Did you get an invitation?

[zff]

SourceMake sure you check out the comments posted about this story. Someone has a thought about a new arena.Groundbreaking ceremony set for new UA stadium By Katie ByardBeacon Journal online journalist POSTED: 10:29 a.m. EDT, Apr 01, 2008 The University of Akron will host a by-invitation-only groundbreaking ceremony Friday for its new $64 million stadium. UA aims to have the long-awaited facility complete in time for the first home football game of the season in September 2009. The facility, which will be built southeast of campus, is named for its biggest contributors: Gary and Karen Taylor of InfoCision Inc. in Bath Township and Summa Health System in Akron. The university unveiled the plans for the stadium in August. It will accommodate 30,000 people seated and standing, be used for a wide range of events and will bring football back to campus for the first time in almost 50 years. The Zips now play at the Rubber Bowl several miles away. That concrete-and-steel horseshoe opened in 1940. For more information about the stadium and to see video of the construction, visit http://www.uakron.edu/stadium/index.php The University of Akron will host a by-invitation-only groundbreaking ceremony Friday for its new $64 million stadium.UA aims to have the long-awaited facility complete in time for the first home football game of the season in September 2009.The facility, which will be built southeast of campus, is named for its biggest contributors: Gary and Karen Taylor of InfoCision Inc. in Bath Township and Summa Health System in Akron.The university unveiled the plans for the stadium in August. It will accommodate 30,000 people seated and standing, be used for a wide range of events and will bring football back to campus for the first time in almost 50 years.The Zips now play at the Rubber Bowl several miles away. That concrete-and-steel horseshoe opened in 1940.For more information about the stadium and to see video of the construction, visit http://www.uakron.edu/stadium/index.php

[UAZipster0305]

Any legitamcy to the comments about a new on-campus arena?

[ZachTheZip]

Sounds like wishful thinking. He claims it will happen because it makes sense in his mind. Classic internet behavior: You think something up, and it makes so much sense to you that you claim it as a fact.

[zipseuph]

fact is at this point in time we don't need a new arena. we have one on campus that proves to have more than enough room for our fan base. if we can start selling the JAR out for more than just can't then I'll be right there with everyone else rooting for a new arena. until then I say we take the money and spend it in the classroom.

[akronad]

I still waiting for my invitation!!

[g-mann17]

fact is at this point in time we don't need a new arena. we have one on campus that proves to have more than enough room for our fan base. if we can start selling the JAR out for more than just can't then I'll be right there with everyone else rooting for a new arena. until then I say we take the money and spend it in the classroom.

For the record, and you can correct me if I am wrong, but close to 50% of 300 million has been spent on classroom and technology upgrades to the campus. A lot has gone to dorms, but we do have an integrated WiFi setup for the campus, the Auburn Science center has a brand new science library, there is the College of Arts and Science, there are teaching and instruction areas in the student union and the recreation center. Leigh, Zook, Guzetta, Goodyear Science Center, and Kolbe, and Schrank North and South have had uprgrades. Not too mention what is going on with Medina, and Wayne campuses. Oh, and the fact Carrol Hall is being raised for a new classroom space and the that the stadium will have class room space.Now, on the subject of "not selling out the JAR". We don't, and I'm not going to give you a 'build and they will come' comment. But the fact is, that our school is trying to be taken more seriously, we do not receive 1 and 1 commitments from big time schools. Why? Because our facilities are not adequate enough to support a Duke, or Michigan or OSU. These schools bring 4-5 thousand fans where ever they go. They are not going to play in an arena that only seats 5000 period. We want to say it's "out of fear of losing" and some of it is, but the truth is that we do not have the state of the art facilities that are going to make a Major feel comfortable playing against us. When the football stadium is complete we will probably be able to get any tier 2 school from a major conference to play us at home. Why? Because if there is an injury the player can be treated on site, an X-Ray will be able to be done, we are minutes from nationally ranked hospitals. These factor hugely into what kind of team you can draw to your stadium/arena. So yes, the JAR is only 25 years old, but it is so far behind technologically speaking, that it might as well be 80 years old. When it was built, offices and nice locker rooms were the main thing, now you have to account for Sports Medicine facilities and fan experiences. And on that the JAR is horribly out of date.Now we have a mayor and city that is willing to work with the University to build something special, and I am pretty sure that the powers that be are leaning that way, because it gives the Campus a larger footprint if an arena were to be built downtown, and it is more impressive for the student/fan/athlete experience if it is wrapped up in a nice neat universal package that includes shopping and entertainment. Bottom line is, we need a new arena to be taken seriuosly. Can't is constantly improving the MAC Center and all we've done with the JAR is a Scoreboard and new court. A partnership with the city to build a 10-12,000 seat arena would make Akron the premier program in the MAC and maybe even give us the push we need to get into a real conference like the Big East.

