In this instance, the arena district is the one for you and one for the university. This is not just a vanity project: the university NEEDS it.
As I’ve said in several different threads, I get why faculty bristle at this. Miami (and most universities) have seen budget cuts year over year recently. The current political environment is also not exactly friendly on many fronts to many programs and things faculty care about (lets leave it at that).
But the arena district is not some vanity project. Millet will be 60 years old by the time a new arena would open its doors. Its falling apart. Any renovation will be costly in itself: not as much as building a whole new arena and adjoining district, yes, but it would be a very costly project for a venue that is fundamentally broken for many of its purposes.
And I won’t pretend the primary service won’t be to athletics: but a university of Miami’s size needs an arena. I won’t repeat myself above. There are dozens of legitimate purposes primary to a University’s mission that requires an arena. The capacity of Hall Auditorium is 750. It should be obvious why a larger venue is necessary on a campus nearing 20,000 students, even ignoring the primacy of athletics for its purpose. Similarly, for many reasons, a hotel that isn’t the Elms or the “road hotels” out on 27 will elevate Miami: for perspective families, distinguished visitors, and others.
Miami needs to take a hard look at the percentage of “salaries” devoted to faculty vs administrators (non-teaching staff) and, if they do, I believe they will see a disconnect that has substantially widened between the two categories going back decades as bloat has gotten out-of-control.
As far as building the arena now, does anyone seriously think construction costs will be meaningfully lower in 3, 5, 10 years than they are today. Probably not.
Furthermore, we finally have our basketball programs in great shape for the first time in a long time (and I am also imagining that volleyball will soon be in better shape) so the time is right…right now…or we risk losing coaches and recruits to better facilitated programs. Finally, debt service should be covered by premium seating charges, more TV appearances and even merchandise sales. Miami’s athletic marketing has been improving; it now needs to step up even more and prove that it can raise substantial sums on a recurring basis.
I am old. Our present facility needs to be replaced. Cook field is the correct place. I hope I am able to see the first game there as I did at our present place. That is all.
Millett Hall’s replacement is long overdue. Support for the basketball program is long overdue. Cook Field is the perfect location. No amount of faculty letter writing to The Miami Student is going to stop it. Secure the donor $$$, and let’s get shovels in the ground!
We’re about three-quarters of a way through a billion-dollar capital campaign where $450m is earmarked for scholarships and financial aid. Those of you who want to treat this debate as done and dusted might wish to consider thanking the whale athletics donor and directing your next set of contributions to the academic side of the house.
I once interviewed for a post-retirement position at Dartmouth in the college’s development office. What you describe is precisely what they outlined to me as the objective of the department.
The Miami golf course was located where the Millett complex is back in 1964 - my first visit to campus. I think the Yager site was just an empty field.
DevilGrad is touching on a debate that I am having with myself. I am a 25 year football season ticket holder and frequent attendee of other sports. My financial contributions to the athletic department have never extended much beyond being a low level Red And White club member. I only mention this to give context to my arguments.
The relationship between athletics, particularly at the Division 1 level, and academics has always been full of contradictions. One thing i have always loved about MHT and Miami alums more generally is that the university is their first priority and and sports are a secondary consideration.
I have always felt that the creation of 500 scholarships and enhancement of student life have justified the expense and admission of many students for whom a college education may not be their priority or perhaps talent.
I am really struggling with that now. I read my fellow posters entreaties to contribute to our NIL collective and I know I never will. If I had far greater means than I poses I will never give money to a young man to convince him to play a sport for Miami. I would have loved to be in a position to fund a scholarship. Of course everyone makes their own decisions in these matters but I can’t help but wonder what worthwhile causes will not be funded because of NIL.
The decision on the new arena is an extension of this debate. Five years ago I would have been one of the loudest voices calling for a new facility. I felt it was essential for us to compete in the MAC and would have allowed us to compete at a higher level more generally. It is a much smaller piece of the talent acquisition component of athletics now and I feel like we are doubleing down on a model for athletics that just may not suit Miami going forward.
I don’t know what the model for college athletics will be in 15 years. I don’t know what Miami’s place in it should be. I do know that I have enjoyed following young people’s recruitment and 4-5 years as Miami student athletes. I have always rooted for their post graduate success and felt a kinship with them as fellow alums. The new world in which a staggering percentage of our atheletes will just be making a pit stop in Oxford really changes that.
I had always envisioned Miami sports as a part of my retirement but I don’t believe that I will be able to sustain my fandom and suspect that I will be relinquishing my season tickets when my youngest graduates from MU in 3 years.
MJ,
Well written.
In other words, how much Nil $ will it take to have an upper echelon bball team to play in the
New arena a few short years down the road.
These are good points but a school with an enrollment of 20,000 needs a larger space for a crowd than Goggin and Hall Auditorium.
Beyond sports you have a need for a concert venue, commencement activities, etc.
We have been told that a face lift to a nearly 60 year old Millett would cost $80 million.
That does not make a lot of sense.
The plan to integrate the new arena into a large Arena district sounds to me to a sound idea to leverage this for a better overall environment for students and visitors alike with hotel and other attractions.
That would never work in the Millett space but is ideal for the Cook Field site that is more accessible to residence halls and outside visitors.
I think a lot of people undervalue what a modern, nice hotel in the heart of campus will do both for current students and attracting prospective students and families.
Compare the experience of staying at whatever brand the 20+ year old road side hotel is up north on 27 vs a brand spanking new building right next to Farmer. It’s gonna be night and day more impressive.
Many campuses have hotels right on campus now , it’s an expected amenity. That has nothing to do with athletics.
I don’t have a strong opinion on the new arena nor where it should be located. I do have a strong opinion on using academics as a justification for spending that kind of money. Flutie Effects are at best debatable and at worst completely illusory. If Miami wants to drive enrollment and stature, what’s a better use of $13M a year? Servicing debt on an arena or using it directly for scholarships to lure 30+ ACT types away from OSU? $13M/year is equal to the annual disbursement of a $292M endowment fund.
Well, I can speak now for DG, our daughter and myself, we get called frequently and are certainly not on any ultra wealthy list no matter what the standard.
I agree with all of this. I hesitate to weigh in on this debate because I am not as informed as most of you about the economics of modern college athletics. However, just looking at this from a big picture perspective, the large conferences have been cannabelizing the smaller conferences and this trend is predicted to continue. Won’t Miami be on the outside looking in (more so than they are now) and no amount of money invested in new facilities or NIL will ever make Miami nationally competitive in either basketball or football?Wouldn’t it be smarter to recognize our place in the pecking order and stop trying to buy something we can never be?
I too am in favor of spending precious recourses on academics. However I still love Miami sports and want to see them succeed.
