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UofA's Rhodes Arena Study


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I have mentioned this kind of thing in the past, and Louisville is a perfect one to look at b/c they built there arena in the last couple years. My guess is they built it right near restaurants, bars and other attractions. No matter if it is done in the downtown location or more "on campus" location, I hope there are plans to have at least a couple of good places right near the arena. Again..it is something that CSU did not do properly.

And I would venture to guess that all the arenas Scott posted are much further from campus than a UA "downtown" arena would be. We're fortunate in that our campus is adjacent to downtown. Especially if UA could acquire the Mayflower for more dorm space, this would be a pretty jumping location.

It also may help jumpstart the development of Lock 3 Park as shown in the UPA's masterplan.

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I have mentioned this kind of thing in the past, and Louisville is a perfect one to look at b/c they built there arena in the last couple years. My guess is they built it right near restaurants, bars and other attractions. No matter if it is done in the downtown location or more "on campus" location, I hope there are plans to have at least a couple of good places right near the arena. Again..it is something that CSU did not do properly.

This is where the city and the greater akron chamber would be of the utmost help. Selling the idea to restaurants, cafes, bars, etc that the arena area would be a great place to set up shop and that it is a happening area.

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This is where the city and the greater akron chamber would be of the utmost help. Selling the idea to restaurants, cafes, bars, etc that the arena area would be a great place to set up shop and that it is a happening area.

It would be great set up considering you Lock 3 barely a block away and there is going to be increased Lock 4 development for restaurants etc. A key to this is making sure that an arena project on Main St has some form of purpose at street level. Say a restaurant deal like Canal Park has, or shops.

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http://www.cooltownstudios.com/images/oh-c...enadistrict.jpg

http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwy...nwide-arena.jpg

http://www.cleveland.oh.us/wmv_news/images/ArenaDistrict.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VF2Og2E3vqk/T0Z2...%2Bdistrict.JPG

It would be great set up considering you Lock 3 barely a block away and there is going to be increased Lock 4 development for restaurants etc. A key to this is making sure that an arena project on Main St has some form of purpose at street level. Say a restaurant deal like Canal Park has, or shops.
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I'm convinced it needs to be on campus. And I have heard from alumni who are making contributions to the cause, who will have it no other way.

From Jake

Good point Spin. In fact, the area around the stadium already is a bar and restaurant area. In either case, It doesn't matter who we speculate goes to a game or a concert. If a facility is being built by The University of Akron, then it should go on The University of AKRON CAMPUS. regardless. UA is about the students first and others second. There is noting magical about downtown that would make alumni or Joe Akron prefer it over the campus. The campus has been serving Joe Akron for well over 100 years. UA is a multi-purpose campus and always has been. It is nothing new for non-UA students to come to the campus. I won't insult your intelligence by listing all of the UA facilities that are used for many different purposes and by many who are not connected directly with the university.

My alumni friends and I want to go back to our campus for a university game/concert and not off campus because we have pride in our alma mater as do the students. Who do you think were the major advocates of an on-campus stadium? You guessed it, UA alumni. Even UA admitted that an on-campus stadium will increase alumni pride which in turn garners more financial backing from alumni. The same principal applies to an on-campus arena. Alumni will not fund a UA facility so it can be ripped out from under their campus.

As an alumnus, I've already made my 5 digit pledge contingent on the arena being built on the campus. Other alumni have as well...some in the 6 digits. But if UA builds the arena downtown, we will yank our pledge. We don't and won't write out checks for The University of Akron just so downtown politicians can take credit for what we paid for.

Whoever thinks that loyal UA alumni would prefer going downtown for UA game over going back to their beautiful campus is either crazy or a liar. Such a statement doesn't even make sense. Also, the "Joe Akron' justification is eqally absurd. It is immaterial who attends an event at the new arena. If it is a UA arena and it will be), it should go on The UA campus. Only in Akron would people try and make such an obvious move into convoluted rocket science.

If more students need to be at the game, it is UA's obligation to take action to correct the problem and not give into it or make the problem worse.

I agree, Joe Soccerfan has nooo problem finding a parking spot and walking across campus to watch the team. And neither does the boisterous student section, as well as the other students peppered in with the general admission. We had lots of Joe Akron and tons of students at the Info. Once.

When I took my sons to the Rubber Blow, it was a stadium by the airport. When I take them to the Info, they walk across campus. They see that the U is not a community college, or an urban CSU campus. They take in the "scenery" and the Union and the Rec and everything else there for the students. They have a very different opinion of "Hilltop High". They just might take it seriously when they choose a college.

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..... Whoever thinks that loyal UA alumni would prefer going downtown for UA game over going back to their beautiful campus is either crazy or a liar. .....

