NAIA UVA-Wise (enrollment 1,911) is embarking on a capital campaign to build a $30 million convocation center for athletics and concerts by 2011.

http://www.tricities.com/tri/news/local/...ter/11511/

3,000 seats would be way too small for what ETSU should aspire to build, but at least somebody at Wise is making it happen.

Why is it that schools with a fraction of the enrollment and resources are able to actually get things done, while ETSU fans are relegated to only "dreaming of a sparkling new arena filled with blue clad faithful"?

I noticed that the new basketball arena is the only prospective facility listed on the Capital Campaign site that does not have a projected completion date or comment from a coach. I find that very telling.

Our staff are completely incompetent. Have you even heard they they are TRYING to raise money to build the arena? No you havent, because apparently they arent trying. We had better hope that we can team up with the city and get something built, or we are going to be playing in the dome until the end of time.

Although, I am hearing that they are going to try to break ground on the new baseball stadium soon.

ETSU-07 Wrote:http://www.tricities.com/tri/news/local/...ter/11511/

Why is it that schools with a fraction of the enrollment and resources are able to actually get things done, while ETSU fans are relegated to only "dreaming of a sparkling new arena filled with blue clad faithful"?

Why?

Most importantly, because the community wants it to happen!!

Secondarily,

1. the local legislators are STRONG supporters of the College and fight for its funding in the Virginia legislature. That solid support began in the 1960s and continues today.

2. there are some significant current and past financial supporters of UVa-Wise (George C. Scott, Carol Dale, Carl Smith, etc.). Those are pretty heavy hitters for support of a small college.

3. no infighting among political entities in their service area.

4. the visionary leadership of former Chancellor L. Jay Lemons. I believe the concept for that convocation center was formulated during his tenure.

Don't get me started...

In 1954 the residents of Southwest Virginia had to fight to for what the folks in TRI take for granted. A local state college/university. They understood in 1954 and still understand today the impact that a higher education instituiton has on the residents of their region. UVa-Wise is ranked among the top 5-10 public liberal arts colleges in the nation.

Now want to really pour salt in the wound, last year UVa-Wise raised over 7 million for athletics.

Tidbits (link to press release below):

"Economic developers and regional leaders have long expressed the need in far Southwest Virginia for a facility capable of seating large crowds. Long-range economic plans for the region generally list the need for a Convocation Center as a necessary part of regional growth and development."

"The Convocation Center announcement comes as UVa-Wise is undergoing the largest building phase in the College’s history. By 2010, UVa-Wise will have a new entrance, three new buildings and five major renovations.

The only branch campus of the University of Virginia, UVa-Wise is ranked among the nation’s top ten public liberal arts colleges by U.S. News and World Report. UVa-Wise offers Virginia's only undergraduate degree in software engineering, among 28 other degrees and professional programs in the liberal arts tradition of Thomas Jefferson."






Link to Complete Press Release/Details about their Convocation Center

There is all kinds of good news for my alma mater.

Here are the releases:

UVa-Wise marching band receives $1.28 million gift

http://www.wise.virginia.edu/college_rel...ift08.html

UVa-Wise announces $30 million Convocation Center to host College, community events

http://www.wise.virginia.edu/college_rel...enter.html

Pay close attention to the quote from Terry Kilgore concerning economic development.

Pretty soon UVA-Wise will be in the Big South playing Playoff subdivision football and division I basketball, and we'll still be jack-legging around. Dave is a moron. I guess the Hawaii sun caused him brain damage.