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Any New Word On DePaul Arena Plan?
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NJRedMan Offline
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Any New Word On DePaul Arena Plan?
Anyone have any word on whats going on with the DePaul arena situation? Are they moving in with the Bulls and Blackhawks or are they getting a brand spanking new place to call home?
01-20-2013 10:40 AM
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Frank the Tank Offline
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RE: Any New Word On DePaul Arena Plan?
Still up in the air.

The United Center has offered DePaul free rent for about a decade with a ton of perks such as school signage, a customized court and a DePaul store within the arena. Seriously. That might sound bats**t crazy to people outside of Chicago, but the United Center has a stranglehold on arena events in the Chicago area with less/weaker competition compared to markets that are smaller, so the Bulls and Blackhawks make a *killing* financially. Getting DePaul would kill any deal for a new arena, so that's why they're willing to offer so much for a school that's been drawing around 7000 people per game - they might not make much (if any) money on DePaul games, but protecting their monopoly by preventing a competing arena from being built is worth it in the overall scheme of things.

However, my understanding is that DePaul favors the South Loop/McCormick Place plan, which has the complete support of Mayor Rahm Emanuel (which is critical to getting anything done in Chicago). It seems like the municipal authority that runs McCormick Place is getting things in line to purchase the land necessary for the arena. So, this is a legit proposal, but we can't say that it's a done deal.
01-20-2013 09:36 PM
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NJRedMan Offline
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RE: Any New Word On DePaul Arena Plan?
Thanks Frank! If i'm DePaul im associating myself with the Bulls and Blackhawks. The influx of more mid-western teams and the fact that ND will most likely stay on the schedule should help them sell more tix. If I was the Blue Demons id push for priority scheduling when it comes to the bigger named Big East games. Marquette, Butler, Xavier, GTown etc.
01-20-2013 10:41 PM
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Frank the Tank Offline
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RE: Any New Word On DePaul Arena Plan?
NJRedman - You touched upon the largest negative for DePaul using the United Center, which is that they'll have *zero* priority over scheduling. Nada. Zip. Zero. It's already tough balancing just the Bulls and Blackhawks because the arena sends them both on 2 week road trips in both November (Ringling Bros.) and February (Disney on Ice). Once again, the United Center makes a crap ton of money off of these shows (they can sell 3 shows per day and draw in large school groups to fill seats, so that's why they don't want to shift them to the less busy summer). Those are set in concrete stone - the United Center didn't even entertain moving them during the height if the Michael Jordan era. As a result, this compresses the home schedules for both the Bulls and Blackhawks. It would be exacerbated for DePaul with a college basketball season since there's effectively an entire month where the United Center is completely unavailable to them due to the circus and ice shows without even taking into account Bulls and Blackhawks games (plus concerts in between).

That's a big reason why DePaul still favors having a new arena (which would also be right-sized for them at 10,000 to 11,000 seats). It also provides a "front porch" space for the university that can be used for other school events such as graduation (which is also at Allstate Arena right now). I'd agree with that assessment - a new arena is ultimately better for DePaul. Now, the United Center is still miles and miles away better than Allstate Arena, so at the very least, DePaul is coming back to the city in one form or another.
(This post was last modified: 01-21-2013 08:57 AM by Frank the Tank.)
01-21-2013 08:55 AM
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billyjack Offline
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RE: Any New Word On DePaul Arena Plan?
Is McCormick in a good area for restaurants, bars and hotels?
Is DePaul still considering an on-campus arena next to what I think was described as the student center, across the street from their old gym?
(This post was last modified: 01-21-2013 09:36 AM by billyjack.)
01-21-2013 09:35 AM
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Frank the Tank Offline
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RE: Any New Word On DePaul Arena Plan?
(01-21-2013 09:35 AM)billyjack Wrote:  Is McCormick in a good area for restaurants, bars and hotels?

Not really (at least by Chicago standards where "good nightlife" means being able to walk everywhere). Of course, that's part of the reason why Rahm Emanuel wants the new arena since he believes that it can be a catalyst for development. Having previously lived about a mile directly west of McCormick Place, it does make some urban planning sense. A few blocks to the north of McCormick Place (the heart of the South Loop) is very well developed and it's the same case with a few blocks to the west (Chinatown), so the theory is that an arena would serve as a connector of McCormick Place to those two areas and that would result in network effects (critical mass where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts) that would spur further private development. Had there been a continuation of the economy of the early-2000s that saw rapid real estate development in the South Loop, it would have almost certainly pushed down to McCormick Place by now. Much like parts of Manhattan during the 1990s, there were huge swaths of the South Loop (and also the West Loop area between the Loop and the United Center) that literally went from seedy neighborhoods to extremely expensive condo areas within a span of 5 years. So, I don't see this as a pie-in-the-sky government boondoggle that's hoping for development. On paper, the McCormick Place area *should* have better development with such a large convention area that draws a lot of upscale out-of-towners that have business accounts to spend.

