Pregame: The Assembly Hall Renovation Project

MTILLINOIS · Aug 19, 2012, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

I'm hardly on an emotional roller coaster ride. It really isn't that hard to comment, discuss, and then move on to the next topic.

Great for you. Bad for others that don't see it that way.

drumanimal · Aug 19, 2012, 01:46 PM

Time for a new arena!! Hit up DWill.

MTILLINOIS · Aug 19, 2012, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drumanimal

Time for a new arena!! Hit up DWill.

And that guy who's a playboy.

Dan · Aug 19, 2012, 07:10 PM

Mike Thomas on the Assembly Hall Renovation Survey-

"What you're trying to find out with the survey..really has more to do with the premium opportunities. When you go into this process, when you're doing a renovation -- and actually whether you're starting from scratch of your renovating a facility -- you really want to see what the demand is for those premium opportunities. Whether it's suits, loges, club seats, court-side seating -- those types of things -- you want to see not only what the demand is, but also what the market will bear. Because if you hit that right then it really tells you..[the survey] should serve as a guide as to how you design the facility."

"In some situations, if it's an existing building, you might have to make some tough decisions because an existing footprint might limit some of those things you can do. Which may be the case with Assembly Hall. The University of Illinois -- the DIA -- went through this exercise with the Memorial Stadium project. They really were -- as Warren Hood I think has shared with you -- spot on in the numbers, the survey information that came back. And they used that as a guide for that project. Some schools they'll go outside and hire an outside consultant or company that'll do this work for them, but here the DIA did a really nice job with Memorial Stadium as it relates to the survey and getting that information back. And it served to be very beneficial in the design of that facility."

"It's a little fluid right now with these premium opportunities. And that's just the thing that we need to pin down, we will have that pinned down here shortly. And certainly something that needs be done before we have a final product as it relates to the schematic designs."

Mike Thomas on A Section and not lowering the floor for the Assembly Hall renovation-

"As it relates to student seating and where they're positioned, they've had a prominent place near the floor. That'll continue. The extent of that is still to be worked out. That's part of this premium opportunity piece."

"I've been assured in the design -- I've seen the design -- that those folks that are currently in A Section right now have difficulty viewing the game over standing students. And that that will not be the case in the future."

"Regardless of the fact that it looks right now we're not going to be dropping the floor. I think it's the angle of how they put in the seats..and the height that you get there. For us to go down that path -- and certainly we appreciate the environment of having the students around the floor creates -- we cannot be in a position for those fans immediately behind them their view's obstructed. So we've gotta find that sweet spot and we certainly will, because that's going to be important to the design of this project."

"As we sit right now the cost and really the benefit of [lowering the floor], it's really cost prohibitive based on the benefits that you drive from that. So right now I don't anticipate [lowering the floor] happening. But there's other ways that we are working through that, that'll allow us to do the things that we need to do. With our students near the game floor and those people who are immediately behind the students being able to watch the game in an unobstructed way."

WDWS Saturday Sportsline 8-18-12
http://www.illinihq.com/audio/2012-0...e-8-18-12.html

birkhead · Aug 19, 2012, 07:56 PM

right now for Orange Krush members who aren't one of the first in lines, many get stuck in seats where you simply cannot see. Either in the back corner or on the sidelines in the 2nd, 3rd or 4th row. This is unacceptable to me. To be in Krush we raise money for charity and we are also the driving force that makes it the House of Paign. The fact that many of us cannot see is stupid and I hope they take that into consideration with the renovations. Also put us on the TV side, looks much better on broadcast.

Bring The Paign · Aug 19, 2012, 08:43 PM

I got A section tickets 2 years ago for my birthday and out of all of the times I have been to a game it was by far the worst experience I had ever had at an Illini game. Itbwas the Michigan game where it took a missed Michigan three at the buzzer for us to win. Sure, the game was far from an offensive masterpiece but it was still close and had excitement at the end. Anyway, I was very disappointed that I had to take a seat with 2 minutes left because a blue hair behind me 3 rows back wouldn't stand to help cheer his team to victory. I have been offered A section tickets since and will not take them. I'll spend my time in the other sections and cheer with the other fans without having to feel like an outcast because I get into the games. Reading what I have read over the last couple of pages is pretty disappointing. It should be about getting louder fans around and closer to the court. Not about turning it into more of a graveyard than it already appears at times. One poster made note of the appearence on TV and they ate right. It looks awful and it hardly appears that the game day experience is going to improve at all. I've been talking up this project to friends for months. Looks like my Indiana buddy is going to get to have a ball throwing it all back in my face. Very disheartening. Sorry in advance if this is filled with spelling and grammar errors I'm holding my 10 month old while she sleeps and it's being typed on a phone haha

