Though firms have expressed interest in the northwest corner of Cook Field, a final site has not been determined. If the university were to pursue this, it would expand Cook Field’s turfed playing surface to the south in order to preserve sufficient recreation space for students.
This sounds like a hotel at the corner of High St and Patterson, coupled with removing the parking next to Pulley Tower to still preserve a large open space for sports. So no one is planning to get rid of the entirety of Cook Field.
One of the ideas I was informed of (nothing official) has a hotel in front of FSB facing Patterson Av. with a parking lot behind it (in front of Dorsey Hall). Cook will shrink by around half its original size, and the whole field will be turf.
Actually, Davearama is correct (for the most part). The only areas available for a new building/arena on or close to campus (without tearing down an existing structure) are: Cook Field, Bishop Woods, Central Quad, the band practice field along Patterson, and the area being discussed east of Slant Walk/west of Ogden. IMO, the only one that makes sense is the Patterson Ave location. I’m sure the band folks wouldn’t want that to happen, but I believe all of the other space is too vital to the aesthetic of Miami’s campus. Miami has already destroyed most of the green space on campus and I’d hate to see even more of it go away. That said, I realize it’s too far away from uptown, so it wouldn’t be seriously considered. Ah, progress…and money!!
Jive I understand your zeal for these projects, especially the new arena. But let’s look at the map, you provided. To the southeast the green space is trees and forest. Are you suggesting those be destroyed and developed? Just south of center is Cook Field. No real open areas around it, or anywhere else for that matter on the campus proper. I will now address the other “green space” in your map. The area to the north and east of campus. If we use Cook Field as our marker, the areas are well removed from campus, those across the creek or whatever that blue line is running diagonally across the map. Are you suggesting, that students who feel walking to Millett and Yager is too far, are going to want to walk up a road, cross a creek or whatever, to get to this green mass northeast of campus proper? That is where you would have them go to play flag football, soccer, softball etc? And yes, I know, that area is already used for club sports. If we are going to be honest, the last green space contiguous with main campus, where intramural athletics can be played, is Cook Field. Absent Miami clearing some other space currently occupied by buildings, there is nothing open. I am not disputing there is a large green mass of Miami owned land to the northeast. I do question however the convenience to students of getting there or wanting to get there. For all intent and purpose, Miami University proper is the area to the west of the creek.
Looking at the map, unless it has been declared some sort of historical landmark, why not look to put the new arena or hotel, just east of McKie Field where the Miami Inn Hall sits? That way you could put another athletic facility next to a current athletic facility or a hotel where an old hotel currently sits.
I understand the Harris food fight was ranked #2 on campus in '84 - what went down in Dennison that year (in only 3-4 minutes) earned the #1 spot and remains legendary, and occasionally, the stuff of nightmares…
Washington plays in this. It was built in 1927. The last remodel was 25 years ago. It’s now a Big 10 arena. Washington doesn’t have any plans to build another one. It’s next to Husky Stadium and the baseball and softball fields - not close to dorms or “The Ave”, the UW’s commercial district.
COSTS…so Millet is going to cost $80 million( to bring up to “standards” in repairs and updates. Then they’ll want/need to rebop it to help overall ascetics, redo/reduce/move seating and do whatever to make it a more fun place to watch a game.
All that said what is total cost projections for a total redo of Millet vs building a totally new arena?
Jive-as others here have said, in the main campus area, convenient to most students for green space Cook Field is it.
Since this subject became a major focus of MHT, I still feel that the best option is Cook Field. I do not understand people saying that when approaching Oxford on 73, the green space is a positive entry to Oxford/Miami. I have made that trip many, many times. My attention was never drawn to an “open space” of Cook as something that adds to the beauty of Miami. It’s a damn field. An artificial turf field. Green only because that’s the color they chose for the turf. My attention was, and is, to see the buildings on Patterson as one drives up the big hill to MU. Never have I thought, “Boy, what a beautiful open space. It really adds to the ambiance and representation of the traditional red brick, Georgian architecture beauty of the campus.” Cook is something one drives past to get to wherever one is going. If we really wanted something to act as a strong first impression of the campus, we would build another beautiful building that would say, “Wow!” A vacant field will never do that.
And a question–are there other locations/facilities that could become locations for activities that would be interrupted by building on Cook? The soccer field? The field hockey field? And maybe even clear out an area of trees located east of Hahne/Flower/Millett to develop an open space for student activities.
Yes, Cook is an important space for student use. Can the loss of space be mitigated by developing additional open spaces on campus? The major addition of an attractive/attention grabbing arena/hotel when one approaches Patterson would have significantly more appeal than what Cook Field currently represents.
Further, this location is a real positive for ingress and egress into the new arena from 73. Easy in–easy out. To area fans, this is more of a positive than admiring a field. An on campus facility would be very nice, but traffic would be an issue (I hope).No one enjoys spending time in traffic to get to Millett or Yager if they come to Oxford on 73 and have to wind their way to High St/Talawanda.
To be honest, I will welcome and enjoy a new facility wherever it is located. We need a real basketball arena that attracts students, locals, and alums. If it’s located elsewhere, so be it. But I think that Cook provides the best location for all those interested in attending a bball game. Bottom line–make a decision, get it planned and designed, and build the damn thing. I’m approaching 74 years old. I would like to enjoy the new arena for a few years.
