AUSTIN | Moody Center (U.T. Basketball Arena) | Complete

[Tech House]

Originally Posted by jg6544

Just the opinion of one Ex, but I think that before they add more seats to Memorial Stadium, they should be consistently filling the ones they have.

It's a game of "whose is bigger" and it's an absolute embarrassment of testosterone-fueled idiocy. I will vote no on any proposal to fund anything to do with sports, always, wherever I live. No subsidies for luxury suites and millionaire coaches who make a living off of watching unpaid young men destroy their lives as they receive multiple concussions.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by Tech House

It's a game of "whose is bigger" and it's an absolute embarrassment of testosterone-fueled idiocy. I will vote no on any proposal to fund anything to do with sports, always, wherever I live. No subsidies for luxury suites and millionaire coaches who make a living off of watching unpaid young men destroy their lives as they receive multiple concussions.

As if that's all the venues are used for...

[Jdawgboy]

Austin will need a multi-purpose indoor arena for things such as large indoor concerts. Not everyone wants to go to a large concert outdoors nor is the weather always the best for it. Look at Adele coming. She has to do two nights and tickets for both sold out way too quick. We need something that can accommodate at least 25k seated people and preferably more to bring in the really big acts that tend to bypass us for the larger arenas in Houston, Dallas or SA.

[lzppjb]

Originally Posted by Tech House

It's a game of "whose is bigger" and it's an absolute embarrassment of testosterone-fueled idiocy. I will vote no on any proposal to fund anything to do with sports, always, wherever I live. No subsidies for luxury suites and millionaire coaches who make a living off of watching unpaid young men destroy their lives as they receive multiple concussions.

Texas isn't asking for subsidies for the football stadium. They do what they want with their money.

Austin has too many voters that hate sports. AISD always gets big athletics projects voted down. That's a pet peeve of mine.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Austin will need a multi-purpose indoor arena for things such as large indoor concerts. Not everyone wants to go to a large concert outdoors nor is the weather always the best for it. Look at Adele coming. She has to do two nights and tickets for both sold out way too quick. We need something that can accommodate at least 25k seated people and preferably more to bring in the really big acts that tend to bypass us for the larger arenas in Houston, Dallas or SA.

If we're talking 25K, then the basketball arena might not be sufficient...their target is, what, 17K? Are you suggesting to build a larger arena somewhere else? Not saying that would be a bad idea, just wondering.

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by drummer

If we're talking 25K, then the basketball arena might not be sufficient...their target is, what, 17K? Are you suggesting to build a larger arena somewhere else? Not saying that would be a bad idea, just wondering.

Well if UT ends up building its own Basketball arena then it will most likely be smaller. I'm just pointing out that sooner or later the city of Austin will need some sort of large multi-purpose arena whether it's sports related or not to continue to be competitive at attracting more large concert acts. Concerts outdoors are okay but they are unreliable and some artists just don't do them. Big names like Madonna frequently bypass Austin and those that don't (like Adele) have to do 2 nights and even then, those nights are sold out rather quickly.

[the Genral]

Unless I missed it, I haven't heard a peep from anyone on the city council even mention the need for an all
purpose arena except their indignation to then UT AD Steve Patterson's statement that the COA should help pay for an all purpose arena because basically the city has been getting a free ride with Erwin Ctr. for years. He either has a point, or its just a very low priority for the city. I think the city is happy letting UT pay for and build an arena because the reality is, the draw is Austin, not UT, for the bands to come here, and UT benefits from those shows financially when the facility isn't being used for UT events. I think the COA is wise to sit this one out. They know the value they bring to UT.

[urbancore]

Originally Posted by the Genral

Unless I missed it, I haven't heard a peep from anyone on the city council even mention the need for an all
purpose arena except their indignation to then UT AD Steve Patterson's statement that the COA should help pay for an all purpose arena because basically the city has been getting a free ride with Erwin Ctr. for years. He either has a point, or its just a very low priority for the city. I think the city is happy letting UT pay for and build an arena because the reality is, the draw is Austin, not UT, for the bands to come here, and UT benefits from those shows financially when the facility isn't being used for UT events. I think the COA is wise to sit this one out. They know the value they bring to UT.

Exactly.

As I understand it, EC charges $50k to touring acts. Doesn't seem like enough cheddar for us to get involved and tax payers will riot in the streets if they are asked to pay for it.

[Syndic]

Originally Posted by the Genral

Unless I missed it, I haven't heard a peep from anyone on the city council even mention the need for an all
purpose arena except their indignation to then UT AD Steve Patterson's statement that the COA should help pay for an all purpose arena because basically the city has been getting a free ride with Erwin Ctr. for years. He either has a point, or its just a very low priority for the city. I think the city is happy letting UT pay for and build an arena because the reality is, the draw is Austin, not UT, for the bands to come here, and UT benefits from those shows financially when the facility isn't being used for UT events. I think the COA is wise to sit this one out. They know the value they bring to UT.

The problem is that a big arena isn't compatible with the sports UT is supposed to play there. Having a half-empty arena for basketball games is bad for UT's image.

UT isn't going to single-handedly fund and build a gigantic arena just so big musical acts will come to Austin. If the city council doesn't have the political capital to help fund an arena, UT will tear down the Frank Erwin Center build its own smaller arena without hesitation. I don't foresee them waiting around until the City of Austin gets its shit together.

[jg6544]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

Texas isn't asking for subsidies for the football stadium. They do what they want with their money.

And when The University is the principal public university in the country, not Berkeley, then they can start squandering money on a stadium expansion that isn't necessary based on demand. Until that happens, they should spend their money on academics.

[lzppjb]

Originally Posted by jg6544

And when The University is the principal public university in the country, not Berkeley, then they can start squandering money on a stadium expansion that isn't necessary based on demand. Until that happens, they should spend their money on academics.

