Jake

I agree... but at the same time, an arena in downtown Akron isn't as "off-campus" one might think. With the Polsky building and West Campus parking deck in downtown Akron along with a decent chunk of students living in the new 22 Exchange apartments, the University is as much a part of downtown as the city is. Heres my thinking with "off-campus": If I can walk to the arena from the middle of campus in less than 10 minutes, it's not Off-campus. Any more than that and UA would be doing the exact opposite that ICS is doing.Could we build a new arena in the footprint of the JAR? Sure... but space would be EXTREMELY limited. Aside from the space on E Mill & Summit St, there's no other location other than where the JAR is that the University could even build a suitable arena and still be within an easy walk from campus. However, I agree with Dambrot. Let's sell out the JAR before we think about a new arena.I forgot to mention that 22 Exchange needs to be kept in perpective. When complete, it will house 200 - 300 students at most. Let's not forget the 3500 to 4000 students that will soon be living on the real UA campus in addition to the majority of UA students who commute. Let's get over the, "we're not worthy" mentality. We are a real university. Let's act like one and expect to have a true (not technical) on-campus stadium. Putting an arean in the heart of the UA campus will not be that tough.

I agree... but at the same time, an arena in downtown Akron isn't as "off-campus" one might think. With the Polsky building and West Campus parking deck in downtown Akron along with a decent chunk of students living in the new 22 Exchange apartments, the University is as much a part of downtown as the city is. Heres my thinking with "off-campus": If I can walk to the arena from the middle of campus in less than 10 minutes, it's not Off-campus. Any more than that and UA would be doing the exact opposite that ICS is doing.Could we build a new arena in the footprint of the JAR? Sure... but space would be EXTREMELY limited. Aside from the space on E Mill & Summit St, there's no other location other than where the JAR is that the University could even build a suitable arena and still be within an easy walk from campus. However, I agree with Dambrot. Let's sell out the JAR before we think about a new arena.Downtown is not on campus. A refubished department store and parking deck do not a campus make. Pretend you are a recruit with your parents coming to view the UA campus. Everything looks great until you are paraded downtown. Do you realy think that area looks like part of the campus? The anser is no. Campus is what campus looks. That is exactly why UA enhanced its campus and built an on-campus stadium. Owning the Polsky building makes that area no more on campus than owning the Rubber Bowl makes that area on campus. being able to walk somewhere within 10 minutes from the middle of campus does not make one's destiny on campus. here is my thinking about "on-campus". If it doesn't look on campus, it's not. being on-campus as a tecnicality will not win recruits and acolades for UA. Like it or not UA is seriously thinking about a new arena as we type and it won't be long before they get more specific. There are plenty of areas on campus and areas that will soon be campus fit for an on-campus arena

from what I recall, the one plan actually called for the arena to sit in the area from E state to E Exchange, which includes this building.This news, in essence, kills the idea of the arena in that area. In fact, this really kills the idea of a new arena for the forseeable future. Theres nowhere else that would work that i can see.Ther are plenty of possible locations for a new arena smack dab on The University of Akron campus. Afterall, that's where it should be anyway, if UA wants to be taken more seriously. Let's stop thinking "downtown" and start thinking "on-campus" UA already owns two fingers of land in the neighborhoods on the south side of East Exchange and they are in the process of owning more. They have plans to make an expansion of the campus there with more green space and tennis courts. This would be one viable option for the location of the arena. And, there are other locations on campus that could be used as well. I remember when people would say, "on-campus stadium? ...don't be silly, where will UA put an on-campus stadium? Let's get over the "we are not worthy" mentality and think like a real university should think. Put the arena on campus and leave the city out of the deal. Where there is a will, there is a way and UA can afford to handle the project on its own. UA needs to continue its autonomy while serving the entire community at the same time. Build it on campus and they will not only come, they will also enroll and increase the UA student population.

UA does not have real presence on Main Street. The site you mention as being in the foot print of campus is not in the foot print of the UA campus. Polsky building is just that, the old polsky building remuddled and doesn't come close to looking like a university facility and certainly not on campus. UA is not downtown. Nor should it be. The arena like the stadium needs to be a drawing card for the UA campus. Let downtown be downtown and UA be UA. Universities with integrity, class and prestige practice this philosophy even in so-called college towns/cities. Rhodes is going to a university that is inner city and yet still respects the autonomy and integrity of its campus. It's basketball arena (pavillion) is on the corner of Cullen Blvd and Holman Street, which is in the heart of the UH campus. Get a clue and advocate: BUILD THE UA ARENA ON CAMPUS AND NOT DOWNTOWN!

Rhodes has taken the job with UH. If UA wants to keep Dambrot, perhaps it should rethink the location of a new arena and put it on the UA campus where it belongs.Real universities construct their arenas on campus. Faux universities allow themselves to be contaminated by downtown politicians and build their arenas off campus as a sacrifice to the explosive volcano gods known as downtown politicians. Which is it going to be UA? On-campus stadium = 2 steps forward. Off-campus arena = 5 steps backward to the days of HILLTOP HIGH again. Which is it going to be UA? UA is already doing a wonderful job of promoting the city's and region's infrastructure. In fact it is saving Akron from itself through Info-Cision Stadium, University Park Alliance, saving Quaker Square and running a hotel for the city, the Biomedical Corridor, BioInnovation Institute of Akron, saving Hower House, providing the community with a performing arts hall complete with programming, taking part in the Inventors Hall of Fame School, helping to save the Civic Theater (managed it for several years so far free of cost), saving the Polsky Building and being the encouraging force behind private downtown development.An on-campus arena will serve the city just as well as a downtown arena plus provide the added perks of sprucing up the UA campus even more making it more desirable to student recruits in athletics and enrollment in general. A downtown arena will water down student enthusiasm and do virtually nothing for increased enrollment. It will make UA look like a cheesy community college. We need an on-campus arena for the same reasons we are getting an on-campus stadium. It's a no-brainer. Universities logically build on campus, especially a large people attracting facility like an arena. It further legitimizes the campus and allows non-campus people to get a good visual taste of the advantages of choosing UA for sports and in general.What's it going to be UA?