Groundhogday · Aug 19, 2012, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan

"Regardless of the fact that it looks right now we're not going to be dropping the floor. I think it's the angle of how they put in the seats..and the height that you get there. For us to go down that path -- and certainly we appreciate the environment of having the students around the floor creates -- we cannot be in a position for those fans immediately behind them their view's obstructed. So we've gotta find that sweet spot and we certainly will, because that's going to be important to the design of this project."

"As we sit right now the cost and really the benefit of [lowering the floor], it's really cost prohibitive based on the benefits that you drive from that. So right now I don't anticipate [lowering the floor] happening. But there's other ways that we are working through that, that'll allow us to do the things that we need to do. With our students near the game floor and those people who are immediately behind the students being able to watch the game in an unobstructed way."

I wonder if they might just push the students into one of the end zones. Then they could bring the A-section sideline seats down with a more gradual gradient to extend the seating into the floor and allowing the lowest seats to still see over the team benches. You could do the same thing on the opposite side except let a couple of rows of students sit right next to the court.

Groundhogday · Aug 19, 2012, 10:31 PM

This is how Ohio State handles this problem. They have low risers for students to stand near the court, then block off five rows of seats before seating the high rollers. This is one way to make sure the high rollers don't have their views blocked.

Groundhogday · Aug 19, 2012, 10:37 PM

FWIW, Badger students are all crammed into one endzone and this is a pretty common arrangement in the Big10. MSU students apparently paid fees to pay for the close student seating in the Breslin Center.
http://buckyville.yuku.com/topic/387...1#.UDG-491lR3E

Bring The Paign · Aug 19, 2012, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

This is how Ohio State handles this problem. They have low risers for students to stand near the court, then block off five rows of seats before seating the high rollers. This is one way to make sure the high rollers don't have their views blocked.

I actually would like that kind of set-up. Of course there would be some who would completely oppose it. IMO it would look great on tv with rows of students in front of an orange seperation that read " HOUSE OF PAIGN" or something along those lines in front of the "high rollers." I really think what you have posted would look great.

BrooksTaylorFan · Aug 19, 2012, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bring The Paign

I actually would like that kind of set-up. Of course there would be some who would completely oppose it. IMO it would look great on tv with rows of students in front of an orange seperation that read " HOUSE OF PAIGN" or something along those lines in front of the "high rollers." I really think what you have posted would look great.

Very true, but if you are lowering the floor of AH, you can start the first row of seats high enough to be over the section of standing students. You wouldn't need the banners or covers. It would look much better without that, even at OSU. Plus, if you pull it forward, you gain back thos lost rows if it's done right.

PeoriaIllini1 · Aug 19, 2012, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bring The Paign

I actually would like that kind of set-up. Of course there would be some who would completely oppose it. IMO it would look great on tv with rows of students in front of an orange seperation that read " HOUSE OF PAIGN" or something along those lines in front of the "high rollers." I really think what you have posted would look great.

I think if they love to program they can stand up a little more!

Put student in those seats so we can have a better home court advantage like other universities. The university is primarily for the students experience right? I have been going to games for 40 years and i have sat in every section from A 7 or A31 to C48 row 22 and I too prefer A but i think the students should get the lower bowl seats in A. They can stand and raise hell for the opponent and move others up high enough to see in B or premium boxes. Oh we had A when i lived in C-U but i still feel this way.

rsbc vet · Aug 20, 2012, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ijustkrushalot

listening to what Thomas said on Saturday Morning sportsline... he said that the architect said they could accomodate students standing on the floor, and folks sitting in A-Section, without having to lower it, and that maintaining that is a high priority... and that the cost of lowering the floor wasn't worth the benefit.

A lot different than people here reacting to "OMG THEY ARE CUTTING BACK"

I would love to know the "cost" and the "benefit".

