Pregame: The Assembly Hall Renovation Project

[BobtheBarber2]

Originally Posted by DrewD007

It's implied. "Since we think demand will exceed supply" Would you pay money upfront to guarantee a suite, club seat, etc?

If they think demand will exceed supply they apparently think they are pricing these suites too low. Why wouldn't they want to get as much money as they can for these and price the suites accordingly?

[Sure Shot]

Originally Posted by BobtheBarber2

If they think demand will exceed supply they apparently think they are pricing these suites too low. Why wouldn't they want to get as much money as they can for these and price the suites accordingly?

You want a little bit of excess demand for down the road, but believe me, these things will be priced to meet the market. MT didn't just fall off the turnip truck.

[IlliniKat91]

Originally Posted by 256ILLINI

Somebody should create a website that serves as a ticket exchange forum so that no ticket goes to waste. There are so many people that don't attend games, I wish they'd leave their tickets at will call for the first student that claims them.

Some sites, like StubHub, allow you to buy tickets for events up to 2 hours before game time...provided there is a barcode on the ticket. If there's a barcode, you can print your ticket from home (or display it on your phone) and go to the game.

I know Illinois has no barcodes for football (I can't remember if it's the same for basketball), so you have to buy tickets 3-4 days in advance, at a minimum in order to have the ticket holder ship them to you. A big step in the right direction would be to rework the ticket taking system at Illinois to incorporate barcodes. That way, students (or locals) could buy tickets at the last minute and fill in section A.

"Free ticket exchange" for students will never happen, although it is a nice idea. Remember, basketball is a revenue sport; even though you're already paying tuition, they're gonna make their extra off of you if you want to go to the games. Just a part of life.

[Dan]

Here's the first indications from AD Mike Thomas that the Assembly Hall renovation project will be pushed back a year from its original timeline when they sent out the RFPs in April 2011.

Instead of construction beginning in early 2013, spring of 2014 is now the more realistic timeframe.

Survey will help Illinois decide how to allocate seating in Hall re-design

Following the survey results, Illinois will get schematic drawings from the architects by the end of September, Thomas said. With fundraising the next step, construction on the project estimated at $150 million to $160 million likely wouldn't begin until the spring of 2014.

Thomas said trying to start construction during next spring and summer would be "aggressive."

Supinie

[danielb927]

Originally Posted by IlliniKat91

Some sites, like StubHub, allow you to buy tickets for events up to 2 hours before game time...provided there is a barcode on the ticket. If there's a barcode, you can print your ticket from home (or display it on your phone) and go to the game.

I know Illinois has no barcodes for football (I can't remember if it's the same for basketball), so you have to buy tickets 3-4 days in advance, at a minimum in order to have the ticket holder ship them to you. A big step in the right direction would be to rework the ticket taking system at Illinois to incorporate barcodes. That way, students (or locals) could buy tickets at the last minute and fill in section A.

"Free ticket exchange" for students will never happen, although it is a nice idea. Remember, basketball is a revenue sport; even though you're already paying tuition, they're gonna make their extra off of you if you want to go to the games. Just a part of life.

I believe ticket scanners are being added this year, so hopefully that'll help out with the liquidity issue.

[Dan]

Survey says...

Warren Hood, with the experience of heading up the stadium renaissance, is now deeply engaged in the Hall. He reports:

"We're going through the same process that we used for the stadium. The results of the stadium survey allowed us to determine the amount of premium football seating, and we hit those numbers to a T."

Tate

[AzIlliniFan]

Originally Posted by Dan

Here's the first indications from AD Mike Thomas that the Assembly Hall renovation project will be pushed back a year from its original timeline when they sent out the RFPs in April 2011.

Instead of construction beginning in early 2013, spring of 2014 is now the more realistic timeframe.

Apparently all of you who thought that survey was surprisingly late in the process were dead on with their concerns. Turns out it isn't so late in the process now that everything is pushed out a year. I'd chalk this up as the first negative in MT's tenure. Probably something he started out with being overly optimistic hoping that all the chips would fall perfectly. Personally I thought the timeline was just too ambitiious. Some have voiced displeasure with the lack of improvements to C section, which I share, so perhaps the extension will give time to address this?

