NEW ORLEANS - The 2014 Sun Belt Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Championships will be held at Lakefront Arena in New Orleans the league office announced today. New Orleans will be the host site of the tournament through 2016.
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/...out_sports
Been there done that back when I was in college, but I guess it would be better than Hot Springs..For obvious selfish reasons wished it could be at a more centralized location to make it easier for me to attend and for one of the few schools fanbase (WKU) who care about basketball left to attend.....
Good news for me. I don't necessarily want it in Nola, but glad it is moving out of Hot Springs. I still think Birmingham would be a great place for the tournament.
(02-05-2013 01:12 PM)SkullyMaroo Wrote: [ -> ]Good news for me. I don't necessarily want it in Nola, but glad it is moving out of Hot Springs. I still think Birmingham would be a great place for the tournament.
I would vote for Birmingham...
FedEx Forum, for obviously selfish reasons would be my pick.
This is one dead horse that has been exceedingly beaten. It doesn't matter where any fan would "vote" to put it, there has to be mutual interest between the conference and the city and then ultimately the decision has to be made as to what's best for everyone. Hot Springs gave us a sweetheart deal and I went multiple times and had a blast every time. I find that 90% of the most outspoken complainers regarding Hot Springs never actually attended a tournament there.
(02-05-2013 01:38 PM)mathenis89 Wrote: [ -> ]FedEx Forum, for obviously selfish reasons would be my pick.
If the C7 get to keep their tournament at MSG, I'd think FedEx would definitely be in play for the nBE.
(02-05-2013 01:41 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote: [ -> ]This is one dead horse that has been exceedingly beaten. It doesn't matter where any fan would "vote" to put it, there has to be mutual interest between the conference and the city and then ultimately the decision has to be made as to what's best for everyone. Hot Springs gave us a sweetheart deal and I went multiple times and had a blast every time. I find that 90% of the most outspoken complainers regarding Hot Springs never actually attended a tournament there.
Great small town, with hoops fans everywhere during the tourney. It was definitely the right size for the SBC -- just out of the way.
As a Louisiana resident who grew up just outside New Orleans, the best way to visit the city is to get away from Bourbon Street which most residents avoid. You can stay downtown, but try Frenchmans street instead of Bourbon for your live music. Downtown great restaurants are numerous, but there are loads of great restaurants all over the city. In between games, pick up some lunch at a local grocery or your favorite take out restaurant and hit the Lakefront (just behind UNO's Lakefront arena) and have a picnic along the seawall. If you want to get out of downtown, you can stay in Metairie and save loads of money on your hotels. There are a lot of great eateries in near Metairie in the Gentilly or Bucktown areas just a short hop from the Lakefront area as well. Visit the Audubon zoo, which is great, the Aquarium, or the National World War II museum, which is outstanding.
(02-05-2013 02:22 PM)CajunAmos Wrote: [ -> ]As a Louisiana resident who grew up just outside New Orleans, the best way to visit the city is to get away from Bourbon Street which most residents avoid. You can stay downtown, but try Frenchmans street instead of Bourbon for your live music. Downtown great restaurants are numerous, but there are loads of great restaurants all over the city. In between games, pick up some lunch at a local grocery or your favorite take out restaurant and hit the Lakefront (just behind UNO's Lakefront arena) and have a picnic along the seawall. If you want to get out of downtown, you can stay in Metairie and save loads of money on your hotels. There are a lot of great eateries in near Metairie in the Gentilly or Bucktown areas just a short hop from the Lakefront area as well. Visit the Audubon zoo, which is great, the Aquarium, or the National World War II museum, which is outstanding.
Few people go to Orlando to see the "real" Orlando.
Few people go to Vegas to see the "real" Vegas.
Few people go to New Orleans to the "real" New Orleans.
They go experience the "theme park / tourist" version.
And those people are going to be the ones disappointed by the tournament because Lakefront is not very accessible from the theme park/tourist version of New Orleans.