Frankly, I'm not a bit surprised that lowering the floor is off the table. Lowering the floor would require punching through the original lower bowl of the AH, and although multiple previous "engineering assesments", including the original one done way back in the Nancy Cantor days, have said this was feasible. In fact the alleged feasibility of lowering the floor was one of the center pieces of the "we don't need new, we can renovate!" campaign.

So now we're told that lowering the floor isn't necessary. Fascinating. Looking at the basic 3D geometry, this can mean only two things: We continue to have obstructed views in the lower tier of seating (the current B, A, and AA) or we have substantially fewer fans in the lower tiers.

It's about time to start a lottery on the the capacity of the renovated AH. I'm betting on 13,500.

PS - one additional question: on the mock up sent out with the survey, where does the band sit?

katu06 · Aug 20, 2012, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeoriaIllini1

I think if they love to program they can stand up a little more!

Put student in those seats so we can have a better home court advantage like other universities. The university is primarily for the students experience right? I have been going to games for 40 years and i have sat in every section from A 7 or A31 to C48 row 22 and I too prefer A but i think the students should get the lower bowl seats in A. They can stand and raise hell for the opponent and move others up high enough to see in B or premium boxes. Oh we had A when i lived in C-U but i still feel this way.

University athletics are about money (and sometimes winning), not the student experience.

I fully expect us to end up with the Krush at the ends of the court, not on the side. This is pretty common.

Joel Goodson · Aug 20, 2012, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katu06

University athletics are about money (and sometimes winning), not the student experience.

I fully expect us to end up with the Krush at the ends of the court, not on the side. This is pretty common.

That will be great if all the camera angles are into the endzones. They're not though. Most shots are facing the sidelines. A paltry few rows of students is a disaster, IMO. Crisler has 8 student rows on the sideline and it looks like that's what OSU has. 3-4 rows won't cut it, IMO.

Am also concerned with capacity. If it falls to 13.5, that's second rate. How can we aspire to be an elite program if our building's capacity is 3-5K less than many conference arenas?

On the plus side, Thomas' comments indicate that he definitely gets these concerns. Hope he doesn't pull the trigger if the compromises are too large.

illynifan34 · Aug 20, 2012, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joel Goodson

Am also concerned with capacity. If it falls to 13.5, that's second rate. How can we aspire to be an elite program if our building's capacity is 3-5K less than many conference arenas?

13.5k really isn't that bad. The atmosphere means more than the number.

MSU ~ 14.5k
Purdue ~ 14k
Michigan ~ 12.7k
Wisconsin ~ 17k
PSU ~ 15k
IU ~ 17.5k
Northwestern ~ 9k
Minnesota ~ 14.5k
Iowa ~ 15.5k
Nebraska ~ 13.5k
OSU ~ 18.8k

Other schools (including all with more all time wins than Illinois)
Duke ~ 9.5k
Pitt ~ 12.5k
Cincinnati ~ 13.1k
Mizzou ~ 15.5k
ND ~ 9k
UCLA ~12.8k
Florida ~ 12k
Texas ~ 16.7k
Kansas ~ 16.3k
Kentucky ~ 23.5k
Wake Forest ~ 14.5k
Washington ~ 10k
UNC ~ 21.75k
Syracuse ~ 34.5k
Temple ~ 10k
St. John's ~ 6k/19k
Penn ~ 8.75k
Utah ~ 15k

Numbers from wikipedia

katu06 · Aug 20, 2012, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joel Goodson

That will be great if all the camera angles are into the endzones. They're not though. Most shots are facing the sidelines. A paltry few rows of students is a disaster, IMO. Crisler has 8 student rows on the sideline and it looks like that's what OSU has. 3-4 rows won't cut it, IMO.

Am also concerned with capacity. If it falls to 13.5, that's second rate. How can we aspire to be an elite program if our building's capacity is 3-5K less than many conference arenas?

On the plus side, Thomas' comments indicate that he definitely gets these concerns. Hope he doesn't pull the trigger if the compromises are too large.

Purdue finds a way to get students on TV a lot, despite they fact that they are behind a hoop. I'm sure we can too.

I don't think stadium size really means anything. BYU's stadium seats almost 21k, and they are far from an elite program. I think the quality of the facilities is more important than the size. I'd also rather have a full stadium of 13.5k than an 80% full stadium of 17k.

I hope that if we are spending over 100 mil to get this done, a new ticket system can be put in so the seats in A will get filled by people not wanting to make the drive.

katu06 · Aug 20, 2012, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by illynifan34

13.5k really isn't that bad. The atmosphere means more than the number.

