Downtown Arena!

[Hilltopper]

This study by the Bliss Institute has some data on income and voter turnout. People under the poverty level have a low turnout compared to other demographic groups. If anyone is counting on them to carry the day, they will be disappointed. Again, a county wide vote will require people far from Akron city center to vote for something they may not understand how it impacts them or is far away from their day to day needs. This is going to be a very difficult election for those who support the tax increase. I'm not saying it can't be won, but the cards are stacked against them.

The fact that people who are poor do not vote should help with the sales tax passage. I disagree with your assertation that those who don't live in Akron proper will not understand how a new arena impacts them. Those very people are the ones who fill the seats at the other venues located in Cuyahoga county like the Q. The idea that they can have a venue closer to home is appealing to many who have the income to see and attend the types of events a new arena could host.

[Dave in Green]

To the best of my knowledge no one here (including me) has any direct experience in funding, designing, building and operating an arena. We're pretty much relying on secondhand data posted on the internet. Most of that data has been produced by people who have a vested interest in either promoting or defeating an arena issue. That results in a lot of the data being deeply flawed in exaggerating only the pros or cons that support the position taken by the side citing the data. That's how you end up with absurd statements like the one the anti-Akron arena group made about being able to throw a grenade in the JAR during a game without hurting anyone. That's pure Jake trash talk.

What's really required to make an intelligent decision is valid data about all the pros and cons, not selective, exaggerated data posted by those determined to push their own private agendas. I remain open-minded on the issues of a public arena downtown versus a dedicated UA arena on campus because I haven't seen enough good data to convince me that either is a slam dunk over the other. At this point I believe that UA's current debt load prohibits a UA campus arena for the foreseeable future. I seriously doubt that UA can raise the 10s of millions of dollars required to build one. I believe the odds of a public downtown arena are much better. If done right I think it could work like others that have been successful. If done wrong it could produce poor results like others that have failed. That's why I continue to wait for more specific and detailed information about the complete plan for the arena that's part of the proposed sales tax increase.

[Dr Z]

Yep, Zips Hockey had a heck of a time scheduling games, often starting at 11pm and running well past midnight. Even when we hosted the conference tournament. They still packed the house BTW. I've seen public skates late at night that were absolutely packed. But I try not to mention ice or hockey because that causes heads to explode here for some reason.

I would guess, most posters are ignorant to this. I used to play in a small league, and they had a heck of a time procuring ice time.

Plan B; offer this kid a scholarship NOW.

[skip-zip]

Again, a county wide vote will require people far from Akron city center to vote for something they may not understand how it impacts them or is far away from their day to day needs.

That's my point. It's a bad recipe.

The people most likely to have the means to not care about the tax increase are the ones to likely benefit the least.

And....the people in the closest proximities are the ones most likely to predominantly vote NO.

Plus, I don't care if poor people traditionally have poor voter turnout. When it's a tax increase that will affect them all directly (unlikely a property tax levy), they will be there.

[GP1]

Multipurpose is a key. It needs to be for recreational purposes.

If by multipurpose, you mean for the MBB, WBB and volleyball teams to play sports in while having some classroom space, I agree.

How much more recreational space do the students need? Enough is enough already.

[LZIp]

If by multipurpose, you mean for the MBB, WBB and volleyball teams to play sports in while having some classroom space, I agree.

How much more recreational space do the students need? Enough is enough already.

Court space is very tough to come by in the evenings/nights. Seems like a minimum of two are always shut down for intramurals or whatever the special event is that night (futsal, badminton, etc). Waiting an hour+ to play a 15 minute game isn't a good investment of student time.

[GP1]

Court space is very tough to come by in the evenings/nights. Seems like a minimum of two are always shut down for intramurals or whatever the special event is that night (futsal, badminton, etc). Waiting an hour+ to play a 15 minute game isn't a good investment of student time.

Oh well. Maybe that student could find another way to spend free time. Is it too much to ask a student to deal with what is a minor inconvenience? The stresses of college life.........

[skip-zip]

Court space is very tough to come by in the evenings/nights. Seems like a minimum of two are always shut down for intramurals or whatever the special event is that night (futsal, badminton, etc). Waiting an hour+ to play a 15 minute game isn't a good investment of student time.

Wow. It's amazing for me to see a student complain about availability of recreation facilities. In the early 80s, we'd occasionally get a chance to play for awhile at old Memorial Hall. And once, I remember having some open gym time at Rhodes. This was a time when talk of a future swimming pool just thrilled people.

Actually, I don't blame you for wanting all of this. You guys pay thousands of dollar a semester in tuition. I paid $500.

[Spin]

If by multipurpose, you mean for the MBB, WBB and volleyball teams to play sports in while having some classroom space, I agree.

How much more recreational space do the students need? Enough is enough already.

Multipurpose meaning a floor space big enough to host any arena event. I'm looking at the sustainability of the arena itself, in either case a venue that does not cost the university much needed funds. The rec part is a good selling point for a new arena, and also something very few universities are able to provide prospective students. You have to sell this to a wide audience.

But since they haven't tried that route yet and seem hell bent on getting in bed with the county (at an unknown cost), that whole concept is moot.

[Spin]

That's a whole different angle there. How about I build an arena off campus, and I let the Zips play there and schedule whenever they wanted. But the university has to pay me if it's otherwise a money loser?

Hell yeah I want in on that deal!!!