Me? I don't care as long as they cover up the Southland Conference logo and make sure the court doesn't look like a UNO home game.
You stay downtown, walking distance to all of the downtown attractions, and drive or take shuttles that the hotels would likely provide to the games. Each school will/should set up some sort of "school hotel" and make those types of arrangements. Easy.
Funny, I was told by posters in this very thread that New Orleans didn't want us, that this would never happen, and that there was no reason to do so. Imagine that.
(02-05-2013 02:22 PM)CajunAmos Wrote: [ -> ]As a Louisiana resident who grew up just outside New Orleans, the best way to visit the city is to get away from Bourbon Street which most residents avoid. You can stay downtown, but try Frenchmans street instead of Bourbon for your live music. Downtown great restaurants are numerous, but there are loads of great restaurants all over the city. In between games, pick up some lunch at a local grocery or your favorite take out restaurant and hit the Lakefront (just behind UNO's Lakefront arena) and have a picnic along the seawall. If you want to get out of downtown, you can stay in Metairie and save loads of money on your hotels. There are a lot of great eateries in near Metairie in the Gentilly or Bucktown areas just a short hop from the Lakefront area as well. Visit the Audubon zoo, which is great, the Aquarium, or the National World War II museum, which is outstanding.
Lot of good ideas. There are plenty of relatively "affordable" options downtown though (depending on your definition of affordable), especially if you book early enough i.e. we'll always choose a Marriott over an Econo Lodge type. We've stayed at the Loewes downtown before for ~ $150. And I'd hope that the schools would be able to get some decent deals set up.
The New Orleans bowl had a lot of downtown rooms at less than $100 per night.
(02-05-2013 03:21 PM)BLEEDITRED Wrote: [ -> ]Funny, I was told by posters in this very thread that New Orleans didn't want us, that this would never happen, and that there was no reason to do so. Imagine that.
I never said that. They didn't bid last time they had a chance, which was part of the point of Hot Springs. Go someplace that wanted us and hope it generated interest in future bids.
(02-05-2013 04:03 PM)CajunAmos Wrote: [ -> ]The New Orleans bowl had a lot of downtown rooms at less than $100 per night.
Yeah I know. I priced them back in November and New Orleans was cheaper than Mobile prices for roughly equivalent properties.
March prices tend to run a bit higher historically but the bottom line is the same as it has always been.
IF someone WANTS to come to the tournament they will probably find a way (normal message board quibbles apply can't get off work, don't have any leave, broke, kids in school). I didn't get to stay in downtown Mobile in January but I didn't miss any events because of it. I stayed out a bit and drove into downtown for those events.
People who can't swing more expensive properties near the Quarter can find affordable suburban properties that are clean, nice and safe and many of them will offer budget friendly free continental breakfast.
I have stayed for cheaper in the Quarter than what I've paid in Hot Springs.
(02-05-2013 04:03 PM)CajunAmos Wrote: [ -> ]The New Orleans bowl had a lot of downtown rooms at less than $100 per night.
Even better.
The only issue with New Orleans is that its at a home site for a Southland Conference team. It would be ugly if I had to see University of New Orleans plastered all over the court every time we watched the final on ESPN. I really hope we just bring our own court. I also wonder how we will host both tournaments at the same time with only one available court.
Last SBC tournament for me this year for a little while. Id rather make a trip out of the baseball tournament then the basketball tournament anyway.
(02-05-2013 05:01 PM)KAjunRaider Wrote: [ -> ]I have stayed for cheaper in the Quarter than what I've paid in Hot Springs.
Price the week of the tournament on Expedia, the prices are much higher than what I saw for the weekend of the New Orleans Bowl.
Good for the Belt. It is a much better destination and easily accessible for Southwest Flights.
(02-05-2013 12:44 PM)StillGotIt Wrote: [ -> ]NEW ORLEANS - The 2014 Sun Belt Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Championships will be held at Lakefront Arena in New Orleans the league office announced today. New Orleans will be the host site of the tournament through 2016.
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/...out_sports