MSU ~ 14.5k
Purdue ~ 14k
Michigan ~ 12.7k
Wisconsin ~ 17k
PSU ~ 15k
IU ~ 17.5k
Northwestern ~ 9k
Minnesota ~ 14.5k
Iowa ~ 15.5k
Nebraska ~ 13.5k
OSU ~ 18.8k

Other schools (including all with more all time wins than Illinois)
Duke ~ 9.5k
Pitt ~ 12.5k
Cincinnati ~ 13.1k
Mizzou ~ 15.5k
ND ~ 9k
UCLA ~12.8k
Florida ~ 12k
Texas ~ 16.7k
Kansas ~ 16.3k
Kentucky ~ 23.5k
Wake Forest ~ 14.5k
Washington ~ 10k
UNC ~ 21.75k
Syracuse ~ 34.5k
Temple ~ 10k
St. John's ~ 6k/19k
Penn ~ 8.75k
Utah ~ 15k

Numbers from wikipedia

As much as I hate ND, I have been to a bunch of games at their stadium since they did the remodel. The stadium is NICE.

rsbc vet · Aug 20, 2012, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by illynifan34

13.5k really isn't that bad. The atmosphere means more than the number.
...

I agree. However my fear is that the renovation will do neither. Remember: capacity reduction will come at the cost of seating closest to the floor (most impact on "atmosphere"), which wasn't abundant to begin with in the original design.

Coupled with the lack of meaningful changes to C section, AFAIK no changes to the ceiling, etc. We got the same cavern with fewer people in it, and fewer people close to the action. Will be interesting to see how that translates to a better atmosphere.

Joel Goodson · Aug 20, 2012, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by illynifan34

13.5k really isn't that bad. The atmosphere means more than the number.

MSU ~ 14.5k
Purdue ~ 14k
Michigan ~ 12.7k
Wisconsin ~ 17k
PSU ~ 15k
IU ~ 17.5k
Northwestern ~ 9k
Minnesota ~ 14.5k
Iowa ~ 15.5k
Nebraska ~ 13.5k
OSU ~ 18.8k

Other schools (including all with more all time wins than Illinois)
Duke ~ 9.5k
Pitt ~ 12.5k
Cincinnati ~ 13.1k
Mizzou ~ 15.5k
ND ~ 9k
UCLA ~12.8k
Florida ~ 12k
Texas ~ 16.7k
Kansas ~ 16.3k
Kentucky ~ 23.5k
Wake Forest ~ 14.5k
Washington ~ 10k
UNC ~ 21.75k
Syracuse ~ 34.5k
Temple ~ 10k
St. John's ~ 6k/19k
Penn ~ 8.75k
Utah ~ 15k

Numbers from wikipedia

Capacity is a secondary concern. I'll be happier if the final # is 14.5K. 13.5 doesn't thrill me, but it's not a showstopper (not that it matters).

Out of all the factors involved in the rehab, the state of the program is #1 by light years. I'm going to judge the AH rehab almost exclusively on game time atmosphere. What's conveyed on the tube is paramount. We need to surround our court w/our most rabid fans...Krush & other students. The background should be filled w/intense fans. That's all I really give a crap about. I'm sure the rest of the project will be done first rate.

rsbc vet · Aug 20, 2012, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Capacity is a secondary concern. I'll be happier if the final # is 14.5K. 13.5 doesn't thrill me, but it's not a showstopper (not that it matters).

Out of all the factors involved in the rehab, the state of the program is #1 by light years. I'm going to judge the AH rehab almost exclusively on game time atmosphere. What's conveyed on the tube is paramount. We need to surround our court w/our most rabid fans...Krush & other students. The background should be filled w/intense fans. That's all I really give a crap about. I'm sure the rest of the project will be done first rate.

If capacity doesn't matter, why not just do this?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaifetz_Arena

$80M gets you a 10,600 seat arena with suites, practice facility for basketball AND volleyball, plus an athletic office facility.

BrooksTaylorFan · Aug 20, 2012, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rsbc vet

If capacity doesn't matter, why not just do this?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaifetz_Arena

$80M gets you a 10,600 seat arena with suites, practice facility for basketball AND volleyball, plus an athletic office facility.

