I would be curious if they built an arena/hotel/parking development near cook field, would they move the intramural fields to where Millett is now?
I wouldn’t be a huge fan, but could be open to it…
Either way I am just glad to hear some progress on a new arena finally
The water tower dropped crap all the time into people walking underneath. Rusty bits of detritus. Weird mystery moisture. It was no winner.
My 2 cents to disagree with some people here… I love this idea. Small is not a bad thing. Small means you get to play for sellouts instead of empty seats. Gonzaga has 6K seats and it’s one of the best atmospheres. We aren’t the Zags, we only need several thousand seats. BGSU only has 4,700, we only need 5K tops. But the atmosphere of smaller crowds gets amplified if you are all on top of the court as opposed to sitting 30 feet back like we do now. And yes, you may catch a few more students, especially because when I was an RA I was in Anderson (south quad by Goggin) and my residents wouldn’t walk to Millett because it is too far. That location shaves 8 minutes off the walk. So yeah, a lot of these “negatives” on this thread I see as nothing but positives for the school. Give me a shovel & I’ll start digging tomorrow.
I would want to see renderings and a plan to draw any firm opinions.
My initial thought is that the plan sucks, but I think you could have a much smaller building than Millet which could fit in-between slant walk and bell tower (or even knock down bell tower?). It would have to be small in footprint and height and fit the style of the campus but I might be ok with it
My plan involves a converted riverboat whereby we bus students and locals to the river in Indiana (free beer!!!) and then they arrive on said boat to watch some hoops, gamble, drink, carouse, de louse) and then come back home. Likely worse for the wear. All gambling money benefits the MUNIL. Crickets?
Maybe the Can’t State U job will open up for Greg.
Let’s nudge your already expansive door of perception open a bit further and vision the boat being relocated to 8 Mile Creek directly adjacent to the Bluffs.
This has been mentioned by others before, but to me the ideal space is where Phillips currently sits. Mid campus, near Goggin, no additional parking needed as those going to the new basketball arena can park in the same garage where Goggin patrons park. And that way you are not further degradating the beauty of the campus. And let’s be realistic. A 5000-6000 seat arena, with a practice floor, (not in a sub-basement), decent lockers and player facilities, perhaps a few suites, etc is all we need. We do not need a 10K seat arena.
You rang?
Despite the disagreement about arena placement, I am very excited if this news about a major donor stepping forward to help finance a new arena is true. I am also in the camp that a smaller capacity structure would be the correct route to follow…6,000 seats tops.
Basketball is the one major sport that can be turned around quicker than any other…it takes the right Coach (and I have a lot of confidence in Steele), and a few key recruits.
Lastly, having a great on campus arena that can provide an exciting atmosphere will provide dividends to enhance both the recruiting and the desire of our student and alumni to attend the games.
P.S. Google up the exterior and interior of Elon University’s arena. 5,100 capacity.
Might be cheaper and easier to pay more good teams to come to Millett, and have a great team with good players. UC came to Millett, Dayton, X … and a competitive Miami team gets the crowd appeal. Home games against Bellarmine, Wilberforce and Athletes In Action will have a hard time drawing flies.
I’d love to see a renaissance of Miami basketball similar to what it was back in the 90s. Charlie Coles fucking killed my interest in Miami basketball in the early 2000s… great guy, but program killer.
Oh man, do I have mixed feelings on this. Yep, a new smaller arena would be great. I am excited a donor may be coming forward. Nope, I do not want to lose any of the iconic areas of campus.
On campus arenas are good. Beautiful campuses are good. Oh my.
Harris Dining Hall isn’t used as a dining hall anymore, is it? Could a smaller stadium go there? Would already have access to hockey and rec center parking. 5,000-6,000 seems like plenty for capacity. Would be right in the middle of a lot of dorms.
This gets my attention.
Count me in on replacing Phillips as the location (or Harry’s as I just read @Mid90sGlory post), mainly due to parking. That does make it a hike from North Quad…although we walked from the old Candlewood Terrace apartments (now called Oxford West?) to Millett a few times my senior year. Keep it 5,000 max.
I wouldn’t want to build an arena AND parking garage near slant walk, but without adequate parking nearby, you’re going to the Millett lot, and how many paying customers will want to make that walk during the heart of winter?
Does Millett stay? If so, that could be an option to play a random game there should we need 9,200 capacity for a big opponent.
Harris Dining Hall is historically and culturally significant and should not be torn down. It was the location of the Great Harris Dining Hall food fight of 1984.
Then that also keeps Symmes safe, due to the Great Food Fight of 85/86. Primary ammunition… Brussels Sprouts.
I first heard about these plans a couple of weeks ago at the basketball scrimmage. I have had time to think about the idea and I absolutely love it. Sticking the arena in the middle of campus changes everything. The great advantage hockey has had has always been being close to our students. Back when I was in school Withrow and OldMiami Field were on campus. We won’t need as much parking because the students will walk there and people will walk from uptown. There is an uptown parking garage now which would only be a couple of blocks away. On campus location says loud and clear this is important to our University and would also be a boon to uptown business before and after games.
I was told that the funding was pretty well worked out. I think this would be a game changer.
Can it float on 8 mile creek? I never in my wildest dreams assumed it was a viable waterway. But if so, this changes everything!
There are teams that play in venues called “the barn” or “the cage” and too many domes to count. As far as I know, zero teams play on a barge. Naturally, people would call the venue “The Raft”
It wasn’t even that it was a cleanup. Most of the trees were being killed by some fungus or bacteria or w/e. It was cleared to prevent the spread and to protect the rest of campus. But it’s an example of a lack of curiosity and critical thinking.
Just some thoughts as somebody who isn’t “in the know” on this: