(03-18-2015 12:59 PM)SWVaJMUfan Wrote:  Here's an arena that seems like a good model for JMU to build their new Convo. Maybe make it a bit larger since this is from Division II UVA-Wise.

What the outside looks like: http://www.uvawise.edu/convocationcenter.../236_0.jpg

Inside the arena: http://i49.tinypic.com/2mc8092.jpg

Ha Ha.

That one is atrocious. It is everything you should NOT do. Good laugh though

(03-18-2015 10:50 AM)JMU2004 Wrote:  Really liked what I saw at Upstate. Nice chairback seats! Great viewing angles, and every seat close to the court.

It made my high school's gym look like the staples center. Seriously, it did.

(03-18-2015 07:01 PM)Hart Foundation Wrote:  That one is atrocious. It is everything you should NOT do. Good laugh though

Which arena are you referring to?

This model provides a balcony close to the floor for the pep band. Students can stand on the floor close to the action and not block anyone's view. I would up grade the bench seats for chairbacks with a cup holder for the donors. Sufficient size to allow for fan growth while not looking so big that a nice size crowd is lost to the television audience.


http://i.imgur.com/M2H8hlx.jpg

(03-18-2015 07:56 PM)SWVaJMUfan Wrote:  

(03-18-2015 07:01 PM)Hart Foundation Wrote:  That one is atrocious. It is everything you should NOT do. Good laugh though

Which arena are you referring to?

That DII one that you posted.

Wow. Just checked the cost of Towson's SECU arena and it cost $62 million and only seats 5200.
JMU can copy some of their design and improve the flaws with the $80ish million already approved.

The more I think about it, the more I think 8,000 is plenty big. If 1500 of those seats are retractable student seating then you are only building 6500 permanent seats. Students don't need anything except bleachers.

That can be an arena much smaller on the interior than the convo, but have more seats due to proper engineering.

(03-18-2015 09:29 PM)Hart Foundation Wrote:  Wow. Just checked the cost of Towson's SECU arena and it cost $62 million and only seats 5200.
JMU can copy some of their design and improve the flaws with the $80ish million already approved.

The more I think about it, the more I think 8,000 is plenty big. If 1500 of those seats are retractable student seating then you are only building 6500 permanent seats. Students don't need anything except bleachers.

That can be an arena much smaller on the interior than the convo, but have more seats due to proper engineering.

Go back in this thread and take a close look at Auburn's. Its exactly as you describe.

H

(03-18-2015 09:37 PM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  

(03-18-2015 09:29 PM)Hart Foundation Wrote:  Wow. Just checked the cost of Towson's SECU arena and it cost $62 million and only seats 5200.
JMU can copy some of their design and improve the flaws with the $80ish million already approved.

The more I think about it, the more I think 8,000 is plenty big. If 1500 of those seats are retractable student seating then you are only building 6500 permanent seats. Students don't need anything except bleachers.

That can be an arena much smaller on the interior than the convo, but have more seats due to proper engineering.

Go back in this thread and take a close look at Auburn's. Its exactly as you describe.

It is close in capacity, but it isn't THE answer. Fix the dead space around the court, build steeper seating, add some club seats/suites where the open concourse is, have a few less rows in the lower deck and a few more in the upper. Then Auburn would have the crown jewel.
It can be done and it can be done with the $80 million budget.

found a newer arena with some interesting concepts of building up instead of out. Nebraska's Pinnacle Bank arena has 4 levels and seats 15,000. While that is way too big for JMU's purposes, if you build it to 60% scale, then you have a cozy 9,000 seat arena. It also looks like they only have collapsible seating on one side of the court.
Lower level, suite level, "dress circle", and balcony.

(03-21-2015 10:15 PM)Hart Foundation Wrote:  found a newer arena with some interesting concepts of building up instead of out. Nebraska's Pinnacle Bank arena has 4 levels and seats 15,000. While that is way too big for JMU's purposes, if you build it to 60% scale, then you have a cozy 9,000 seat arena. It also looks like they only have collapsible seating on one side of the court.
Lower level, suite level, "dress circle", and balcony.

I have attended two games at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln this year. Great venue and exactly what we should be looking at. I thought it was only 8K ish, not 15K though...

That place is nice but also about $80 million more than we have budgeted so we're going to have to temper expectations. JMU seems to be pretty good at stretching dollars when it comes to facilities. If you look at what we got in comparison to what we paid for Bridgeforth I'd say we got a steal in comparison to a lot of other projects I've seen. They had to do some stuff like go with metal rather than concrete but that didn't really turn out to be an issue at all really.

(03-23-2015 01:33 PM)DoubleDDuke Wrote:  That place is nice but also about $80 million more than we have budgeted so we're going to have to temper expectations. JMU seems to be pretty good at stretching dollars when it comes to facilities. If you look at what we got in comparison to what we paid for Bridgeforth I'd say we got a steal in comparison to a lot of other projects I've seen. They had to do some stuff like go with metal rather than concrete but that didn't really turn out to be an issue at all really.

that said I think Stanford got a whole stadium for similar money to bridgeforth.

yep 50,424 seats Construction cost
$90 million (2006)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_Stadium

and they demoed previous structure prior to building

don't get me wrong, I love bridgeforth, just would love to see it completed.

UT Arlington built this recently for $78 million.
There is no reason JMU can't do it better for $88 million.

Ole Miss is currently building their pavilion for $85 million and it will seat 9,500. It has the same designers as Auburn used.

You know one thing I could do away with that I don't think adds much value? The hanging scoreboard in the middle of the court. Put a nice board with video at each end and everyone can see it. Just seems like an unnecessary expense to me and something everyone has become accustomed to in a basketball facility but it's not necessary. Ever been to the Palestra in Philadelphia for a game and missed it?