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Convocation Center/Arena

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I know we just got started on the stadium, but…

The next major facility we need to upgrade is the gym. It's clearly too small and, despite the renovations, can't compete with many of the other Sun Belt (not to mention CUSA) arenas. A few years ago this was either included as part of the Dome, or talked about separately. Does anyone know if there are currently any plans to build an arena?
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Re: Convocation Center/Arena

The current arena is small but so is our fan base.  I think we have this arena for a good while.  I would love a new arena, but not sure it is even close to being necessary yet.
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Re: Convocation Center/Arena

fauowl said

The current arena is small but so is our fan base.  I think we have this arena for a good while.  I would love a new arena, but not sure it is even close to being necessary yet.

I was thinking the same thing.  We've had 3 really great crowds lately, but let's do that for a full season or two first.  A new facility would be awesome, but we need to prove we'd be able to fill it.  The football stadium was the priority.  Now that it is finally going up, we can turn our attention to basketball and baseball.  Given the state of the baseball stadium, I'd bet we see an upgrade of that facility before The Burrow is replaced.  I wouldn't count on the arena project getting done until the I-95 entrance is finished in 2015….of course a few NCAA runs and some deep-pocketed donors may change things!  ;D  
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Re: Convocation Center/Arena

Convocation Center/Arena

As it is we are only getting 3000 people to Saturday games while the burrow looks packed it would look pretty dead in a 6-7k arena…while the burrow isn't great its not an embarrassment like Lockhart was. When we can consistently fill up both sides of the burrow thats when its time for a new one.
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Re: Convocation Center/Arena

fauowl said

The current arena is small but so is our fan base.  I think we have this arena for a good while.  I would love a new arena, but not sure it is even close to being necessary yet.

It's really the same argument for both facilities. We didn't fill up Lockhart, yet we're building a new stadium. Yes, I realize Lockhart was going to be consumed by the waterpark, forcing our hand, but we would have built the OCS even if Lockhart was fine for another decade. You know it and I know it.

The second argument for the football stadium is that they'll be using it for other events like high school tournaments and concerts. Okay, and the new basketball arena will be a multi-purpose convocation center for graduations, conferences and shows too.

For a finicky crowd, basketball offers great advantages. It's fast paced and for high maintenance people like my ex-girlfriend, it's an easier sell because it's inside in the air conditioning rather than out in the heat like a football stadium. Basketball tickets are cheaper than football tickets too.

I know our fanbase needs time to grow. Our reputation needs time to grow too. And I'm not saying we'll fill it up anytime soon. Even UF can't fill up their arena most of the time.

I just don't want this project pushed to the back burner for another decade. I'd like to see the new arena in the next five years.
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Re: Convocation Center/Arena

There is actually no comparision at all between the Burrow and Lockhart.  The Burrow was recently renovated, on our campus, and while it is small, we only VERY recently have even begun to fill the place.  Lockhart was a dump that was the worst facility for FBS football and located 20 miles from campus.  There is no question as to what was needed more.  A new Arena would be awesome, but it's just not going to happen any time soon.  In the meantime, the Burrow is a great place to watch a game.  OK, it doesn get cramped with a sell out crowd, but that is a good problem to have.  Let's continue to fill it and force this issue to the front burner.
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Re: Convocation Center/Arena

fauowls44 said

There is actually no comparision at all between the Burrow and Lockhart.  The Burrow was recently renovated, on our campus, and while it is small, we only VERY recently have even begun to fill the place.  Lockhart was a dump that was the worst facility for FBS football and located 20 miles from campus.  There is no question as to what was needed more.  A new Arena would be awesome, but it's just not going to happen any time soon.  In the meantime, the Burrow is a great place to watch a game.  OK, it doesn get cramped with a sell out crowd, but that is a good problem to have.  Let's continue to fill it and force this issue to the front burner.

Agree totally.  The other reason they cannot be compared (and biggest reason) is that we did not own Lockhart and were not able to upgrade anything for the fans.  We had to pay rent.  We own the Burrow.  It is already paid for.  If we get the same 2,000 fans, we do not gain much.  We can create a new experience with the football stadium and keep all the proceeds to ourselves.

Also our fan base is new at this basketball success.  It is a bandwagon base until we grow a little more.  If we go through a losing streak (and some day we will), or have a bad season (and some years we will), the Burrow will be empty again.

We need more fans for the love of basketball, and not just for the love of the winning and new found attention.
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Re: Convocation Center/Arena

It's my understanding that the convocation center will be built after the second set of dorms are completed, post stadium. By that time, with all the new students on campus, those 3000 seats in the basketball arena will be harder to find.
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Re: Convocation Center/Arena

It makes the most sense to build it after the second wave of "Innovation" Village Dorms, I agree.

I also agree with the point about needing the OCS because we were paying rent at Lockhart.

That said, I'm not arguing that we should have built an arena BEFORE a new stadium. Clearly we needed the football stadium more. Furthermore, I'm not intending to compare the facilities of Lockhart and the Burrow. I was just comparing the attendance arguments.
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Re: Convocation Center/Arena

you put an additional 2500 new people in campus dorms things can change very quick. I don't think its a very good idea right now to do but hopefully its smoother than the football stadium.
also heard that applications for 2011 were 20k, up from 9k. any truth to that? that's amazing.
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