At least our coach doesn’t call Millett a “Shitty Facility” in the post game pressers!
https://theathletic.com/5284673/2024/02/18/rick-pitino-st-johns-facilities-players/
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Interesting tactic. He probably should wait a few years/few titles prior to trashing his team
Of note: Sayler was a guest speaker in my class today and mentioned they were looking into building a new basketball arena uptown. Also confirmed the big bleachers will be back for the student section next year
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build it on the floor of brick street for the rowdiest home court advantage in all the land
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Very excited about the student section. I think you, @AdamRedSuit, and @danielren123 (are those the right folks and did I miss anyone?) deserve a ton of credit for your impact there. I was a student during the John Cooper era and I’m not sure there were more than 10 students at any game. Building a student section that filled a small bleacher was an achievement and I’m glad there’s going to be more room to keep building next year. Some alumni and I were texting about what great ideas were coming out of there to build the environment and get students involved.
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I’m cautiously optimistic, but I’ve heard so many things about basketball investments coming and going. This was a page that no longer accessible without having it previously saved: https://www.miamiathleticfund.org/s/916/gradchamps/interior.aspx?pgid=8291&gid=1&cid=16094. Although the pages for the indoor tennis facility and new boxes at Yager are still there. Cooper was also told there would be renovations, and that page does detail the phase 1 work that was done, but a lot more was promised. Then I heard with the last staff that they found a lead donor and the contract was written up and they were waiting on a signature. That was for a complete gut and reno of Millett. Maybe that donor came through and they decided to just go all out with a new facility. I’ve heard rumblings of something being “close” within the last few months, but nothing solid. I want to see this happen, and it needs to happen, but I’ve been burned too many times to get too hopeful.
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“Of note: Sayler was a guest speaker in my class today and mentioned they were looking into building a new basketball arena uptown. Also confirmed the big bleachers will be back for the student section next year”
Does this mean that the plan is no longer an option?
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Here’s your updated Millett Hall (suggested back in the Brad Bates days).
(1) Move the Court to the closed end:
(2) Close the upper level seating down except for big games
(3) make a dedicated student section in the closed end with the pep band directly behind the basket
(4) more courtside seating (including the Jack Nicholson seats near the scorers table)
(5) Dedicated "club area for all games
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I assume Steele’s in-laws wouldn’t be interested in making a donation like that until it’s clear that he’ll be here for the long haul.
Iirc there were rumblings on here of Wally possibly being a donor that fell apart when he got divorced. Not sure if that option could reopen once that situation gets resolved.
The Chipotle CEO might not want to make another big donation so soon after the player stipend donation, but maybe the chance to get his name on a building could be an enticement.
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Building something closer to uptown would be a great idea, as long as parking was factored into the construction.
TBH, I think Wally is a great name to show off as a former athlete giving back, but I’m not sure he’s “lead donor on an arena” rich. I’ve heard this name floated a lot: Mitchell Rales - Wikipedia
Edit: I’ve also heard one of the reasons we’re playing Notre Dame and Northwestern so much is as an excuse to engage a donor in Chicago. I haven’t heard much to back that up, but while we’re sharing rumors…
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Where uptown? And as Nick points out, “were” can be past tense. As in, we looked at it, and now we are no longer looking at it. Or was it “we’re” as in present tense? Big, big difference.
From now on these guest appearances by Sayler need to be attended by the litigation firm of Weingart, Gounaris, Mollaun, and Dombroff (listed by age!) to get to the bottom of this!! 
Not to be confused with these legal minds
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I had heard they were set to break ground on a new facility on western campus, but complaints about dining hall options for the students derailed the project
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Rales has serious cash.
No it just means it’s not the only option on the table. The talks are still ongoing
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Exciting news on both fronts. Thanks for the updates.
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Graduated Miami same year as me w Biz degree…he would seem he did a tad better in his business life than I did. 
P.S. gee, not sure he’d even miss a 100 million or so… 
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I absolutely can’t imagine where we’d build a basketball arena with adequate parking uptown without destroying the village’s ambiance and/or completely destroying the plot of land along Slant Walk.
I agree and would oppose any destruction of slant walk.