[rsbc vet]

Originally Posted by AzIlliniFan

Apparently all of you who thought that survey was surprisingly late in the process were dead on with their concerns. Turns out it isn't so late in the process now that everything is pushed out a year. I'd chalk this up as the first negative in MT's tenure. Probably something he started out with being overly optimistic hoping that all the chips would fall perfectly. Personally I thought the timeline was just too ambitiious. Some have voiced displeasure with the lack of improvements to C section, which I share, so perhaps the extension will give time to address this?

My understanding is that some of the designs they have already rejected (since MT came aboard) included substantial redesign of C section. There was apparently a very influential group of campus stakeholders who a priori rejected the notion of essentially building a modern arena inside the shell of the original Assembly Hall.

I hope somebody writes a book someday about the AH renovation project. Hard to believe that both Purdue and Michigan started well after us, and will finish well before us.

[Dan]

Originally Posted by rsbc vet

My understanding is that some of the designs they have already rejected (since MT came aboard) included substantial redesign of C section. There was apparently a very influential group of campus stakeholders who a priori rejected the notion of essentially building a modern arena inside the shell of the original Assembly Hall.

In December 2011, Brady McCollough wrote an article about the Assembly Hall design competition/process. The article was finally published in June 2012. Sadly, it appears that article is no longer available on kansascity.com. Too bad, it was good stuff.

McCollough's article detailed how architecture firm Populous went with an "arena-within-an-arena" approach that you described rsbc vet. If I recall it was August 2011 when a firm was selected for the AH project, when Illinois chose AECom's design concept.

There were a few AECom renderings included in McCollough's article. Not sure how up-to-date they are anymore, but fwiw here were my takeaways http://www.illinoisloyalty.com/Forum...126#post576126

[rsbc vet]

Originally Posted by Dan

In December 2011, Brady McCollough wrote an article about the Assembly Hall design competition/process. The article was finally published in June 2012. Sadly, it appears that article is no longer available on kansascity.com. Too bad, it was good stuff.

McCollough's article detailed how architecture firm Populous went with an "arena-within-an-arena" approach that you described rsbc vet. If I recall it was August 2011 when a firm was selected for the AH project, when Illinois chose AECom's design concept.

There were a few AECom renderings included in McCollough's article. Not sure how up-to-date they are anymore, but fwiw here were my takeaways http://www.illinoisloyalty.com/Forum...126#post576126

Thanks Dan. I remember the article, but IIRC they didn't have any renderings of the "arena within an arena" concept. I would have loved to have seen them.

I wish I knew more about why the arena in arena concept was scrapped. Would be a heckuva lot more interesting use for Rob McColley's FOIA requests than self-reported violations.

[Dan]

Mike Thomas today on WDWS-

They're not going to lower the floor for the Assembly Hall renovation.

[PeoriaChief]

Depressing...

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by Dan

Mike Thomas today on WDWS-

They're not going to lower the floor for the Assembly Hall renovation.

geez... So I wonder if the delay and the survey and the lack of a dropped floor mean they haven't been able to line up major gift support and will try to do this on luxury box receipts.

[Letswinagain]

The renovated Assembly Hall views you have in this are very exciting, Dan. Thanks for making them available. I'm cautiously optimistic that, for the most part, we'll like what Mike Thomas and his staff and advisors bring forward for the final renovation project.

Mark me as one who was skeptical when MT first came aboard, mostly because of the apparent coldness with which the existing coaching staffs were treated. However, it seems to me that he is aggressive, forward-looking, has good business acumen, and truly is dedicated to making Illinois athletics as competitive as possible.

Originally Posted by Dan

In December 2011, Brady McCollough wrote an article about the Assembly Hall design competition/process. The article was finally published in June 2012. Sadly, it appears that article is no longer available on kansascity.com. Too bad, it was good stuff.

McCollough's article detailed how architecture firm Populous went with an "arena-within-an-arena" approach that you described rsbc vet. If I recall it was August 2011 when a firm was selected for the AH project, when Illinois chose AECom's design concept.

There were a few AECom renderings included in McCollough's article. Not sure how up-to-date they are anymore, but fwiw here were my takeaways http://www.illinoisloyalty.com/Forum...126#post576126

[RenoGray80]

This sounds like the stadium renovation. Promise an all inclusive renovation and then chip away. Lowering the floor and building stands to court side was the part of the renovation that had me excited. I expect, in the end, we will have suites and loge areas for the donors. The rest of us will get a few block wall concession stands and new pucks in the urinals. If they can't lower the floor I think we should build a new arena.

