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UofA's Rhodes Arena Study


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http://www.upakron.com/uploads/akron-core-...ive-summary.pdf

Sorry Dave. I meant literally south of exchange, not the "South of Exchange District."

So I'm actually referring to the University Square District for arena location guess/possibility.

Sorry for the confusion!!

Thanks for the map. If you really mean page 7 (South of Exchange District), Wheeler Street ends at the west edge of the UA campus and doesn't run through the South of Exchange District. So you must mean between Exchange and some street other than Wheeler.

The problem I see with the South of Exchange District is that it's getting a little far from campus to encourage students to attend basketball games, especially when we're having a winter like last year rather than the current one.

I still believe if it ends up being a joint city/university arena as opposed to an on-campus UA arena, it really needs to be right on the western edge of the UA campus. The JAR is right on the eastern edge of the campus, and student turnout for basketball games is still disappointing. A longer walk to the arena is going to hurt student turnout even more.

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@scottditzen, I agree with you that just south of Exchange in the University Square District is not a bad location for an arena. If the arena were to be a block or two west of Infocision Stadium, it would be almost directly across Exchange from the new parking deck. It would be just a short walk across the street from the parking deck to the arena.

The University Square plan calls for slowing down traffic on East Exchange and creating diagonal parking spaces along Exchange through the campus area. This would make it easier for pedestrians to be able to freely walk across Exchange from campus to University Square. They might even consider an elevated walkway across Exchange between the existing parking deck and the new arena.

Throw in a few new restaurants and pubs in this area, and it could become quite the hot spot. The plan encourages private investment in mixed development for this area. An arena would make a great hub.

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Slowing down traffic on Exchange is going to help out immensely!

Ha, I just noticed that something very "arena looking" is included in the Mayflower site on p. 10. Not sure I noticed that before, take it for whatever it's worth.

To me it's really exciting to see things will keep changing for the better. I'm glad we're having this discussion about the arena. There's so much potential yet to be fulfilled. It's kind of fun imagining what can happen.

Then when you consider who is involved in these plans, financing etc., it's easy to believe that this thing can be on a fast track, even with this bad economy.

@scottditzen, I agree with you that just south of Exchange in the University Square District is not a bad location for an arena. If the arena were to be a block or two west of Infocision Stadium, it would be almost directly across Exchange from the new parking deck. It would be just a short walk across the street from the parking deck to the arena.

The University Square plan calls for slowing down traffic on East Exchange and creating diagonal parking spaces along Exchange through the campus area. This would make it easier for pedestrians to be able to freely walk across Exchange from campus to University Square. They might even consider an elevated walkway across Exchange between the existing parking deck and the new arena.

Throw in a few new restaurants and pubs in this area, and it could become quite the hot spot. The plan encourages private investment in mixed development for this area. An arena would make a great hub.

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Infocision and a new basketball arena would be very appealing for a bid to the Big East. If we stay in the MAC, the JAR will do. Other than the Can't State game, we only average between 3-4 thousand fans. I always have a nice experience at the JAR. The Can't State game was loud and exciting. We sit in the upper reserve and can see the game fine. The fans white out was definitely a sixth man for the Zips. I think the Big East conf. should be the conference we shoot for. The conference would definately put UA on the national map. It would be nice for UA to be another big Ohio program other than OSU and Cincy.

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Finally made it back down to the JAR (yeah I know, but class, family, job, other job, and covering other sports kept me busy).

I'm convinced. It HAS to be on campus. Not downtown. I forgot the electricity on campus at night. And how much off~campus facilities are missing.

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Surprised no one's said we should move to D-III and forget an arena yet.

Actually we should tear it down and make it a parking deck. Lord knows we need another one of those. I mean yes we should have wrapped this regular season up already, but crap we only have 20 wins, with one of our youngest teams in years, against one of the toughest schedules ever. This teams sucks and its a waste of resources that could be going to start up that women's field hockey team we so desperately need.

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Two things about last nights game that stick in mind....the blue seats in the lower bowl are horrendous and I don't think they have every been replaced.

I though the atmosphere was pretty great last night, but with so many students sitting upstairs it takes so much away that would help even more. In a new arena I would love to see the student section be the two sections in the middle lower level behind the announcers. If those two sections were full of students last night I think it would have been even better.

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Two things about last nights game that stick in mind....the blue seats in the lower bowl are horrendous and I don't think they have every been replaced.

I though the atmosphere was pretty great last night, but with so many students sitting upstairs it takes so much away that would help even more. In a new arena I would love to see the student section be the two sections in the middle lower level behind the announcers. If those two sections were full of students last night I think it would have been even better.

LOL

Half court seats for the students? :lol::lol::rofl::rofl:

I want to see what they do at Duke and have the student section be one set of bleachers from floor to ceiling behind the baskets. Then see the Rowdies fill that hill like they do for soccer.

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LOL

Half court seats for the students? :lol::lol::rofl::rofl:

I want to see what they do at Duke and have the student section be one set of bleachers from floor to ceiling behind the baskets. Then see the Rowdies fill that hill like they do for soccer.

When was the last time you watched a duke game?

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Two things about last nights game that stick in mind....the blue seats in the lower bowl are horrendous and I don't think they have every been replaced.

I though the atmosphere was pretty great last night, but with so many students sitting upstairs it takes so much away that would help even more. In a new arena I would love to see the student section be the two sections in the middle lower level behind the announcers. If those two sections were full of students last night I think it would have been even better.