[LZIp]

Oh well. Maybe that student could find another way to spend free time. Is it too much to ask a student to deal with what is a minor inconvenience? The stresses of college life.........

Less wasting time at the rec doing nothing + more studying = improvement upon our dismal graduation rates. Boom. Nominate me for next President of the U.

[GP1]

Less wasting time at the rec doing nothing + more studying = improvement upon our dismal graduation rates. Boom. Nominate me for next President of the U.

Can't you study while you wait?

[taxpayer]

Install basketball court in indoor football/track facility. Put up bleachers (it's what makes Akron Akron) surrounding court that will allow a crowd of no more than 2500. Build practice facility to be used by MBB, WBB and WVB next to JAR so no need for offices or lockerrooms. Renovate JAR by removing all seating. Install permanent chair back seating with capacity of 4000 with seats closer to floor and at a steeper angle. Forget the new arena; OHIO is broke, the County is broke, the City is broke and UA is broke. UA needs a better facility to aid in recruitment. Be different, bigger isn't always better. I'd add new JAR entrances that spiral fans in and out via ramps, put one at each corner of the JAR with rounded glass exteriors. Hire someone to design the main lobby so we feel like we entered an arena as opposed to a coal mine. My third cousin, who knows an architect, thinks this all costs $15 million tops. Renovations take 1yr if State of Ohio is barred from oversight position. I'm sure football coaches and track coaches won't mind since we are all a team here.

[zen]

"....Renovate JAR by removing all seating. Install permanent chair back sweating with capacity of 4000 with seats closer to flor and at a steeper angle."

FTW

[Dave in Green]

Zips basketball attendance has been slowly trending up. Last season the Zips averaged 3,911 paid attendance for home conference games with 5 home games selling more than 4k tickets, including 5,488 for Can't, 4,918 for OU and 4,596 for Toledo. If the JAR had been reconfigured to seat just 4k last season, there would have been about 3k fewer fans cheering on their team in those 3 important home games. If the upward attendance trend continues the Zips could soon average more than 4k attendance at home conference games. Improving the JAR might create even more ticket demand. Reducing the JAR's seating capacity to 4k would be a good way to put an end to Zips basketball attendance growth.

[skip-zip]

Install basketball court in indoor football/track facility.

Don't get me going on this one. You have no idea how close we were, in dollars and cents, to being able to make this an indoor basketball and/or football facility for actual games. I think some people would have looked at that facility a little differently if they could have looked ahead just a little bit further to the eventual demise of the Rubber Bowl, and the desire to conquer some of the modern-day inadequacies of JAR Arena.

[Z.I.P.]

Court space is very tough to come by in the evenings/nights. Seems like a minimum of two are always shut down for intramurals or whatever the special event is that night (futsal, badminton, etc). Waiting an hour+ to play a 15 minute game isn't a good investment of student time.

I just want to give you credit for knowing what "futsol" is. Skip-zip can't understand the attraction of "indoor soccer"!

[skip-zip]

I just want to give you credit for knowing what "futsol" is. Skip-zip can't understand the attraction of "indoor soccer"!

LOL...I've actually never heard to the term "Futsol", but I'm old.

Let me be clear. I love watching my Zips play soccer. And I got into the USAs games during the World Cup. But, I have no attraction for the game itself.

[Z.I.P.]

LOL...I've actually never heard to the term "Futsol", but I'm old.

Let me be clear. I love watching my Zips play soccer. And I got into the USAs games during the World Cup. But, I have no attraction for the game itself.

Exactly! I mean, if you replace "soccer" with "American gridiron" then I'm in complete agreement.

[LZIp]

I just want to give you credit for knowing what "futsol" is. Skip-zip can't understand the attraction of "indoor soccer"!

The only memory I have of intramural futsul (aside from getting whooped on by a bunch of foreigners), is attempting to play D and getting busted dead center in the face by a kick point blank in front of me. Those balls are hard! Face was numb for about 15 minutes.

[akzipper]

4000 seat arena? Is the University of Akron a high school now?

That would be an embarrassingly small arena.

[Balsy]

The JAR is already embarrassingly small, that doesn't even get Embarrassingly) filled.

[Spin]

At least it didn't get you in the nose. That was the first and last play I ever made as a goalie. It still hurts to think about.

[GoZips]

The JAR is already embarrassingly small, that doesn't even get Embarrassingly) filled.

The objective is not always to fill an arena. The objective is to have sufficient capacity.

[taxpayer]

AKZipper - 4000 is small but UA has a small fan base. $ is a problem so like all of us, build what is needed not your dream home. In a previous post, I suggested that UA needs to build a practice facility or reconfigure some existing courts so the bball teams have a practice facility while the JAR is given a makeover.. UA doesn't have the cash, the city and county doesn't either. Forget the state. So the alternatives are continue to play in the JAR and make no changes or do the most cost efficient option. Reconfigure/renovate or whatever you want to describe taking the worst arena in the MAC and come up with a more suitable seating configuration that can handle the Zips 3-4000 fans who show up routinely. If done correctly, it would be a small but classy facility that would provide an upgraded recruiting tool to KD, an financially feasible option to the new university President and increase season tickey sales since KD's team wins and the objection of sitting on bleachers and not being able to see over/under or through the track railing will be eliminated. Someday, if the Zips sell out every game for a few years and the UA continues to increase student enrollment and they actually care how their bball teams do, a need for a larger seating capacity might materialize. Until then, let the renovations begin by having a bon fire of the old bleachers, unless some high school wants them for their gym.