New Arena

[VikThunder1]

15 months. Wait for the recession to end. The state won't put anything in its budget until we're sure this is over.

Too bad. This is a perfect economic stimulus project. There's the design and construction jobs and then after it's built, it'll be a facility that can draw tons of events downtown in addition to Viking basketball.

 

[ManOfVision]

I thought we weren't asking the state for any funding in the first place. If not, then why does it matter what the legislature is up to?

 

[WiViking]

Where else is the money going to come from? The city? PSU doesn't have donors throwing $40 million dollars at it.

 

[PortlandStater]

They may have forty donors throwing a million each. I agree that the go-ahead should be given despite the weak economy, just as a symbolic gesture for now.

 

[ManOfVision]

Where else is the money going to come from? The city? PSU doesn't have donors throwing $40 million dollars at it.

They can do it. They just have to get approval from Wim to try and raise the money, and then they have to believe in their fans. They won't get $40 million from one source, but we can all give what we can and work toward our goal. We can't be afraid to try. If any public money has to be involved, the PDC is our best bet.

 

[VikThunder1]

Where else is the money going to come from? The city? PSU doesn't have donors throwing $40 million dollars at it.

They can do it. They just have to get approval from Wim to try and raise the money, and then they have to believe in their fans. They won't get $40 million from one source, but we can all give what we can and work toward our goal. We can't be afraid to try. If any public money has to be involved, the PDC is our best bet.

PSU will not be able to raise $40M solely through donations. Funding should come from multiple sources including State, City, PDC and Metro. The facility will benefit the entire region.

 

[forestgreen]

Where else is the money going to come from? The city? PSU doesn't have donors throwing $40 million dollars at it.

They can do it. They just have to get approval from Wim to try and raise the money, and then they have to believe in their fans. They won't get $40 million from one source, but we can all give what we can and work toward our goal. We can't be afraid to try. If any public money has to be involved, the PDC is our best bet.

PSU will not be able to raise $40M solely through donations. Funding should come from multiple sources including State, City, PDC and Metro. The facility will benefit the entire region.

Not only does the men and women basketball program's play merit better facilities, but the whole University deserves a better facility. Graduations could actually be held at the campus, along with world-class speakers that demand larger audience space. This would be the biggest addition ever for Portland State and for it's mission of being a large, public research University that would benefit the Portland metro area and the State of Oregon economically, socially, etc. Let's get it done!

 

[ManOfVision]

Where else is the money going to come from? The city? PSU doesn't have donors throwing $40 million dollars at it.

They can do it. They just have to get approval from Wim to try and raise the money, and then they have to believe in their fans. They won't get $40 million from one source, but we can all give what we can and work toward our goal. We can't be afraid to try. If any public money has to be involved, the PDC is our best bet.

PSU will not be able to raise $40M solely through donations. Funding should come from multiple sources including State, City, PDC and Metro. The facility will benefit the entire region.

Not only does the men and women basketball program's play merit better facilities, but the whole University deserves a better facility. Graduations could actually be held at the campus, along with world-class speakers that demand larger audience space. This would be the biggest addition ever for Portland State and for it's mission of being a large, public research University that would benefit the Portland metro area and the State of Oregon economically, socially, etc. Let's get it done!

Damn right! Let's stop apologizing for wanting to be great!

 

[61chad]

ya phill knight should give like 50mill to psu and 50 mill to osu for basketball. they would both be happy with that all u of zero is going to do is ask for more. Oregon is like a little rich girl.

 

[ManOfVision]

ya phill knight should give like 50mill to psu and 50 mill to osu for basketball. they would both be happy with that all u of zero is going to do is ask for more. Oregon is like a little rich girl.

While that would be nice, part of the problem at PSU is people sitting around and waiting for a Phil Knight type to bestow millions upon us. I'll take that money if it ever comes, but in the meantime, we should try getting small to moderate donations from large numbers of people.

 

[Pounder]

My latest wicked brainstorming... and I mean wicked. The following proposal is, by no means, a perfect solution. What it is trying to do is address a possible funding angle, and meld in with other proposals currently on the table.

Don't build at Stott. Build on the current Lincoln HS site.

