As someone who has worked in two "multipurpose facilities"... I can tell you the only people who like them are those that come to visit. I fully understand the idea of having a facility that can host multiple events on an ongoing basis, if it's done right, it can generate revenue. But I'd also like to mention that if this does happen, then an alternate working environment for the offices and services needs to have it's own facility and a heavy overview of "who" gets priority access to this facility is handled.

At UTC, there were days that the employees had to go home because of the fumes from the Monster Trucks, the stench from elephant dung and horse poop was always fun to look forward to, and the noise from "sound checks" and daytime performances could drive you out of the building. We had very serious issues with access to our own building (training rooms, weight rooms, academic assistance areas, dressing rooms) when Disney, the circus, or the boat show came to town. Then there's the "down time" away from your floor when these events were going on for one day or a week. College basketball is a year round thing and no "practice facility" takes the place of your own floor. The idea an "Ice rink" under your basketball floor has real challenges.

I also saw the difficulities of sharing a really great football stadium with the "city" (actually the management of the Stadium Corporation) and the conflicts of access to the facility during the times when you are doing pre-game prep (Friday Nights, we couldn't get into Findley if there was a high school game) or night practices, the Stadium guys had a job to do to sell the venue and pay the bills BUT I saw conflicts in personalities and access that came with the shared venue.

So, if there are these multi-use facilities put on the table, the first and foremost needs that must be addressed are those of Athletics and keeping the "housing" of vital Athletic Department functions away from the "distractions" of Disney on Ice, Monster Trucks, and Maroon 5's sound checks. Did I mention the pain in the a$$ parking issues??? That's a whole 'nuther story.

My personal preference would be the "joint" (sorry if that word makes certain people sweat, no pun intended) building that was part of the original options of the "original" athletics master plan 12 years ago... a shared/common tower/complex with football on one side and an arena on the other side. Common areas that open to both sides, and restricted areas that are exclusive to function of that particular side. I thought it was brillant 12 years ago and today I see it as something that is very cost effective and sustainable. I'd like to see this smack dab on campus behind Bojangles with a closed down road...but I'm assuming CPA and soccer people who whine about that.... I really like the land around Buc Ridge, but I'm intrigued by the Pine Oaks area... hummm...

Merry Christmas to everyone... and Happy New Year with Happy Announcements in 2013!

(12-21-2012 11:58 AM)ReturnOfMommaBear Wrote:  As someone who has worked in two "multipurpose facilities"... I can tell you the only people who like them are those that come to visit. I fully understand the idea of having a facility that can host multiple events on an ongoing basis, if it's done right, it can generate revenue. But I'd also like to mention that if this does happen, then an alternate working environment for the offices and services needs to have it's own facility and a heavy overview of "who" gets priority access to this facility is handled.

At UTC, there were days that the employees had to go home because of the fumes from the Monster Trucks, the stench from elephant dung and horse poop was always fun to look forward to, and the noise from "sound checks" and daytime performances could drive you out of the building. We had very serious issues with access to our own building (training rooms, weight rooms, academic assistance areas, dressing rooms) when Disney, the circus, or the boat show came to town. Then there's the "down time" away from your floor when these events were going on for one day or a week. College basketball is a year round thing and no "practice facility" takes the place of your own floor. The idea an "Ice rink" under your basketball floor has real challenges.

I also saw the difficulities of sharing a really great football stadium with the "city" (actually the management of the Stadium Corporation) and the conflicts of access to the facility during the times when you are doing pre-game prep (Friday Nights, we couldn't get into Findley if there was a high school game) or night practices, the Stadium guys had a job to do to sell the venue and pay the bills BUT I saw conflicts in personalities and access that came with the shared venue.

So, if there are these multi-use facilities put on the table, the first and foremost needs that must be addressed are those of Athletics and keeping the "housing" of vital Athletic Department functions away from the "distractions" of Disney on Ice, Monster Trucks, and Maroon 5's sound checks. Did I mention the pain in the a$$ parking issues??? That's a whole 'nuther story.

My personal preference would be the "joint" (sorry if that word makes certain people sweat, no pun intended) building that was part of the original options of the "original" athletics master plan 12 years ago... a shared/common tower/complex with football on one side and an arena on the other side. Common areas that open to both sides, and restricted areas that are exclusive to function of that particular side. I thought it was brillant 12 years ago and today I see it as something that is very cost effective and sustainable. I'd like to see this smack dab on campus behind Bojangles with a closed down road...but I'm assuming CPA and soccer people who whine about that.... I really like the land around Buc Ridge, but I'm intrigued by the Pine Oaks area... hummm...

Merry Christmas to everyone... and Happy New Year with Happy Announcements in 2013!

Mama....everything you wrote is accurate. You make sense. That's why it probably won't happen.

Why wouldn't they just leave the weight room/offices in the dome? Tearing down the dome would be dumb in my eyes, it would make one hell of an indoor practice facility for football, with the basketball practice remaining where it is, and potentially areas could be converted for indoor practice for other sports.
A joint facility won't happen either because you have a bunch of doofus' on the city council in JC.