Quote:Is DePaul still considering an on-campus arena next to what I think was described as the student center, across the street from their old gym?

No, it doesn't look like there's anything viable that's close to the Lincoln Park campus. It's the most expensive area for land in the city of Chicago outside of downtown itself, DePaul would have to pay out-of-pocket for all of it, and it probably would get killed by the alderman representing that area because there's a *massive* NIMBY crowd in Lincoln Park (and I can't say that I blame them since they're paying some of the highest home prices in the city). This is in contrast to the options of either (a) free rent at the United Center or (b) the city having $100 million in financing ready to go with the McCormick Place arena with the full support of (if not outright pushing by) the mayor with DePaul having to pay little on its own. I know that there's a contingent of DePaul fans that seems to believe that anything less than a Lincoln Park arena would be unacceptable, but I'm pretty realistic about that never occurring. It hasn't been done in the past 30 years when land prices around there were cheaper, so I'm not sure why the heck those fans would think anything would change now. What should be clear to everyone is that playing in Rosemont is a complete killer for the basketball program, so either the United Center or McCormick Place would be multitudes better and the fact that DePaul would have to pay little-to-no money in both scenarios would make it completely insane for them to stay at Allstate Arena.
01-21-2013 10:18 AM
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Downtown Shocker Brown Offline
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Post: #7
RE: Any New Word On DePaul Arena Plan?
Having seen what Creighton has been able to do with the Century Link Center in Omaha, I have little doubt that DePaul could be successful at the United Center.

When Creighton moved from the 9,300 seat Civic Auditorium to the 18K+ C Link, there were a lot of concerns over attendance. But with a quality program, and more tickets available, and upper bowl tickets quite a bit cheaper, they have managed to build a LARGE following for games.

It is also nice as it make tickets easy to get, but doesn't diminish the value of lower bowl.

DePaul should be able to do similar at the United Center. But I question how much flexibility they will have as I believe that most of the C7 and candidates play off campus.

I think it was discussed at one point in another thread, and being a fan of a school with an arena on campus I must say that I by far prefer that. But DePaul doesn't really have that opportunity.
01-21-2013 11:09 AM
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muskienick Offline
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Post: #8
RE: Any New Word On DePaul Arena Plan?
(01-21-2013 11:09 AM)Downtown Shocker Brown Wrote:  DePaul should be able to do similar at the United Center. But I question how much flexibility they will have as I believe that most of the C7 and candidates play off campus.

I believe that only one "candidate" for partnership with the C7 plays off-campus (Creighton). Butler, VCU, Dayton, Xavier, Richmond, Wichita State, and St. Louis all have their own arenas.
(This post was last modified: 01-22-2013 06:25 PM by muskienick.)
01-22-2013 06:24 PM
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Jet915 Offline
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RE: Any New Word On DePaul Arena Plan?
Chicago tribune article about Depaul and where the C7 might be looking:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-...i-ponsetto

DePaul AD sees better days ahead for basketball program
Ponsetto confident Purnell can turn program around and new league will be great for school

These are exciting if unsettled times for DePaul basketball, with the bright prospect of a new power conference affiliation looming around questions about a new home arena and the on-court direction of Oliver Purnell's program under the guidance of athletic director Jean Lenti Ponsetto.

Purnell is not yet "on the clock," according to Ponsetto, despite having his team finish last in the Big East in each of his first two seasons.

Pressure to return the program to some semblance of its national prominence in the late 1970s and early '80s under legendary coach Ray Meyer is a process Ponsetto views as incremental.

"We have an expectation that we will start to see a turn in the program in Years 3, 4 and 5," Ponsetto said in an interview with the Tribune. "And hopefully when we get to Year 5, we (will) be well on our way. But we fully recognized when he came in it would take time. … And you are starting to see it a little bit with the development of Brandon Young and Cleveland Melvin."

Purnell reportedly is being paid $1.8 million annually on a seven-year deal that runs through the 2016-17 season.

Purnell, who previously turned around programs at Old Dominion, Dayton and Clemson, is 29-50 overall at DePaul with a 7-24 mark his first season, 12-18 last season and 10-8 in Year 3.

Ponsetto also acknowledges she is accountable for getting better results from the school's most visible sport.

"The men's basketball program, on many levels, has provided great opportunities for DePaul to tell its story," she said. "I obviously was here when (we were) experiencing a renaissance in the late '70s when my husband Joe (Ponsetto) played. … So I probably feel a little more intensity or a little more pressure to be successful because I have to go home and look at somebody every day who wants to see it successful."

But she also is accountable to the DePaul administration for shepherding the program successfully into its new conference.

The buzz around the Big East this season is the likely defection of DePaul and six other Catholic universities to form a new basketball conference. Such a move could add pressure on the Demons to step up their game.

"(In the '70s) DePaul wasn't in a conference," Ponsetto said, "didn't have a regular-season schedule that had some of the same nuances as the strength of what the Big East Conference has right now or what the new conference affiliation might have."