[Lee Adams]

how much dinero did one have to cough up to get invited? seems like the AD already forgot the REAL fans...

[gozips19]

great post g-man.....and as for the real fans, they are invited to attend after the photo opp. in the field house.

[GJGood]

fact is at this point in time we don't need a new arena. we have one on campus that proves to have more than enough room for our fan base. if we can start selling the JAR out for more than just can't then I'll be right there with everyone else rooting for a new arena. until then I say we take the money and spend it in the classroom.

For the record, and you can correct me if I am wrong, but close to 50% of 300 million has been spent on classroom and technology upgrades to the campus. A lot has gone to dorms, but we do have an integrated WiFi setup for the campus, the Auburn Science center has a brand new science library, there is the College of Arts and Science, there are teaching and instruction areas in the student union and the recreation center. Leigh, Zook, Guzetta, Goodyear Science Center, and Kolbe, and Schrank North and South have had uprgrades. Not too mention what is going on with Medina, and Wayne campuses. Oh, and the fact Carrol Hall is being raised for a new classroom space and the that the stadium will have class room space.Now, on the subject of "not selling out the JAR". We don't, and I'm not going to give you a 'build and they will come' comment. But the fact is, that our school is trying to be taken more seriously, we do not receive 1 and 1 commitments from big time schools. Why? Because our facilities are not adequate enough to support a Duke, or Michigan or OSU. These schools bring 4-5 thousand fans where ever they go. They are not going to play in an arena that only seats 5000 period. We want to say it's "out of fear of losing" and some of it is, but the truth is that we do not have the state of the art facilities that are going to make a Major feel comfortable playing against us. When the football stadium is complete we will probably be able to get any tier 2 school from a major conference to play us at home. Why? Because if there is an injury the player can be treated on site, an X-Ray will be able to be done, we are minutes from nationally ranked hospitals. These factor hugely into what kind of team you can draw to your stadium/arena. So yes, the JAR is only 25 years old, but it is so far behind technologically speaking, that it might as well be 80 years old. When it was built, offices and nice locker rooms were the main thing, now you have to account for Sports Medicine facilities and fan experiences. And on that the JAR is horribly out of date.Now we have a mayor and city that is willing to work with the University to build something special, and I am pretty sure that the powers that be are leaning that way, because it gives the Campus a larger footprint if an arena were to be built downtown, and it is more impressive for the student/fan/athlete experience if it is wrapped up in a nice neat universal package that includes shopping and entertainment. Bottom line is, we need a new arena to be taken seriuosly. Can't is constantly improving the MAC Center and all we've done with the JAR is a Scoreboard and new court. A partnership with the city to build a 10-12,000 seat arena would make Akron the premier program in the MAC and maybe even give us the push we need to get into a real conference like the Big East.

I agree with most of what you are saying, but do we need a new arena or just to update and expand the current one? Which would be less expensive?As far as moving to the Big East I'm not for that anytime in the near future because of how much I like the MAC as a conference. I'd rather see the entire MAC move up a couple notches on the national scale and have us be a perennial power in that newly more respected league.

[g-mann17]

I agree with most of what you are saying, but do we need a new arena or just to update and expand the current one? Which would be less expensive?As far as moving to the Big East I'm not for that anytime in the near future because of how much I like the MAC as a conference. I'd rather see the entire MAC move up a couple notches on the national scale and have us be a perennial power in that newly more respected league.

A: yes, we need a new arena, expansion (at least to have something special) is often times as costly as building new, especially since the city wants to be involved so we can actually spend less in the long run for a new arena. B: the MAC isn't going to move up, it doesn't happen, UCF, and Marshall, left, there is more money in other conferences, plain and simple. The MAC doesn't generate money the way the Big East does. It is best for all athletic programs at the University to be part of a larger more prestigious conference.Now back to the cost thing. When I was attending the University, and plans were in the works for the Student Rec center, Summa had approached the University to build (not help build, just build) a state of the art Rec center. Probably something that would even rival what we have now, especially from an athletics stand point because it would have included orthopedic rehabilitation equipment and experts. Needless to say certain individuals on the ASG felt that this would make the school a "sell out" and it wouldn't be "our rec center" and the hospitals could use it anytime they wanted. Well, let's just say that decision that was made was a poor choice, and we students ended up (and still are) footing the bill for this. Long story short, if someone or some group, wants to help build something that makes the University a better school, you take the money and run.