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by RenoGray80

This sounds like the stadium renovation. Promise an all inclusive renovation and then chip away. Lowering the floor and building stands to court side was the part of the renovation that had me excited. I expect, in the end, we will have suites and loge areas for the donors. The rest of us will get a few block wall concession stands and new pucks in the urinals. If they can't lower the floor I think we should build a new arena.

I agree. I'm very, very disappointed. I guess they will rip out part of section B for luxury suites and I'm pretty sure they will expand the concessions/bathrooms, but if the game atmosphere doesn't change this is a bust.

[Groundhogday]

Just listened to Thomas talking about the dropping the floor: cost outweighs the benefit. So there might not be any more students near the floor than at present because there is a problem when they stand up and block the view.

[Konnie]

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

I agree. I'm very, very disappointed. I guess they will rip out part of section B for luxury suites and I'm pretty sure they will expand the concessions/bathrooms, but if the game atmosphere doesn't change this is a bust.

I understand that the major issue in the AH renovation is money but it would be great if the new design includes ringing the basketball count with 5 to 10 rows of students. I agree ‘if the game atmosphere doesn't change this is a bust.’

[bleedsorangenblue]

Very disappointing ..... hopefully, the box seats are enough up out of the way that the students can stand down in front. Something needs to be done to create a better atmosphere.

[Joel Goodson]

Originally Posted by RenoGray80

This sounds like the stadium renovation. Promise an all inclusive renovation and then chip away. Lowering the floor and building stands to court side was the part of the renovation that had me excited. I expect, in the end, we will have suites and loge areas for the donors. The rest of us will get a few block wall concession stands and new pucks in the urinals. If they can't lower the floor I think we should build a new arena.

Operation New Pucks!

$160 million and no snake pit? WTF? Severely disappointed. I'd rather have a new building than a seriously compromised, albeit architectural landmark, AH.

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by Joel Goodson

Operation New Pucks!

$160 million and no snake pit? WTF? Severely disappointed. I'd rather have a new building than a seriously compromised, albeit architectural landmark, AH.

The key point is that they don't have $160 million. This is about concessions, air conditioning and luxury boxes... all improvements that can generate income, for basketball and other events. This is a pay-your-own-way project.

As Tate belabors after Thomas is off the line, there is no way to allow students to stand up around the court without lowering the floor. They will keep krush in the corners but if anything there will be fewer students sitting around the floor.

[Joel Goodson]

If we can't surround the court with rabid fans in the first X rows, I'd rather wait. Crisler is still pretty much a mausoleum, but it looks great on TV, because all you see are rabid fans.

The Hall needs updating, no question about it. But our home game experience was first rate when we had a great team (e.g., Wake Forest, Carolina, MSU). Do we need an updated AH to field a great team again? Not by a long shot.

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by Joel Goodson

If we can't surround the court with rabid fans in the first X rows, I'd rather wait. Crisler is still pretty much a mausoleum, but it looks great on TV, because all you see are rabid fans.

The Hall needs updating, no question about it. But our home game experience was first rate when we had a great team (e.g., Wake Forest, Carolina, MSU). Do we need an updated AH to field a great team again? Not by a long shot.

You misunderstand the drivers. Adding luxury boxes generates more revenue for the Athletic Department. Improved concessions improves ticket revenue for all events. Air conditioning allows the Hall to host events year round. This is not being driven by improving the game experience. It IS being driven by potential revenue streams and the renovation will go forward.

[idoc13]

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

The key point is that they don't have $160 million. This is about concessions, air conditioning and luxury boxes... all improvements that can generate income, for basketball and other events. This is a pay-your-own-way project.

As Tate belabors after Thomas is off the line, there is no way to allow students to stand up around the court without lowering the floor. They will keep krush in the corners but if anything there will be fewer students sitting around the floor.

This penny pinching nonsense is what I expect from Guenther but not Thomas. This is ridiculous.

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by idoc13

This penny pinching nonsense is what I expect from Guenther but not Thomas. This is ridiculous.

The Illini alumni are the ones pinching pennies. To spend the big bucks you need big donors willing to pay for these kinds of projects. For all the criticisms of Guenther, he had great relations with donors. Thomas might well need time to build these relationships. And he might not be as good a fundraiser as Guenther.