It's a nice Arena, but it's way too small. Thomas talks about winning back the State of Illinois so the last thing you want to do is cut capacity by a third.

ilphotog · Aug 20, 2012, 03:58 PM

Think about this for a view(just for an idea) Look a A-Section behind the band and Krush, they have that wall behind them with fans sitting behind and above them, I do not think i've heard a complaint about fans not being able to see who are sitting behind them.
Now picture them extending that wall around on the East Side connecting both ends. Instead of the big circle you make it an rectangle with rounded corners so to speak. Now that gives them room to add the suites and still have some seating in the A Section. Get rid of those junkie bleachers on the floor (except if they need an area for family and recruits etc.) Put risers on the floor for the students at a gradual incline. You could do the same on the West side, bring the Wall closer and give the media risers as well. Not sure you really want students near the team benches. I'll try to add a photo of an empty Assembly Hall .

rsbc vet · Aug 20, 2012, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrooksTaylorFan

It's a nice Arena, but it's way too small. Thomas talks about winning back the State of Illinois so the last thing you want to do is cut capacity by a third.

Well, if $80M can get you to 10,600 with a couple of things we don't need (practice facilities and athletic offices), how much would it cost to bump that up to 13,600?

Again, if atmosphere is what is important, you aren't going to get it from a redesigned AH that has C section unchanged and lowers the combined capacity of the current B, A, and AA sections by 2-3 thousand (just a rough guess on my part).

I'm basing my guess on the "no floor lowering" reveal this weekend, and the fact that is was a cost/benefit decision, the "benefit" being more seating if the floor gets lowered.

Groundhogday · Aug 20, 2012, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilphotog

Think about this for a view(just for an idea) Look a A-Section behind the band and Krush, they have that wall behind them with fans sitting behind and above them, I do not think i've heard a complaint about fans not being able to see who are sitting behind them.
Now picture them extending that wall around on the East Side connecting both ends. Instead of the big circle you make it an rectangle with rounded corners so to speak. Now that gives them room to add the suites and still have some seating in the A Section. Get rid of those junkie bleachers on the floor (except if they need an area for family and recruits etc.) Put risers on the floor for the students at a gradual incline. You could do the same on the West side, bring the Wall closer and give the media risers as well. Not sure you really want students near the team benches. I'll try to add a photo of an empty Assembly Hall .

I don't quite follow everything you are trying to describe, but agree that low risers close to the floor on the sidelines will be key to making the court feel more intimate. On the baselines, they can actually have pretty steep stands going all the way up to the B-section aisle and I think that is where the band and most students will be sitting.

Aug 19, 2012, 07:10 PM	#404
Dan Admin Location: Champaign, IL Posts: 25,908	Mike Thomas on the Assembly Hall Renovation Survey- "What you're trying to find out with the survey..really has more to do with the premium opportunities. When you go into this process, when you're doing a renovation -- and actually whether you're starting from scratch of your renovating a facility -- you really want to see what the demand is for those premium opportunities. Whether it's suits, loges, club seats, court-side seating -- those types of things -- you want to see not only what the demand is, but also what the market will bear. Because if you hit that right then it really tells you..[the survey] should serve as a guide as to how you design the facility." "In some situations, if it's an existing building, you might have to make some tough decisions because an existing footprint might limit some of those things you can do. Which may be the case with Assembly Hall. The University of Illinois -- the DIA -- went through this exercise with the Memorial Stadium project. They really were -- as Warren Hood I think has shared with you -- spot on in the numbers, the survey information that came back. And they used that as a guide for that project. Some schools they'll go outside and hire an outside consultant or company that'll do this work for them, but here the DIA did a really nice job with Memorial Stadium as it relates to the survey and getting that information back. And it served to be very beneficial in the design of that facility." "It's a little fluid right now with these premium opportunities. And that's just the thing that we need to pin down, we will have that pinned down here shortly. And certainly something that needs be done before we have a final product as it relates to the schematic designs." Mike Thomas on A Section and not lowering the floor for the Assembly Hall renovation- "As it relates to student seating and where they're positioned, they've had a prominent place near the floor. That'll continue. The extent of that is still to be worked out. That's part of this premium opportunity piece." "I've been assured in the design -- I've seen the design -- that those folks that are currently in A Section right now have difficulty viewing the game over standing students. And that that will not be the case in the future." "Regardless of the fact that it looks right now we're not going to be dropping the floor. I think it's the angle of how they put in the seats..and the height that you get there. For us to go down that path -- and certainly we appreciate the environment of having the students around the floor creates -- we cannot be in a position for those fans immediately behind them their view's obstructed. So we've gotta find that sweet spot and we certainly will, because that's going to be important to the design of this project." "As we sit right now the cost and really the benefit of [lowering the floor], it's really cost prohibitive based on the benefits that you drive from that. So right now I don't anticipate [lowering the floor] happening. But there's other ways that we are working through that, that'll allow us to do the things that we need to do. With our students near the game floor and those people who are immediately behind the students being able to watch the game in an unobstructed way." WDWS Saturday Sportsline 8-18-12 http://www.illinihq.com/audio/2012-0...e-8-18-12.html Last edited by Dan; Aug 19, 2012 at 07:18 PM.