That's the Jake I recall from his public posts -- anyone who doesn't agree with him is either crazy or a liar. :rolleyes:

I'm always puzzled how people think they are going to win others over to their point of view by making statements like that. Aside from turning people off with insulting language like that, Jake makes some pretty good points about the on-campus location.

However, there are also some good points about a downtown location -- not just any downtown location, but an optimum location that is within a block or two of the campus border to make it an easy walk for students, and central to downtown parking decks/restaurants/bars.

I'm waiting to see if it comes down to two definite, specific locations -- one on campus and one off campus. If it could be pinned down to specifics, we could have a reasonable discussion over the pros and cons of each.

Well, some of us could have a reasonable discussion ..... :D

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I'm down with an on-campus location... as long as we don't bury the arena in the center of campus. Anywhere along Exchange (or even somewhere along Market?) would be great, as I really hope the powers that be are planning for future development (restaurants/bars/shops) which an arena can be the catalyst for.

Since we're not Columbus and cannot afford two world-class facilities (NationWide Arena & Value City Arena) we can't do what Columbus State did. OSU's Value City Arena isn't near anything and is simply surrounded by a huge parking lot. OSU got their on-campus arena, but man, for such a beautiful facility, the surrounding environment is rather lame. (Much like where the JAR is located. Me no like.)

Value City Arena is a lesson in what not to do.

In Akron, we simply must make a new arena count for more than that. Much more than that.

In contrast, Columbus' NationWide Arena & the entire Arena District is a stunningly beautiful development and should definitely be a model.

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I disagree, right smack in the middle of campus is fine. It works great for soccer. It highlights the best parts of campus.

That said, the baseball stadium is some prime real estate. You put the arena right behind the soccer stands, it can contain facilities for soccer, the track, and for the practice field. It's near the Info. And it's adjacent to Exchange Street. The new Exchange St deck can be utilized. Joe Akron can enter from Exchange St, hitting the bars and restaurants before or after the game. Alumni can walk through campus from any parking area and still be a short walk from the bars and restaurants. All within the shadow of the Info, the Rec, and the Union. ANd it's probably near the geographic center of student housing.

Just don't muck up the space between the arena and Exchange with a big ugly parking lot. Keep it green.

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I think the footprint of the Arena would bee too large. Even if it is the baseball field, that kind of open scenic area is an asset on our urban campus.

Again, the master plans have all future development going south of Exchange. I think that's a really good idea with tons of spinoff potential.

On another note, regarding spinoff development. Pints and BW-2's and Subway just aren't going to cut it for me personally. Heck - there's not one place I would even consider calling a "restaurant" in the vicinity. We are severely underserved compared to K ent and other schools. The arena should absolutely be a catalyst to improve this glut of respectable bars and restaurants.

Anyhow, locating smack dab in the middle of campus I think is the worst choice. That is, unless UA wants to install a Winking Lizard etc. as part of the venue.

I disagree, right smack in the middle of campus is fine. It works great for soccer. It highlights the best parts of campus.

That said, the baseball stadium is some prime real estate. You put the arena right behind the soccer stands, it can contain facilities for soccer, the track, and for the practice field. It's near the Info. And it's adjacent to Exchange Street. The new Exchange St deck can be utilized. Joe Akron can enter from Exchange St, hitting the bars and restaurants before or after the game. Alumni can walk through campus from any parking area and still be a short walk from the bars and restaurants. All within the shadow of the Info, the Rec, and the Union. ANd it's probably near the geographic center of student housing.

Just don't muck up the space between the arena and Exchange with a big ugly parking lot. Keep it green.

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I think this has been said before but I'd like to reiterate that downtown isn't off campus like everyone is pretending it is. This situation is not comparable to the Rubber bowl. The way I see it, is that if the downtown location is equidistant from some residence halls on campus as the JAR is, then the downtown location is close enough. Think about where Polsky, Quaker Square, and the CBA are. Those are in downtown and they are also part of campus. Again, the line between campus and downtown for me, is a blurry one. Also, I'd hardly call the surrounding stadium area a "restaurant district." Subway and taco bell do not equal bricco and lockview.

It probably sounds like I'm taking the side of the downtown arena, but really at this point I haven't been convinced that one location is better than another. I'm just pointing out some of the flaws with the "downtown is too far away" argument.

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The key point in all of this is this:

Arenas recently have been built "off-campus" for basketball. SD noted that in his post of DD, KFC, etc. But very few are building off-campus for football. I can't think of any, but there could be one. I know Pitt moved away from campus and to Heinz Field...and I know there is still some regret from many there..and that was quite a few years ago now.

So, right or wrong, schools are building BOTH "off-campus" and on campus basketball arenas, but pretty much only on campus football fields.