Marquette, St. John's, Seton Hall, Georgetown, Providence, Villanova and DePaul have agreed to separate from the Big East and form a so-called "Catholic 7."

"Honestly, I don't think our priorities or our sense of urgency will be shifted regardless of what conference we're in," Ponsetto said. "The university has made a significant commitment to men's basketball because we recognize how visible the program is and its long, storied history."

Ponsetto predicts significant progress will be made soon regarding the proposed new conference.

"As we took a look at the new conference, it became more and more apparent that for us to have the kind of association and affiliation that we were looking for in terms of institutional commonality, it made a lot of sense," she said.

"We are diverse, urban campuses and philosophically have a lot of commonality in commitment to academics and athletics."


According to multiple reports, Butler, Dayton, St. Louis and Xavier are interested in leaving the Atlantic 10 to join the new conference. Creighton of the Missouri Valley Conference also is believed to be in the mix.

Reports of major sports networks such as ESPN, NBC Sports and Fox Sports lining up to court and showcase a new conference have fueled those schools' enthusiasm. One report had Fox Sports offering $500 million over 12 years.

"Financially, that really remains to be seen," Ponsetto said. "(The decision to split) really wasn't financial, although there is a great appeal nationally for a lot of the institutions and the brands we have. And it certainly doesn't hurt us, too, that we have some great television markets."

The details of the conference shift remain fluid.

"We have hired a law firm out of (Washington)," Ponsetto said. "And we hired Neal Pilson (former president of CBS Sports) as our television consultant. The negotiation of how we are going to leave the conference has to be managed. Then who is going to be in the conference, besides the seven of us."

It is feasible a new conference could be in play by next season.

"By and large, our presidents are responsible for working through all of the separation," Ponsetto said. "There are a lot of legal ins and outs."

While the Blue Demons continue to play home games at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, many fans long for the days when DePaul played on campus at Alumni Hall. But she said there isn't really a suitable site near the school.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel has expressed support for DePaul to return to the city, while Blackhawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz and Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf reportedly have offered free rent for 10 years and other perks for the Blue Demons to play at the United Center.

"We continue to have a great experience at the Allstate Arena," she said. "(But there is) really strong interest in bringing men's basketball back to the city of Chicago … or something in the Chicago area.

"Certainly, the United Center is an opportunity that is out there. And we have determined that partnering with someone is the best opportunity we have if we are going to build something new. We have had a lot of interest from a variety of different partners who want to work with us. I would say: Stay tuned."
(This post was last modified: 01-27-2013 11:34 AM by NJRedMan.)
01-27-2013 10:06 AM
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itsmejpt Offline
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RE: Any New Word On DePaul Arena Plan?
That's a relatively tough situation it sounds like. Do you take the "Free" giant arena with tons of perks but would be tough to fill and isn't the most convenient? Or do you hold out in hope for the other arena and use "we COULD have gone with the United Center and killed your arena in the process...but we didn't. Make it worth our while..." and hope it is.
01-27-2013 12:38 PM
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gosports1 Offline
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RE: Any New Word On DePaul Arena Plan?
i was in chicago last summer and we actually walked from wrigley to just past depaul.(made a couple of "watering hole" stops alone the way) Seems like a nice neighborhood. agreed though, i wouldnt call it a very touristy area.
01-27-2013 01:54 PM
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NJRedMan Offline
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RE: Any New Word On DePaul Arena Plan?
(01-27-2013 01:54 PM)gosports1 Wrote:  i was in chicago last summer and we actually walked from wrigley to just past depaul.(made a couple of "watering hole" stops alone the way) Seems like a nice neighborhood. agreed though, i wouldnt call it a very touristy area.

The area DePaul is in is nice. I went to a show at Lincoln Hall which is right down the street from them.
01-27-2013 02:17 PM
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muskienick Offline
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Post: #13
RE: Any New Word On DePaul Arena Plan?
DePaul doen't really need an on-campus arena of 10,000-15,000 capacity. Georgetown, Marquette, Creighton, and others have proven that.

DePaul needs a change of leadership in its Athletic Department (or President's Office) or, at least, a change in philosophy in how it hires, pays, treats, and/or directs its men's head basketball coach and program. Until one of those things happens, DePaul will simply be "putting lipstick on a pig."
01-27-2013 03:37 PM
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Re: RE: Any New Word On DePaul Arena Plan?
(01-27-2013 01:54 PM)gosports1 Wrote:  i was in chicago last summer and we actually walked from wrigley to just past depaul.(made a couple of "watering hole" stops alone the way) Seems like a nice neighborhood. agreed though, i wouldnt call it a very touristy area.

I know Lincoln Park well. Great area for someone in their 20 to 35 and no kids period of life.

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01-27-2013 04:27 PM
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David Krysakowski Offline
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RE: Any New Word On DePaul Arena Plan?
DePaul needs to move there home games from the Allstate Arena to United Center because its in the suburbs and is too dark inside. If they would have done this 20 years ago they would be in the top 10 in country right now.
01-28-2013 12:44 AM
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