Aug 19, 2012, 07:56 PM	#405
birkhead Posts: 7	I hope they change the student section right now for Orange Krush members who aren't one of the first in lines, many get stuck in seats where you simply cannot see. Either in the back corner or on the sidelines in the 2nd, 3rd or 4th row. This is unacceptable to me. To be in Krush we raise money for charity and we are also the driving force that makes it the House of Paign. The fact that many of us cannot see is stupid and I hope they take that into consideration with the renovations. Also put us on the TV side, looks much better on broadcast.

Aug 19, 2012, 08:43 PM	#406
Bring The Paign I-L-L Location: Champaign Posts: 231	I got A section tickets 2 years ago for my birthday and out of all of the times I have been to a game it was by far the worst experience I had ever had at an Illini game. Itbwas the Michigan game where it took a missed Michigan three at the buzzer for us to win. Sure, the game was far from an offensive masterpiece but it was still close and had excitement at the end. Anyway, I was very disappointed that I had to take a seat with 2 minutes left because a blue hair behind me 3 rows back wouldn't stand to help cheer his team to victory. I have been offered A section tickets since and will not take them. I'll spend my time in the other sections and cheer with the other fans without having to feel like an outcast because I get into the games. Reading what I have read over the last couple of pages is pretty disappointing. It should be about getting louder fans around and closer to the court. Not about turning it into more of a graveyard than it already appears at times. One poster made note of the appearence on TV and they ate right. It looks awful and it hardly appears that the game day experience is going to improve at all. I've been talking up this project to friends for months. Looks like my Indiana buddy is going to get to have a ball throwing it all back in my face. Very disheartening. Sorry in advance if this is filled with spelling and grammar errors I'm holding my 10 month old while she sleeps and it's being typed on a phone haha __________________ LONG LIVE CHIEF ILLINIWEK

Aug 19, 2012, 10:31 PM	#408
Groundhogday Posts: 18,087	This is how Ohio State handles this problem. They have low risers for students to stand near the court, then block off five rows of seats before seating the high rollers. This is one way to make sure the high rollers don't have their views blocked. __________________ ONLY ORANGE!

Aug 19, 2012, 10:37 PM	#409
Groundhogday Posts: 18,087	FWIW, Badger students are all crammed into one endzone and this is a pretty common arrangement in the Big10. MSU students apparently paid fees to pay for the close student seating in the Breslin Center. http://buckyville.yuku.com/topic/387...1#.UDG-491lR3E __________________ ONLY ORANGE!

Aug 19, 2012, 01:46 PM	#402
drumanimal Location: Urbana, IL Posts: 430	Time for a new arena!! Hit up DWill.

Aug 20, 2012, 03:58 PM	#423
ilphotog The camera never lies Location: Champaign Posts: 6,201	Think about this for a view(just for an idea) Look a A-Section behind the band and Krush, they have that wall behind them with fans sitting behind and above them, I do not think i've heard a complaint about fans not being able to see who are sitting behind them. Now picture them extending that wall around on the East Side connecting both ends. Instead of the big circle you make it an rectangle with rounded corners so to speak. Now that gives them room to add the suites and still have some seating in the A Section. Get rid of those junkie bleachers on the floor (except if they need an area for family and recruits etc.) Put risers on the floor for the students at a gradual incline. You could do the same on the West side, bring the Wall closer and give the media risers as well. Not sure you really want students near the team benches. I'll try to add a photo of an empty Assembly Hall .