[zipseuph]

G-MannI stand corrected on the academic end of my argument. the one thing I would like to debate with you is your point of new arena = power house. I think before we can talk about moving into a new conference or becoming a power house we need to win the MAC. all the bells and whistles don't mean a thing unless you win. but I do agree that it would help.finally I love reading your posts and I would like to hear your thoughts on how we get more students into the JAR because winning alone obviously isn't it.

[g-mann17]

G-MannI stand corrected on the academic end of my argument. the one thing I would like to debate with you is your point of new arena = power house. I think before we can talk about moving into a new conference or becoming a power house we need to win the MAC. all the bells and whistles don't mean a thing unless you win. but I do agree that it would help.finally I love reading your posts and I would like to hear your thoughts on how we get more students into the JAR because winning alone obviously isn't it.

Well, being that the bulk or our students are still unfortunately commuter students we really have to look at what we can do. (And that's not a dig at commuter students, I was one, I know how hard it is to drive back and forth to campus and find parking spots and leave after 5 - 7 hours of class and being in Bierce only to get home and think, man there was a game tonight)The first area of concentration for getting more students to the game is really getting Res Life, and the Greek council to really push it home to the people on campus that a Zips home game is where to be. This doesn't just go for Men's basketball, it goes for women's basketball, volleyball, swimming etc. It's building pride in the school. The AK-Rowdies seem to be a good student organization that is moving in the right direction. I didn't have a group like this when I attended. We did have groups that were "Suckeye" fans. And unless you became a fan you barely knew when anything was going on.WZIP 88 is another good tool. If you know people that are DJ's PD's etc, you have to make sure we are selling it that the sporting events are where it is at. We have a contender in Men's basketball every year; we have a contender in Men's Soccer every year; and it's just a plain exciting time for the football program. Not to be harsh on Z88 sports but when you have bio pics and only two of your crew are sporting University of Akron paraphernalia there is a major problem.

[ZippyTuba11]

A new arena would be nice, but can anyone really devise a way to construct one as massive as being suggested while not raising tuition? From what I understand, major contributors to UA are already exhausted with all the donations of the stadium. We are already deeply in debt from landscape for learning and the stadium, so where is the money going to come from for a new massive arena?And for reference, the addition to Guzzetta Hall did not benefit any student from the school of music. The new classes are mainly for dance students. The old part of Guzzetta Hall is still crap and has not been touched. In all honesty, they might have well not connected the new part because they serve two entirely separate student bodies and functions.I would rather the University focus on academics. This is part of the reason our sports teams are taken as jokes to major BS schools. The demolition of Carroll is a great first step, but most of the old buildings are STILL in horrible condition and need major renovation or demolition. Or how about new books for the library? Has the U still not bought a book in what...8 years or was that ever resolved? And how about parking? I would rather see a brand new parking deck and parking lots than a new basketball arena any day.So before we start looking into raising the bill for a new basketball arena, there is still major work around campus that would benefit the students far more.

[g-mann17]

A new arena would be nice, but can anyone really devise a way to construct one as massive as being suggested while not raising tuition? From what I understand, major contributors to UA are already exhausted with all the donations of the stadium. We are already deeply in debt from landscape for learning and the stadium, so where is the money going to come from for a new massive arena?

This is only point I will address of yours, the rest just seems to be you being very misinformed.Due to NCAA restrictions no athletic facility can be paid for through student generated moneys. In other words, like the football stadium, a new arena would have to garner outside donations and bonds to be paid back from general operating revenues from said arena. So if an arena (which costs students nothing) is built it is in not in place of academic facilities, it is to bolster the student experience. Also, it's all pipe dreams right now anyway so don't get your tuba tarnished when this is something that is at least 5 years out from being in an actual planning stage.

[Valpo Zip]

The lack of student attendance has always been on the fact that Akron is a commuter school.2 years ago the students living on campus were around 2500 students and we recently added the exchange dorms (600 beds) and the Quaker square (400?) so we should be around 3500 students living officially on campus and another 1000 living around campus (walking distance). That makes a total of 4500 students who can simply walk to the JAR if they wanted.On average, we have around 400 students in a men's babll game half of those are commuters. out of the 4500 campus students only 200-250 show up for an average bball game. That's where the work should be done.

