Quote:
Originally Posted by wave46
I guess maybe I'm trying to apply logic here mistakenly. I'm just wondering if there's a point where the madness stops - the increases in the cost of attending and running pro sports has eclipsed inflation for years. There has to be a point that people give up.
There are some reasons why I could see the '70s and '80s stadiums/arenas being replaced, especially those in the suburbs. The suburbs stink for anything that isn't the NFL.
I do take your point about privately built arenas though - it is amazing how the Montreal Forum worked for 70 years as a venue and I imagine that arenas like the Bell Centre and ACC will have close to the same lifespan. However now the Saddledome - despite being built in my lifetime - is inadequate (so they say).
Interesting aside: The ACC - located on premium land in downtown Toronto - cost $265m in 1999. (Inflation adjusted to 2016: $366m). How come the Saddledome replacement is so much more expensive? (quoted @ ~$550m)
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ACC site isn't that big of a site and half of the project was a renovation using much of the old Post Office shell within the arena structure. ACC costs blew up when they had to shift the project to dig down much further to fit in the hockey rink.
In saying all that, the ACC is showing its age. That era of Mid 90s arenas will all be up for major renovations or replacements. In Atlanta, they are going to renovate Phillips Arena which about the same age as the ACC.
Many of these 90s arenas are going to be getting $100-300 million dollar renovations coming up soon.
I don't think these new areas will last 100 years like they used to. It will get to a point where the land under the arena is worth more than the building and they will blow it up and rebuild it some place else. Only in older and large cities will they have to stay put as land availability is tight. Skydome, for example, will never go away, there is no other place to build 'Skydome 2' in Toronto so it will forever stay put there until they blow it up to use the land. TD Garden in Boston, MSG, all these will never go away as you won't find land to rebuild them in those cities.
The next trend with the major renovations to arenas will be to downsize. The focus will be on more premium seats with less capacity will be the shift for the next cycle IMO.