http://www.ohio.com/news/local/universit...a-1.264926

So Akron was going to move from the MAC to the ARENA LEAGUE?

Quote: The first looked at a possible combined football and basketball facility, which ended up with the plan for a football stadium only, while the second focused on a basketball arena.

The Akron Beacon journal must have been hard up to fill column inches.

This story is several years old. It certainly predates AD Wistrcill by at
least a decade. The University long ago determined that involving the
city of Akron and specifically Mayor Plusquellic adds outside interference
to University planning. Put another way, the city folk want a large
arena capable of having ice hockey and other secondary sports. The
university wants a purpose built basketball arena.

The James A. Rhodes Arena is a terrible design. The roof of the building
is supported by the four corner pillars. They can not be moved.
Those pillars ruin sight lines and preclude adding seating in the corners.
Any investment of money into the JAR is a waste. The JAR lacks
amenities such as concessions, restrooms, entrances, quality lighting.

Coach Dambrot mentioned "fan friendly", i.e. a "pit", where the fans are
close to court action. These type of basketball arenas lend themselves
to being difficult for the road team to win in.

It seems a waste of money to once again do a feasibility study about
something the officials already know the answer to. Architectural plans
for an 11,000 seat arena in four color drawings and a table top size
model already EXIST.

This model does NOT include ice hockey. It is a purpose built design
preferred by coach Dambrot.

A new, larger arena is paramount to Akron finding a new conference
affiliation. As stated by new hire Jim Tressel, his first order of business
is to raise the necessary capital to build a new basketball arena.

I suspect that if Akron could be released from the burden of the West teams dragging their RPI down their men's program might begin to outdraw the MAC's top women's programs and they might need an arena that could handle crowds in the 4,500 range.

(02-15-2012 01:45 PM)ratfink Wrote:  A new, larger arena is paramount to Akron finding a new conference
affiliation. As stated by new hire Jim Tressel, his first order of business
is to raise the necessary capital to build a new basketball arena.

Interested in the Horizon League?

(02-15-2012 01:45 PM)ratfink Wrote:  The Akron Beacon journal must have been hard up to fill column inches.

This story is several years old. It certainly predates AD Wistrcill by at
least a decade. The University long ago determined that involving the
city of Akron and specifically Mayor Plusquellic adds outside interference
to University planning. Put another way, the city folk want a large
arena capable of having ice hockey and other secondary sports. The
university wants a purpose built basketball arena.

The James A. Rhodes Arena is a terrible design. The roof of the building
is supported by the four corner pillars. They can not be moved.
Those pillars ruin sight lines and preclude adding seating in the corners.
Any investment of money into the JAR is a waste. The JAR lacks
amenities such as concessions, restrooms, entrances, quality lighting.

Coach Dambrot mentioned "fan friendly", i.e. a "pit", where the fans are
close to court action. These type of basketball arenas lend themselves
to being difficult for the road team to win in.

It seems a waste of money to once again do a feasibility study about
something the officials already know the answer to. Architectural plans
for an 11,000 seat arena in four color drawings and a table top size
model already EXIST.

This model does NOT include ice hockey. It is a purpose built design
preferred by coach Dambrot.

A new, larger arena is paramount to Akron finding a new conference
affiliation. As stated by new hire Jim Tressel, his first order of business
is to raise the necessary capital to build a new basketball arena.

CUSA would probably take Akron now.