I raised that point in a conversation with someone in Development and the answer was an immediate "No". (they will not skimp)
SHU is spending 70(?) on their hockey arena-ice cost less than 25. From a source, ideally we’d spend 65 but things were cut back because of negotiations with the professors. It’s probably why they are saying no debt (idiotic not to do that in today’s market). I’m sure it will be nice, new, clean- but this is the most visible place on campus. It should be special, not standard/ cookie cutter. What will make this special?
Iona wins and their place is a dump- nothing special.
Alumni had some cutting edge architecture for its time. Nemec comes from Yale which has one of the preeminent architecture schools in the world. Acoustics? Design? Lighting? Displays? Amenities? Sight lines?
I would not call the Iona facility a “ dump”. That is unfair. It was recently renovated . I attended a hoop game there as well as a VB match and I commented how much improved the Iona facility really is . I would agree it is not particularly special. The FF convocation center when completed will be on par or better then the Quinnipiac and Monmouth facilities. It will be the premiere facility in the MAAC IMO. I am confident the architects will be properly planning the building amenities, However, in any project there is not an “ unlimited checkbook” and trade offs will need to be determined. Once completed the CC center will be so much better then the “ classic alumni hall “ which IMO was in fact a dump.
Another poster on this board pointed out to me the latest rendering is minus the ribbon scoreboard.
Hope this has not been eliminated. The ribbon board is a revenue generator and will pay for itself over time, not to mention greatly enhance the in game experience.
First Rendering Released:
Most Recent Rendering:
Last Edit: Oct 9, 2021 10:25:53 GMT -5 by paulie74
stags74 said: I would not call the Iona facility a “ dump”. That is unfair. It was recently renovated . I attended a hoop game there as well as a VB match and I commented how much improved the Iona facility really is . I would agree it is not particularly special. The FF convocation center when completed will be on par or better then the Quinnipiac and Monmouth facilities. It will be the premiere facility in the MAAC IMO.....
Hynes Athletics Center The Hynes Athletics Center main gym is the home of Iona College's volleyball, men's and women's basketball programs. The Hynes Center is going over major renovations during the summer of 2019 that will transform the Maroon & Gold's home court into a more transformational and state-of-the-art.
The complex contains one main basketball court and two practice courts. The volleyball matches take place on the main court. The seating in the new Hynes Center will be retractable bleachers surrounding the main court. The capacity of the new Hynes Athletics Center will be adjusted to 2,578.
The re-imagining of the Hynes Athletics Center is possible thanks to a generous lead gift from Edward F. Arrigoni '56, '91H.
The renovations will dramatically change the experience for both student-athletes and fans with seating around all four sides of the court, state-of-the-art LED scoreboards, improved lighting and sound, a new playing surface, and further support Iona's ESPN School Productions efforts. A new Arrigoni Hall of Excellence will be created in the front entranceway to showcase Iona's accomplished student-athletes creating a fitting tribute to the fine men and women who have represented Iona and its athletic legacy.
Projected to open in 2022, the new Arena & Convocation Center (ACC) facility will boast a state-of-the-art broadcast and media center, luxury seating and lounge areas, and updated features that will truly make it a showpiece of Fairfield's modern campus.
As the future home of Fairfield's basketball and volleyball programs, the new Convocation Center will feature the latest in today's lighting and scoreboard technology on the lower court area, as well as cutting edge broadcast and audio systems. The upgrades will enhance the quality of the event experience for those in attendance, and will also benefit remote viewers through advanced livestreaming and video production.
"A modern facility makes an impression on prospective student-athletes, regardless of the sport they play," Director of Athletics Paul Schlickmann said. " It demonstrates an overall commitment to Athletics by the University and will be transformational in its impact on all our programs." ....
… center when completed will be on par or better then the Quinnipiac and Monmouth facilities. It will be the premiere facility in the MAAC IMO. I am confident the architects will be properly planning the building amenities, However, in any project there is not an “ unlimited checkbook” and trade offs will need to be determined. Once completed the CC center will be so much better then the “ classic alumni hall “ which IMO was in fact a dump.
The QU facility is about 15 years old. On par with that is not an accomplishment-it’s a nice place but i’d hope things could be improved on in that time frame. The Monmouth is great- again, id hope to be better than what our peers did 5 years ago.
Trade offs usually are “skimping”.
I graduated 30 years ago and Alumni hall was a should have been replaced around then. The experiment with harbor yards obviously failed and failed over 10 years ago. Alumni was poorly maintained and never really renovated- failures. Comparing anything new to it in light of that is a poor argument imo
… center when completed will be on par or better then the Quinnipiac and Monmouth facilities. It will be the premiere facility in the MAAC IMO. I am confident the architects will be properly planning the building amenities, However, in any project there is not an “ unlimited checkbook” and trade offs will need to be determined. Once completed the CC center will be so much better then the “ classic alumni hall “ which IMO was in fact a dump.