[ZachTheZip]

the one thing I would like to debate with you is your point of new arena = power house. I think before we can talk about moving into a new conference or becoming a power house we need to win the MAC. all the bells and whistles don't mean a thing unless you win. but I do agree that it would help.finally I love reading your posts and I would like to hear your thoughts on how we get more students into the JAR because winning alone obviously isn't it.

This line of thinking is actually what's holding us back. In fact it's what is wrong with the whole MAC. The idea that money comes from winning is absolutely wrong. There is nothing any UA team can do short of winning a national title that would give us consistantly good attendance and consistantly good media coverage and consistantly good athletic donations. The only thing that is consistant and under the university's control is the Athletic Department budget. The only thing that is controllable is the amount of comittment that the university has to athletics. Everything else depends on too much outside factors to be reliable forms of advancing the programs.This stadium was a matter of necessity. We needed it to keep up, let alone to attempt to advance. Right now we're playing catch up. We're simply trying to stay afloat. To take the next step, there needs to be a massive overhaul of everything we do regarding athletics. There needs to be a massive comittment to do things the right way. Mostly it's the little things that let you know just how much the U is putting into athletics. The details tell me that it's not as much as it seems. Here are some examples:[*]Not utilising all the concession stands in the JAR. - This is a problem. It may not seem like it to you, but it sends a message that we're only half-assing it when it comes to serving the fans. I'm sure we could find some college kids that would be willing to work for two hours twice a week selling food.[*]No vendors selling food/drinks in the stands - Same as above, only this applies for all sports. They only do this when we play Can't for football and basketball. They don't do this at soccer games at all.[*]Very little pregame entertainment or fanfare - They need to show highlites during the warmup time on the screens at the JAR instead of a screensaver. - They need to have face-painting booths for the kids at every single athletic event. The dance team or cheerleaders could do it.Most people don't realize stuff like this is missing until it is pointed out, but it has an effect on their gameday experience whether they realize it or not. These are a few simple things that I don't see, and it tells me that there is either a lack of comittment to athletics events or a serious lack of creativity on some gameday planning committee (assuming we even have someone who is inchrge of making these things happen, and if not they need to hire someone NOW!).

[g-mann17]

The lack of student attendance has always been on the fact that Akron is a commuter school.2 years ago the students living on campus were around 2500 students and we recently added the exchange dorms (600 beds) and the Quaker square (400?) so we should be around 3500 students living officially on campus and another 1000 living around campus (walking distance). That makes a total of 4500 students who can simply walk to the JAR if they wanted.On average, we have around 400 students in a men's babll game half of those are commuters. out of the 4500 campus students only 200-250 show up for an average bball game. That's where the work should be done.

And that is my point, if we average 2500 in attendance now, and we can get 50-60% of the on campus population to show up, then you are talking 4250. And that at an average game, is impressive, and is achievable.

[Zipsrifle]