The arena is bigger than 4,500... probably somewhere between 6,500 and 7,500 overall. It accomodates hockey... yes, the Winter Hawks. This means trying to dole out playing dates... which means having women's basketball to continue playing at Stott, and that won't be easy. Title IX has caused problems on this end before.

Lincoln is made available by trading out that land for an oft-rumored new campus elsewhere. What I'm hoping to see is that renovating the current site costs more than building anew elsewhere... without that angle, it's that much harder...

...to use the proposed westside URA for a LITTLE BIT of money.

The proposed URA runs all the way from the Conway property to Lincoln HS by my understanding. I happen to know that Goose Hollow people are counting on the URA for Lincoln renovation.
Some of the NW property in the URA could be more suitable for a new HS site. POSSIBLY, a new PPS headquarter could be part of the package... which opens up more of the entertainment district proposal at the Rose Quarter.

I figure the $5 million Merritt Paulson saved on the franchise fee will eventually be applied to PGE Park, so $10 million of the URA helps PGE Park, and $5 million can go to this arena proposal. Perhaps more, but this is already a politically dicey proposal. PSU and the Hawks will have to fund-raise the remainder.

The URA will have to have some sort of grease for the county in order to happen, of course. I think I've addressed the school district within the plan.

As for design, see the Orleans Arena in Vegas. It's where the Las Vegas Wranglers skate, and where the WCC hosted their tournament this year. It's not perfect, but I wonder if seats on the ends of the hockey alignment can "fold over" to provide baseline basketball seats.

Obviously, this is some wild thought, no basis in reality known to be coming down the pike.

 

[ManOfVision]

I love the outside the box thinking. Partnering with the Winterhawks is certainly a decent notion as long as the arena doesn't end up too far from campus. I really want PSU to play basketball on campus, but I'd certainly take your proposal over the status quo.

 

[freja]

nice, shaft the women again....that's crap and that's why Title IX is necessary, keep trying but try to include the women, it's really in the school's best interest to at least appear equitable

 

[freja]

actually if you really want to think outside the box, someone on the Oregonian psu forum had an interesting idea about using building materials from one dowtown venue across the river that is due for demolition and bringing what could be transported to PSU to save materials costs, enhance sustainability (the hallmark of the school) and do something kind of cool architecturally....check it out, saw it today.

 

[ManOfVision]

actually if you really want to think outside the box, someone on the Oregonian psu forum had an interesting idea about using building materials from one dowtown venue across the river that is due for demolition and bringing what could be transported to PSU to save materials costs, enhance sustainability (the hallmark of the school) and do something kind of cool architecturally....check it out, saw it today.

I saw that too, and I replied with my enthusiastic endorsement. This is one of the best ideas I've heard in a long time. The green deconstruction of the MC and the building of a green Stott II would be another way to generate support for the arena outside of the normal PSU athletics circles.

 

[pdxjagwired]

Agree with Freja...great 'outside the box' thinking but again, why shaft the women's teams. If you look back at this past athletic year you'll find that both the Volleyball and Basketball team's played in the post-season. As their seasons continue to improve they will start to draw more fan support so there's no reason why they should be delegated to continue playing at the Stott.

 

[Pounder]

I don't want to shaft the women...

...but no Saturdays, no Winter Hawks.

Part of the assumption is that Bill Gallacher and some of his money could be involved in getting the project funded and off the ground. The Winter Hawks would want some premium playing dates in return. That's why I see a battle IF this happened.

Yes, big IF... but I'm beginning to wonder how soon the project would get off the ground otherwise.

 

[freja]

:lol: ok ok but don't leave the women's team, their successes and aspirations behind as you push PSU athletics :lol: and that's all women's teams who play at Stott!!

my guess is nothing will happen for 3 - 5 years...no greenbacks!

 

[martymoose]

Interesting fund raising concept by BSU.

http://www.ktvb.com/sports/BSU-to-sell-stock-in-athletics-programs-to-public-69782417.html

I wonder if something like this would be possible for fundraising for a new arena.

 

[pdxfan]

Hard to believe we (or Boise State) would get many takers. A piece of paper called a "stock" in exchange for a donation? I suppose some die-hard fans might like a "certificate" to put up on thier wall - they'd donate anyway.