The QU facility is about 15 years old. On par with that is not an accomplishment-it’s a nice place but i’d hope things could be improved on in that time frame. The Monmouth is great- again, id hope to be better than what our peers did 5 years ago.
Trade offs usually are “skimping”.
I graduated 30 years ago and Alumni hall was a should have been replaced around then. The experiment with harbor yards obviously failed and failed over 10 years ago. Alumni was poorly maintained and never really renovated- failures. Comparing anything new to it in light of that is a poor argument imo
Perhaps comparing anything new to classic alumni hall was unfair as u indicate. However calling Iona’s facility a dump was improper. Have u ever attended an event in the renovated facility? The practice of reviewing various options and trading off those alternatives based on their value to the project is called “ value engineering “ and is a common practice between the project sponsor and the projects architects /engineers. If you choose to call that process “ skimping” then that is of course your right to do so on this board of opinions.
Skimping is making the best with 45-50mm instead of 65. SHU is building something for 70-that’s the comp right down the street.
Some of the “toys” in the arena will be undoubtedly nice stuff. Sounds system will probably be great-I mentioned acoustics though-haven’t seen a mention of that-it’s a architectural specialty. The best venue out there for that is the Kimmel Center in Philly(not an athletic facility) - the Philadelphia Spectrum and Providence Civic center were renowned for their acoustics
Sacred Heart's $70 million Martire Family Arena seems to have a video ribbon board above the ice.
Sacred Heart University broke ground on March 15 its $70 million hockey and skating arena located on the University's West Campus in Fairfield, SHU President John J. Petillo announced. "The facility will be home to our Division I men's and women's hockey programs, our top-ranked figure skating team and our current men's club team along with a new women's program commencing next fall. It is the continuation of a multi-year expansion program to support student growth, engagement and personal development. This facility will serve our student-athletes both on and off the ice," he said.
Petillo also thanked Frank and Marisa Martire for their gift of $5 million in support of the arena. "We are extremely grateful for Frank and Marisa's continued generosity to Sacred Heart. They give of their time, their talent and their philanthropy, which is extremely valuable to us," he said. The arena will be named for the Martire family. Frank Martire, a 1969 graduate of Sacred Heart, is chairman of the University's board of trustees and has an equity interest in the NHL's Las Vegas franchise, the Vegas Golden Knights. The Martires also supported the Frank & Marisa Martire Center for the Liberal Arts and the Chapel of the Holy Spirit....
The fundraiser was a very nice event. It was a beautiful warm evening and country club of Fairfield has a wonderful setting on a bluff overlooking the Long Island sound. A open bar located on the rear portico was available for the entire event. I had the opportunity to visit with “ son of doc” , “ reindeer fan” and “ paulie 74”. The event raised $15k for FF basketball and was attended by 50-75+ attendees. Paul Schlickmann addressed the group. Nothin new from him. The standard dialog, it’s a great time for FF athletics and athletics are on great upward trajectory to establishing a premier mid-major program etc. Crisler , Green and Benning were at the event with Taj speaking and thanking all for their continued support. Coach Young spoke to the crowd acknowledging his new contract and indicating he wants to coach at FF to the end of his career. He took Q&A’s from the audience. One attendee asked if any school had been identified as a opponent for the first game at the CC. Jay indicated “ NO” but would like to see a traditional opponent like Holy Cross or some other school that FF has history with. The speaker segment ended with “ Son of Doc” speaking about the origin of of “ Docs Rountable” and how it was started by his dad and my friend the late Dr. Walt Pleban during the Terry O’Connor coaching era. Overall a very nice evening!
If the goal is to have our opening opponent at CC be “a traditional opponent like Holy Cross or some other school that FF has history with” then I doubt it’s going to be Holy Cross since they’re coming to WBA this season. Assuming the construction stays on schedule, I’d guess Fordham, Sacred Heart, or (a bit of a stretch) Yale are likely candidates for the first home game at CC.
Stags vs: Holy Cross (20-22) since 1949-50 St. Peter's (58-60) since 1950-51 Fordham (13-30) since 1961-62 Yale (13-10) since 1976-77 Sacred Heart (7-0) since 2007-08
The first opponent to ever play in Alumni Hall was Holy Cross on December 5, 1959. In addition to the Cross being a longtime rival, there would be some historical significance if they opened it up.
Can't help but wonder if Ed Cooley and the Friars would be willing to be the first opponent?
Last Edit: Oct 9, 2021 17:15:02 GMT -5 by vastagman