I have to say I disagree with many of the points here. I don't believe there is an urgent need for a new arena. I don't believe throwing huge amounts of money into the athletic program is a wise choice. I do believe that winning will help improve things and I do believe that things many things could be done better, with little or no increase in the current budget to improve fan support. I understand that the students don't directly fund the new athletic complexes, but the U will have to issue additional bonds increasing it's debt further which has already led to a debt rating that was recently downgraded from 10 years of construction. Everyone loves construction and new things, but these are not free and we do eventually have to pay off this debt. Unfortunately, everyone in this country believes it is their right to have nice new stuff...sorry folks, it isn't, that's one of the reasons why the economy is such a mess right now. I think the path that Proenza has taken over the past decade was necessary to breath new life into UofA. Akron is now turning heads, and this is the time to be responsible. We don't sellout the JAR and though a new arena would help increase the number of fans, it would only do so for a few years and then we'll be asking for another new arena. In addition, the BIG schools make a LOT of money with their athletic programs and Akron does not. We cannot expect to compete with these programs on a facilities basis if we aren't making money and don't win. The JAR is fine, a winning team will continue to bring in fans. When it starts to sellout, increase prices and THEN start thinking about a new arena.The big schools do NOT base their decision on if they are going to play us or not based on if we have an in-house X-ray facility or a close hospital. The big schools know that we need the money games and that we will get the crap kicked out of us for some cash. If we offered OSU $100 million they would play us at the RB. Money talks, Bull$#!+ walks and THAT is why they don't come to play in Akron. They will play us in Cleveland, but that is if WE get a "Home Game" and THEY get a big cut of the revenue! Again, we were at the point in FB where we either put $50 million into the RB or $50 million into a new stadium. Either way, $50 million was going to be spent and seeing that the RB is what, 7 miles from Campus, it was a no brainer. We'll get some "big" schools into Infocision early on because a brand new stadium is not something that happens all the time in College FB. The stadium itself will get some press, that is enticing. Lets see how many "big" schools come to town when that place is 5 years old??Winning will improve things. Winning HAS improved things. I myself have gone to more Akron BB games this season than in the past 10 years combined because they are winning. Call me a fair weather fan, but I really didn't get excited about BB until Akron started to stir things up. If you are frustrated becasue after 2 solid seasons, we aren't selling out the JAR, give it more time. We are not going to get more attention in Ohio when OSU is going to National Championships (or any championship) and we can't win our own confrence. OSU has done an done an absolutely amazing job of entrenching itself as THE ONLY College that matters in the State, that it is an uphill battle for everyone else. We will need to keep winning, win the confrence, and also beat teams like UMASS to get noticed. For some reason, Zip fans feel it is necessary to increase a coach's salary after each win and then ask for his firing after each loss. KD has done a great job. He is building a solid program but has yet to take us to the NCAA's. Give him incentives that, when he brings us championships and NCAA births, will be a big payoff. In the end, if a big schools comes for him, we aren't going to be able to out bid them. What we have on our side is that KD is an Alum, and hopefully that keeps him here if he's proves to be a consistent winner. As for JD, everyone was saying that he was as good as gone when he beat NCState and guess what, this year, he's gonna be on the hot seat. I for one feel it is important to give a coach time to develop their program and JD has had time to do that. Right now, I'm not very excited about the upcoming season and JD needs to earn his money.

[Captain Kangaroo]

And that is my point, if we average 2500 in attendance now, and we can get 50-60% of the on campus population to show up, then you are talking 4250. And that at an average game, is impressive, and is achievable.

The last half of 2008 we averaged over 4k. People showed up in very good numbers for the games that mattered. I agree with a lot of what's been said above. But I disagree that basketball attendance is all that bad. Good games now draw between 4k and 5k with regularity. For an arena that seats only 5,500, that's pretty good.Someone hit the nail on the head when they mentioned a new arena and how it would affect the "game day experience." Just as people stay away from the Rubber Bowl because it is a dump, people avoid the JAR because it is an oversized HS gym. Concessions are terrible. The wooden bleachers are uncomfortable. There are no loges for local companies to entertain clients. The JAR is a place to watch basketball. That's it. Which is cool with me...but if you want to tack on a few extra thousand people to the average Zips game, you need to accommodate the needs of people looking for something extra. A new arena with nice comfortable seats, that's kid friendly, with "club" seating, with some loges...that will get people off the couch and in the stands in impressive numbers.And we need a decent schedule and a consistently good Zips team too.

[akronad]

Although this is a semi-moot point at this time, I will throw in my 2 cents worth. First, and foremost IF we are looking to rehab or build a new arena, it will be a new arena. Originally, the JAR was designed like the Convo Center at CSU. However, politics got in the way, and we got screwed, with a half-a-- built facility. There was no forethought or rhyme or reason as to how the JAR was built. Just give Akron a new facility that is bigger than Memorial Hall. That wa sthe line of thinking at the time. So, we have a arena that holds what, 5500 people? That is not even double the capacity of Memorial Hall. Winning plays an important role in this project. People love a winner. Remember, the MAC fb championship and the bowl game in Detroit. There were so many people that went to those games. Why? Because, Akron was a winner AND just as importantly had a massive PR machine at that time. That's another thing, the Sports Infomation Department needs to work with the promotional depatment and get the word out and bodies into the stands. Finally, the cost of new faciltiy is not cheap. We would have to solicit big money (again) from the big time alumni or form a partnership with the City or someone else to help foot the bill. We really need to be creative and come up with a win-win solution for everyone.

[gozips19]

so you need to win to make a bigger conference???? tell that to south fla and ucf. they are larger city schools with above ave facilities and are building more. akron's on the same path with only a new futbol stadium and hoops arena left. plus, if the city wants to build a brand new arena for you why not run with it!