Any reason to think UConn dragging feet on hockey arena is CR related?

[ElGuapo]

The line about being nowhere ready for an on campus rink stood out to me from the Jacob's 'Sports Venue Projects' article in the Hartford Courant today.

http://www.courant.com/sports/hc-jacobs-column-1025-20151024-column.html
Sorry if linky does not worky. Here's the line.

"At any rate, Freimuth has to convince the public, the state legislature, everybody on the merits of rebuilding the XL Center. Cost: Maybe $250 million. Despite initial Hockey East expectations, The Courant's Jenny Wilson reports UConn is nowhere ready to build a new campus rink. That puts the team in Hartford for years. UConn has reached an agreement for a new three-year lease downtown for its sports. All this should point to the state investing long term in itself with a rebuilt XL Center."

This got me thinking that if there is indeed some foot dragging that it's possibly because those in theknow that Hockey East isn't the final destination.

At the very least its good article.
That soccer stadium fiasco that Hartford finds itself in right now is a goshdarnnit mess.

 

[Seaa Blue]

Here's a 10/24 article that directly addresses hockey

UConn's Success At XL Puts On-Campus Arena Focus On Freitas Upgrade
http://www.courant.com/sports/hockey/hc-uconn-hockey-east-arena-site-1025-20151024-story.html

As UConn has explored plans to upgrade its on-campus hockey facility, the school's focus now is on renovating its existing practice arena rather than selecting a new location and building a rink.

Athletic director Warde Manuel said UConn is looking into what needs to be done "to elevate [Freitas Ice Forum] to Hockey East standards, even if it's not used as the competition facility."

 

[Ha Who]

The line about being nowhere ready for an on campus rink stood out to me from the Jacob's 'Sports Venue Projects' article in the Hartford Courant today.

http://www.courant.com/sports/hc-jacobs-column-1025-20151024-column.html
Sorry if linky does not worky. Here's the line.

"At any rate, Freimuth has to convince the public, the state legislature, everybody on the merits of rebuilding the XL Center. Cost: Maybe $250 million. Despite initial Hockey East expectations, The Courant's Jenny Wilson reports UConn is nowhere ready to build a new campus rink. That puts the team in Hartford for years. UConn has reached an agreement for a new three-year lease downtown for its sports. All this should point to the state investing long term in itself with a rebuilt XL Center."

This got me thinking that if there is indeed some foot dragging that it's possibly because those in theknow that Hockey East isn't the final destination.

At the very least its good article.
That soccer stadium fiasco that Hartford finds itself in right now is a goshdarnnit mess.

Sorry but no. Political crap

 

[huskymedic]

This got me thinking that if there is indeed some foot dragging that it's possibly because those in theknow that Hockey East isn't the final destination.

More about where is the $$$money$$$ coming from...

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Not, just the usual state suspects - politics (both state [XL v Storrs] and local [where on campus]) and money. No B1G school hockey team plays off campus as all 6 programs have on campus ice rinks or dual-purpose arenas (Wisconsin & Ohio St).

 

[CTBballfan243]

No, this has nothing to do with CR. UConn will need an on campus hockey facility no matter what confernce they ultimately end up in.

 

[uconnell]

Why can't they just tear own the bldg,leave the rink there and just build over it. I would think that putting in the plumbing etc would be more costly that just erecting
the building.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Why can't they just tear own the bldg,leave the rink there and just build over it. I would think that putting in the plumbing etc would be more costly that just erecting
the building.

Footprint is an issue. The back wall of the arena is right up against the soccer stadium. Thus, its doubtful stands can be added along that side of the arena.

 

[Drew]

Serious question here, what happens to Men's Basketball, Woman's Basketball, and Hockey when they start to renovate the XL Center? Will the teams still be able to play in the arena while it is under construction, or will they have to move all of the games back to campus until the upgrades are done?

 

[Ha Who]

Serious question here, what happens to Men's Basketball, Woman's Basketball, and Hockey when they start to renovate the XL Center? Will the teams still be able to play in the arena while it is under construction, or will they have to move all of the games back to campus until the upgrades are done?

Yes, I believe it will be similar to MSG renovations.

 

[shizzle787]

Serious question here, what happens to Men's Basketball, Woman's Basketball, and Hockey when they start to renovate the XL Center? Will the teams still be able to play in the arena while it is under construction, or will they have to move all of the games back to campus until the upgrades are done?

