Interesting to note that 3 of the 4 buildings on the SW Quad site are already slated to be removed.
2 Likes
It sounds like from the above blurb a hotel and restaurant are happening on Cook regardless? If thats the case, it 100% makes sense to put the arena there.
If the hotel is a Graduate brand style hotel and then the restaurant is full service, actually good restaurant where you’d like to hang out for dinner/drinks pre and post game (no shade at Miami dining but lets impress people), that would be a perfect place for it.
3 Likes
Yes, there are the “official” two sites.
1 Like
The e-mail that came out from the “Arena Exploration Project Committee” announcing these final two sites also included the following link to a survey to provide feedback:
(Hopefully the link works)
I believe the Southwest Quad site is the JohnnyMac Plan.
3 Likes
Much appreciated.
Well well well well well…
A while back, my dear old friend Hippy told me to “get my head out of the sand” when I told him there was no way they were tearing down the president’s house to build an arena there. Now, a lesser man would have been insulted by that very fiendish remark, but I absolutely adored it. To be fair, I thought he was cat fishing us all as he used to be a big catfisher on the big creek by Oxford where the floating arena really should have been built and I even called that rascal a catfisher, which was a high compliment, but I digress. He got very steamed and said “all will be revealed in December” but then December came and went and nothing was revealed. And so here we are. Two choices. Neither uptown. Hot shocker!!! Now, time for my prediction: Cook Field to the millionth. (Don’t take this as fact as I predicted we’d beat Akron by 4 and we’d get a hockey win against WMU and neither happened) but it seems almost impossible not to like the Cook spot as it has less innate work to prep it. You could literally start building there tomorrow.
Hippy, if you still have the Havinghurst gold map, I’d get over to Cook field and “get your head in the sand!!” Bring a detector and find that gold before the dozers come. Be warned: that field is primarily loamy clay with a rocky topsoil composite likely glacial in nature given the last ice age retreated not far from campus, so it won’t be easy. That said, I’m pulling for you because I don’t hold grudges.
1 Like
Best played at night after the bars closed - I’m certain they found a disc or two on top of Mary Lyon when it came down. The game was at least once played with bottle rockets…so I hear.
You also said something about no way the Chiefs win the Super Bowl. Of course, they haven’t won it yet so you can still win your bet. 
1 Like
I don’t recall saying that (not saying I didn’t mind you, just can’t remember anything most days without ten cups of coffee). I think the Eagles look more dangerous. Barkley is insane and the fact my beloved Bengals (who suck) almost beat the chefs, but got their asses handed to them by the Eagles tells me it probably won’t be a chefs win.
Who knows. I only care about NCAA and March now and our men’s team.
2 Likes
Just found it, in the NFL 2024 Season thread. Eagles only team to make Bengals offense look average (Higgins out due to injury really massive in that one), and tie game late in 3rd became a blowout. Bengals defense blew chunks all season, but offense was good.
Back to topic, I’m on board with both of the 2 finalists for new arena. Prefer Oak and Spring, just due to proximity to uptown. If true that a hotel for sure going on Cook, might make more sense to put arena there too, as I like Cook for recreation… but only with the vast open space it currently occupies.
1 Like
It is. I don’t know why we’re even discussing Cook Field.
1 Like
From a vehicle access and parking standpoint i much prefer Cook. Easy access and egress, parking around the arena. I’d want to see a parking map for the other site beyond the garage by Goggin.
Only problem with Cook is parking. Weeknight games run into night classes, night group meetings, events at other buildings near Cook, on campus.
The email doesn’t mention knocking down Phillips, in addition to the other 3 buildings. If Phillips goes that really opens up a gigantic footprint for the new arena.
Course the problem on Oak and Spring is when there’s a swim meet going on. And I’m not talking a Miami swim meet, I’m talking the ones that are high school or club meets and parents come from all over a clog every parking space south of Spring, including the parking garage. But that’s navigable by both the REC and Athletics sharing schedules so they don’t coincide. Hockey makes it work, basketball and volleyball can make it work too
I’m fine with either, but sadly I have no confidence that the powers that be will try to promote this development properly and present it as a special moment in the history of the campus. My sense already is that the administration is trying to soft pedal it and avoid any controversy so as not to upset anyone.
Regardless, I have to believe it will be a very big deal once dirt is turned. I’ve already had a couple alum friends ask me about the rumors they heard.
1 Like
Looks like options 2 and 4 from the initial list. Those were two of the three runaway favorite options from the unofficial MHT straw poll at the time.
2 Likes
Runoff time:
- Southwest Quad
- Cook Field
0
voters
SW quad seems like the obvious choice. Closer to where students are and parking is already solved with the Campus Ave garage (and there’s space to put a similar footprint structure on the lot between Walker/the Health Center and Philips if need be since you’d be losing the spaces on the arena site).
I’d still like to see renders or proposed layouts though.
Closer to where students are???
I guess that is true if you don’t live in North Quad, East Quad or Western.
2 Likes
1 - Students don’t solely live on campus. The SW quad location is closer to off-campus housing, and not much further from the majority of dorms. Oxford is a square and Cook Field is on the very edge.
2 - Students don’t solely stay in their dorms/apartments/houses all day. Being closer to uptown is a clear advantage.
2 Likes
Goggin seats 3,600, so parking still a bit of a concern w SW location. (Assuming we have more than a handful of games with more than 3,600 for hoops. I can hope.)
1 Like