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Downtown is not "ON CAMPUS" no matter how you spin it.

It is not a chance to visit the main campus, it is not a chance to show off the main campus. And from the sounds of it, those who are pledging to help fund this also agree. And who's to say an arena adding dates to the sports complex (not to mention the expansive student housing on that street) wouldn't result in more restaraunts and bars opening? None of that downtown stuff was there when Canal Park was Hotel Anthony Wayne...

I would never equate Polsky with part of campus. I attend there three days a week for my Minor. It is a community college. It is Wayne College downtown. It serves a much MUCH different clientele than main campus does. It is not something I want to show my family for friends to represent the University of Akron. It is nice, and does a great job of what it does, but does not represent the core campus.

Just curious, how many of those off-campus arenas are actually university owned?

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I mentioned earlier that I had no problem with the civil PMs that the "new" Jake was sending me.

Unfortunately, after I disagreed with some of what he said, he reverted to "old" Jake in the last couple of PMs, and all the old insults came tumbling out.

So I just gave Jake the honor of being the first person to go on my PM block list.

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@Spin, I'm noticing some similarities between some of your comments and some of the PMs I've been getting from Jake. Is it correct to assume that you're also getting PM's from Jake?

I get IM's from Jake but we have had differences of opinion over this.

I changed my stance on the arena being on campus, after the Buffalo game.

I named two sites (one on Market and this one on the ball diamond) myself.

I came up with all of the reasons the ballpark site makes sense myself. He's never even mentioned it.

My opinions come from being a Polsky building student. I don't know if he's ever been in there since it was Polsky's.

I pasted the post I got from him.

Nobody has answered my question yet...

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I get IM's from Jake but we have had differences of opinion over this.

I changed my stance on the arena being on campus, after the Buffalo game.

I named two sites (one on Market and this one on the ball diamond) myself.

I came up with all of the reasons the ballpark site makes sense myself. He's never even mentioned it.

My opinions come from being a Polsky building student. I don't know if he's ever been in there since it was Polsky's.

I pasted the post I got from him.

Nobody has answered my question yet...

Sorry, I lost track of who had received PM's from Jake.

The reason I asked if you had is because in his last civil PM to me, Jake questioned how many off-campus arenas are actually university owned, and when you posed the same question, it was deja vu for me. :)

In any case, as long as you support an on-campus arena over an off-campus arena, you shouldn't have any problems with Jake even if you disagree on minor details.

I remain neutral between either an on-campus arena or one that is off campus but within a block or two of the campus border. I'd have to compare full plans for both in order to make an informed decision, and the only plans out there right now are all highly speculative.

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Sorry, I lost track of who had received PM's from Jake.

The reason I asked if you had is because in his last civil PM to me, Jake questioned how many off-campus arenas are actually university owned, and when you posed the same question, it was deja vu for me. :)

In any case, as long as you support an on-campus arena over an off-campus arena, you shouldn't have any problems with Jake even if you disagree on minor details.

I remain neutral between either an on-campus arena or one that is off campus but within a block or two of the campus border. I'd have to compare full plans for both in order to make an informed decision, and the only plans out there right now are all highly speculative.

He might have been the on who brought that up.

Jake and I have "a past", I don't remember what the topic was now. But I was pretty surprised to get IM's from him.

There was just something "electric" being on campus at night before and after the Buffalo game. It's a whole different atmosphere from rushing from class to class. I would like to be part of that after I graduate, although soccer season is a great chance.

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The arena would be a catalyst whereever it is built. Just look at the development since canal park and the Info.

I have been a proponent of downtown because i feel that is the easiest way to get funding. The arena is a need at this point not a want.

However if funding can be had easily with an arena on campus then so be it. As long as it is done right sized so it can be truly used for multiple purposes. We can't afford for it to be used only from october to march.

Spin...

Being a marketing MBA, i have to disagree with your Polsky comment. I am very proud to show off the Suarez Lab and Taylor Institute, in fact the University is as well since a ton of Development pitches are done in those spaces.

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I attended the NIT game at Northwestern last night. The Nerds of NU had a good student section last night and their entire sports complex is very much off campus. The distance from their campus to the sports complex on Central Street is equivalent to the distance between Rt8 and S. Main street in Akron.

http://maps.northwestern.edu/#latlngz=42.062%2C-87.679%2C14

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How many new off-campus arenas used by colleges are owned by the university?

Here's my take on that: Jake stated to me in a PM that he had "tried compiling such a list with no success."

Since Jake appears to be a single-issue person who is totally devoted to promoting the concept of an on-campus arena and crapping all over any consideration of an off-campus arena, I have to believe that this would be a monumentally time-consuming task that is beyond even his total dedication.

Anyone have a lot of extra time to spare? :)

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