They'll probably play some games in Bridgeport.

 

[dbmill]

More about where is the $$$money$$$ coming from...

Exactly. Remember, UConn just got through a big project with the basketball practice facility. Also, the school was really just getting going with fundraising for basically three new facilities in soccer, baseball, and softball when the whole upgrade in ice hockey to Hockey East came about. That's a lot of upgrades involving significant sums of money pretty much all at once.

 

[huskymedic]

Serious question here, what happens to Men's Basketball, Woman's Basketball, and Hockey when they start to renovate the XL Center? Will the teams still be able to play in the arena while it is under construction, or will they have to move all of the games back to campus until the upgrades are done?

Spring/Summer renovations over a few seasons... no impact to basketball/hockey playing seasons.

 

[dbmill]

Footprint is an issue. The back wall of the arena is right up against the soccer stadium. Thus, its doubtful stands can be added along that side of the arena.

With soccer staying where it is, I was really hoping that the new ice hockey facility with what I thought would be its bigger size would end up somewhere else on campus. It doesn't sound like the case now.

 

[HuskyV]

Why was the new student rec plec moved to the spot of the Grad dorms? I thought the plan orginally called for the renovation of Guyer & the Fieldhouse. What is the plans for this site now?

 

[huskymedic]

Why was the new student rec plec moved to the spot of the Grad dorms? I thought the plan orginally called for the renovation of Guyer & the Fieldhouse. What is the plans for this site now?

http://today.uconn.edu/2015/09/student-recreation-center-site-selected/

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Why was the new student rec plec moved to the spot of the Grad dorms? I thought the plan orginally called for the renovation of Guyer & the Fieldhouse. What is the plans for this site now?

The location of various facilities is evolving based on need, available money, etc.

Its doubtful that a nice ice rink can go where the Fieldhouse is today as they need that facility varsity sport offices and for track & field (the new rec center is too small for competitions) and the lot is too narrow with Sherman right behind, especially as Sherman is supposed to be 'raised' with and underground parking deck going under a new field hockey field and track & field complex. The associated expansion of Gampel will also take up some space, including the removal of Wolff-Zackin, and I can't find a new pool complex anywhere on the revised master plan (the rec pool is also too small for varsity competitions, also).

 

[NYUConn]

So I'm not opposed to upgrading Freitas rather than building a brand new arena from scratch, except the Freitas renovation would need to be absolutely massive.

The Freitas Ice Forum is listed at having a capacity of 2,000. Maybe if everyone in the bleachers had someone sitting on their shoulders that would be true.

The "renovation" would need to be a complete tear down job where the original structure is replaced and the only thing kept the same would be the site and parking.

 

[B1GEast]

[QUOTE

This got me thinking that if there is indeed some foot dragging that it's possibly because those in theknow that Hockey East isn't the final destination.

[/QUOTE]

My thoughts exactly, maybe the B1G doesn't have the same standards

 

[DarthGrumpy]

[QUOTE

This got me thinking that if there is indeed some foot dragging that it's possibly because those in the know that Hockey East isn't the final destination.

My thoughts exactly, maybe the B1G doesn't have the same standards[/QUOTE]

No sure about formal standard; all B1G hockey arenas are large, university owned and on-campus.

1) Michigan: Yost 6,637
2) Michigan St: Munn 6,470
3) Minnesota: Mariucci 10,000
4) Ohio St: Schottenstein (dual purpose) 17,500
5) Penn St: Pegula 6,000
6) Wisconsin: Kohl (dual-purpose) 15,325​

Freitas with just 2,000 seats is not going to cut is as a game venue in either the B1G or Hockey E. It's fine as a practice venue, though for both men's & women's programs and can even generate some money and/or goodwill by opening it in the evenings to youth and high school hockey programs.

 

[SubbaBub]

You need a state of the art practice facility with the potential to host games on campus. If it takes 4-5 seats, then that's what's needed.

 

[Dooley]

If I have learned anything from my time living in Connecticut, it is that the Civic Center/XL Center debate will never end. This arena has been an issue since the Whalers were here and nothing, other than adding a bar area, has been done to improve it. Our state and sporting venues take decades to hem and haw over. I was shocked that the Rent opened on projected schedule.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

This got me thinking that if there is indeed some foot dragging that it's possibly because those in theknow that Hockey East isn't the final destination.

I think it's an interesting idea. If nothing else, I like the way you turned it into something optimistic.