Different pools of money. One does not take away from the other.

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by Syndic

The problem is that a big arena isn't compatible with the sports UT is supposed to play there. Having a half-empty arena for basketball games is bad for UT's image.

UT isn't going to single-handedly fund and build a gigantic arena just so big musical acts will come to Austin. If the city council doesn't have the political capital to help fund an arena, UT will tear down the Frank Erwin Center build its own smaller arena without hesitation. I don't foresee them waiting around until the City of Austin gets its shit together.

I don't want to defend the COA, but I don't see the upside for Austin getting involved in the construction of an arena big enough to bring in a few big names a year. I don't believe that would bring enough out of town dollars to justify the investment. They are more focused on the CC expansion anyway, and the only other suitable location for a large arena would be the AAS site when it becomes available (imo) and they have other plans for that. Besides, if UT can't fill the FEC with basketball fans, then they should build a smaller, more intimate arena. We've been calling for that here for a while now. And someone mentioned we don't have a big enough all purpose arena to bring in the likes of Madonna, I wouldn't go to see her if she came to my house

[lzppjb]

Here's an article from 2014 that has this excerpt:

Texas' athletics department is among the few nationally that gets no revenue from student fees or institutional or state sources. The department transferred $9.2 million of its 2012-13 operating surplus to the university – up from $8.3 million in transfers in 2011-12.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...enses/5062161/

[drummer]

^ Nice, I didn't realize that. That certainly wasn't the case with my university. We voted all sorts of stuff in as we were graduating to get a new stadium, etc., because future students would have to pay for it...oops.

That said, the new design (if they go with that one) does seem more intimate than the Erwin Center even with the number of seats...at least it seems that way to me by virtue of the design. The circular design of the Erwin Center seems to keep the upper levels especially very far away from the action.

[brando]

Originally Posted by the Genral

Unless I missed it, I haven't heard a peep from anyone on the city council even mention the need for an all
purpose arena except their indignation to then UT AD Steve Patterson's statement that the COA should help pay for an all purpose arena because basically the city has been getting a free ride with Erwin Ctr. for years. He either has a point, or its just a very low priority for the city. I think the city is happy letting UT pay for and build an arena because the reality is, the draw is Austin, not UT, for the bands to come here, and UT benefits from those shows financially when the facility isn't being used for UT events. I think the COA is wise to sit this one out. They know the value they bring to UT.

I don't know how likely it is that whatever profit they make offsets the increased costs of building a physically larger arena that seats 6,000 extra seats. They aren't bluffing when they say they might build a smaller stadium on campus.

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Austin will need a multi-purpose indoor arena for things such as large indoor concerts. Not everyone wants to go to a large concert outdoors nor is the weather always the best for it. Look at Adele coming. She has to do two nights and tickets for both sold out way too quick. We need something that can accommodate at least 25k seated people and preferably more to bring in the really big acts that tend to bypass us for the larger arenas in Houston, Dallas or SA.

25,000? No way. Toyota Center in Houston, AAC in Dallas and Staples Center in L.A. sits less than 20,000 for concerts. I do think they need the standard large arena like every other city. No other venue other than the erwin center sits more than 12k (interior or exterior)

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by brando

I don't know how likely it is that whatever profit they make offsets the increased costs of building a physically larger arena that seats 6,000 extra seats. They aren't bluffing when they say they might build a smaller stadium on campus.



25,000? No way. Toyota Center in Houston, AAC in Dallas and Staples Center in L.A. sits less than 20,000 for concerts. I do think they need the standard large arena like every other city. No other venue other than the erwin center sits more than 12k (interior or exterior)

The Alamo Dome sits more than 25K and most of the big acts play there. I'm not necessarily advocating for the city to build a multi-purpose arena anytime soon. All I'm saying is that eventually something will need to happen once the Erwin is torn down. It's going to be a few more years anyways so it's not an urgent issue.

Plus it's not just concerts, other non sporting events use large arenas. Another option would be to have a huge version of the Moody Theater. Something aimed solely for music. After all if we want to keep the title of live music capital Then that includes all facets of music venues from the small intimate bars to a large indoor concert venue and everything in between.

[jg6544]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

Different pools of money. One does not take away from the other.

Unless they have found some rich Exes foolish enough to bankroll the whole boondoggle, they should take $ from the football pool and transfer it to the academic pool. The University is, after all, an academic institution and that should be its principal mission.

[jg6544]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

Here's an article from 2014 that has this excerpt:



http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...enses/5062161/

I graduated in 1965. At that time, Texas was struggling to become an academic powerhouse. It was looking up at Cal/Berkeley, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, and probably North Carolina and Virginia. It's still looking up at those schools and UCLA in addition; maybe even one or two others in the UC system. When we're on top of the heap academically, we can afford window dressing like a huge and usually only partially full football stadium.

[electricron]

Austin, through COA once a year F1 race, spends around $20 to $25 Million even year on sports. With that $20 Million per year going to F1, Austin could build a very nice arena. While the State actually provides that $20 to $25 Million every year, those funds come from sales tax revenues generated within the City over the race weekend.
The City has already decided upon where they would invest sport based tax revenues upon, and almost all of the sanctioning F1 fees ends up in England and Italy.

Most of the money invested in an arena downtown would probably remain in the USA, and a significant portion of that would remain in Texas, and within the City itself.

There's a reason why Indianapolis stopped sanctioning F1 after-all.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by electricron

Austin, through COA once a year F1 race, spends around $20 to $25 Million even year on sports. With that $20 Million per year going to F1, Austin could build a very nice arena.

Except we wouldn't have that $20M per year without the F1 race. That's the whole point of the METF.