Is the lower bowl just for season ticket holders and Rowdies?

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Is the lower bowl just for season ticket holders and Rowdies?

Nope. Visting teams students are welcome; it's just Akron's students who aren't allowed! Oh, no Akron students can come in the front doors either! Visiting team's students, come right in. I talked to several players after the game last night and they all noticed the Buffalo students in the blue seats. They weren't happy; especially knowing that a large number of AKRowdies traveled to OU and ended up in peanut heaven. I hope the AD & coaching staff noticed. I've been attending UA games for two years and have wondered where in the world the students are. I think I know, somewhere where they aren't treated like 2nd class citizens! Let's review, lousy seating, track in the way, railing in the way, come in the back door, no you can't sit here, these seats are for Joe Akron who might show up IF we play DUKE, KENTUCKY or the HEAT (so they can boo LBJ) but right now you students go sit in the corner and be quiet!

To the 3800 who showed up last night, good job. To those who should be inventing ways to get more students in the JAR and creating a better gameday experience and a "home court advantage" (in Akron that is an oxymoron), be very glad I'm not your boss. I'd have you run around "the track" during time outs and have the 38 Akron students in attendance throw blue and gold water ballons at you. Winner gets to sit at the media table on the floor but only for one play because you might say or do something uncoth.

Just sayin

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Is the lower bowl just for season ticket holders and Rowdies?

Nope. Visting teams students are welcome; it's just Akron's students who aren't allowed! Oh, no Akron students can come in the front doors either! Visiting team's students, come right in. I talked to several players after the game last night and they all noticed the Buffalo students in the blue seats. They weren't happy; especially knowing that a large number of AKRowdies traveled to OU and ended up in peanut heaven. I hope the AD & coaching staff noticed. I've been attending UA games for two years and have wondered where in the world the students are. I think I know, somewhere where they aren't treated like 2nd class citizens! Let's review, lousy seating, track in the way, railing in the way, come in the back door, no you can't sit here, these seats are for Joe Akron who might show up IF we play DUKE, KENTUCKY or the HEAT (so they can boo LBJ) but right now you students go sit in the corner and be quiet!

To the 3800 who showed up last night, good job. To those who should be inventing ways to get more students in the JAR and creating a better gameday experience and a "home court advantage" (in Akron that is an oxymoron), be very glad I'm not your boss. I'd have you run around "the track" during time outs and have the 38 Akron students in attendance throw blue and gold water ballons at you. Winner gets to sit at the media table on the floor but only for one play because you might say or do something uncoth.

Just sayin

Thank you. That was my impression, but wanted to know for sure before I blew them up. Now, I don't have to, a +1 works fine.

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Is the lower bowl just for season ticket holders and Rowdies?

Nope. Visting teams students are welcome; it's just Akron's students who aren't allowed! .....

As far as I know, the lower bowl is open to anyone willing to pay the price for premium tickets.

I don't recall ever seeing a large, organized cheering section of visiting students occupying premium seats in the lower bowl at any previous games. So I think it's likely that UB students paid the price for a block of premium seats in the lower bowl. If that's the case, I don't know how you can stop that from happening.

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Speaking of students in General Admission seating, I was sitting in the general admission, center court all the way at the top. There was one guy, who definitely looked to be a student sitting behind me. He was a great fan! Loud, knew all the players names & tendencies. It was funny because his girlfriend was with him, politely minding her own business & reading a book. :lol:

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Two things about last nights game that stick in mind....the blue seats in the lower bowl are horrendous and I don't think they have every been replaced.

I though the atmosphere was pretty great last night, but with so many students sitting upstairs it takes so much away that would help even more. In a new arena I would love to see the student section be the two sections in the middle lower level behind the announcers. If those two sections were full of students last night I think it would have been even better.

+1000

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When I think of the best student sections, I think Duke, Pitt, Gonzaga, Michigan State, even OU (great for the MAC)... They all have seats along the court. Students will come if they aren't stuck behind a basket, heck there were probably 800 students in the building last night. Putting them there makes for a heck of an atmosphere and will make it a fun event for the rest of the fans that come to watch.

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So I think it's likely that UB students paid the price for a block of premium seats in the lower bowl. If that's the case, I don't know how you can stop that from happening.

Good point, Dave. Let's do a little math.

Let's assume there were 800 students scattered across the GA seats last night. I don't know how accurate that is, but for the sake of argument let's go with it. Average tuition for a full time resident is about $9,000. So 800*9,000 = $7,200,000.

About how many premium seats do you think that buys?

;)

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Good point, Dave. Let's do a little math.

Let's assume there were 800 students scattered across the GA seats last night. I don't know how accurate that is, but for the sake of argument let's go with it. Average tuition for a full time resident is about $9,000. So 800*9,000 = $7,200,000.

About how many premium seats do you think that buys?

;)

0

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$7.2 million in tuition money would buy a lot of premium seats at the JAR if it wasn't being spent on things like classroom facilities, professors' salaries, etc. :)

Good point.

According to the University, intercollegiate athletics are funded in part by the "General Service Fee", which is $33.16. Using the same assumption as above, that amounts to $26,528 contributed by the students in attendance Wednesday night.

I think I've made my point. Students are forced to contribute a lot to this program. The least the University could do is reward those of us who actually give a shit.

Edit: It turns out that the 33.16 is per credit hour. So make that (33.16*12)*800= $318,336.

But what's an order of magnitude amongst friends?

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