Wells Fargo block to the east of the Ondine is that it would be new from the ground up and be better situated to serve more than the PSU community and be right on the light rail lines.
 
Absolutely correct. Veterans groups freak out when you talk about tearing down the MC. The city government gets flooded with complaints whenever this issue comes up. I'll be curious to see if AEG can successfully get around this. (I hope they can).

As for the site of a new arena, I completely agree that the Wells Fargo block is a superior location, but I'll take what I can get.
 
Why not have a peace plaza, or better yet a memorial plaza, instead at that site. Something that truly honors the veterans in a way that is publicly visible and memorable. Most people have no idea that the old barn (MC) has anything to do with military service.

Wells Fargo site would be great. I just hope that two equally sized indoor facilities don't get built, simultaneously, at nearly opposite ends of the light rail mall. That would be a bummer.
 
The Cactus Leaguer said:
Why not have a peace plaza, or better yet a memorial plaza, instead at that site. Something that truly honors the veterans in a way that is publicly visible and memorable. Most people have no idea that the old barn (MC) has anything to do with military service.
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Because that would make too much sense. We're talking about a pretty extreme group that goes so far as to correct politicians or regular folks like you and I who use "MC" or "Memorial Coliseum" instead of the proper "Veterans Memorial Coliseum" or whatever the official name is.
 
Anyone ever seen the memorial? I happened upon it once when attending some event in the old convention area... I would have NEVER seen it just going to games.

I think the bone to throw to the veterans for any renovation / rebuild of that plot is a much more prominent memorial. I can see that more succinctly with the 7K arena idea than I do with either a ballpark or the mixed-use concept Paul Allen wants. Thing is, given so many other things that have gone done the proverbial waterfall, I'm not sure the city isn't simply going to subcontract to Allen this time.

BTW, PSU fans shouldn't be so beat up by not filling Stott Center that they should consider their needs too small for the Winter Hawks. If anything, the proposed renovation should have larger capacity. The thing is, given PSU's needs, sharing with the Winter Hawks is still a bad idea... both organizations NEED Saturday nights badly, and the women need Saturday nights just as much as the men. (Tells you what I think of 2 pm tipoffs) That doesn't leave good dates for the Hawks.
 
Pounder said:
Anyone ever seen the memorial? I happened upon it once when attending some event in the old convention area... I would have NEVER seen it just going to games.

I think the bone to throw to the veterans for any renovation / rebuild of that plot is a much more prominent memorial. I can see that more succinctly with the 7K arena idea than I do with either a ballpark or the mixed-use concept Paul Allen wants. Thing is, given so many other things that have gone done the proverbial waterfall, I'm not sure the city isn't simply going to subcontract to Allen this time.

BTW, PSU fans shouldn't be so beat up by not filling Stott Center that they should consider their needs too small for the Winter Hawks. If anything, the proposed renovation should have larger capacity. The thing is, given PSU's needs, sharing with the Winter Hawks is still a bad idea... both organizations NEED Saturday nights badly, and the women need Saturday nights just as much as the men. (Tells you what I think of 2 pm tipoffs) That doesn't leave good dates for the Hawks.
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Great point. Sharing a facility with the Winter Hawks won't work. The prime nights of Thursday, Friday and Saturday are too precious to share with the Winter Hawks.

An arena wouldn't only be PSU basketball. There are lots of other university events that could use an arena. Concerts, lectures, commencements, invocations, large meetings, political debates are just a few of the university events that could be held there. If the venue is downtown, we could steal away many of the events now held at UP's arena, plus the Coliseum and Convention Center. If Chisholm is smart, he can sell this facility as a economic necessity for downtown and get funding from City, Metro and State sources.
 
Posting this here too since this may likely impact the Arena situation....

This is great to read...
http://www.oregonlive.com/vikings/index.ssf/2008/08/vikings_the_new_president_pays.html
 
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