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Old Posted Feb 9, 2015, 2:36 AM
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AUSTIN | Moody Center (U.T. Basketball Arena) | Complete

I saw someone talking about this on Horns247 and, admittedly, this is what caused me to sign up for a Statesman subscription. I'm really interested in this project. Replacing the Erwin Center will be one of the biggest things to ever happen to Austin. The question is: what will the city of Austin do when UT doesn't need a big arena that doubles as a premier entertainment venue? The answer seems to be that they'll have to build their own, which is the best thing for Austin in the long run, IMO.

Here's the article:

Quote:
Will parking lot become home to a new Texas basketball arena?

Posted: 12:00 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015

By Brian Davis, Ralph K.M. Haurwitz and Lilly Rockwell - American-Statesman Staff

University of Texas officials have discussed building the new basketball arena on the parking lot immediately south of the Mike A. Myers Stadium and Soccer Field, multiple school officials said.

It’s premature to say that location is the front-runner, Texas Men’s Athletic Director Steve Patterson said. Still, it is one of a half-dozen that are getting serious consideration from an initial list of 20 possible spots.

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/spor...3419960.735637
Summary for those who can't read it:

Anonymous inside sources suggest that this is the location that's generating the most interest inside the athletic department. But there's all kinds of issues to be worked out such as turnover with the city government and at UT. Also, the site could be needed for future Dell Medical School expansion. So it's too early to (publicly, at least) name this site the leader. The South Shore is also mentioned as a possible site for a multipurpose arena but that's more speculation on the Stateman's part than anything coming from the city or from UT.
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  #2  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2015, 7:47 AM
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It's possible it's an intentional leak to scare the council and the city that UT is willing to just build their own small arena. Austin would not only lose out on a way to build a modern arena but it would lose the one they have now which is way to small for a city as large and with the same profile as Austin.

That's a lot of concerts, ACC graduations and misc events the city would lose.

It seems fair that the city and UT split the cost of an area given the civic value it serves. I'm betting Zimmerman is going to vote against with the impression that no one in his district goes to concerts.
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  #3  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2015, 12:30 PM
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Looking at the lot south of Myers Stadium, I think Red River would have to be re-routed to make room for an arena.

I'm split on this issue. It'd be a smart idea for CoA to team with UT to build an arena. It'd save them money in the long run. But as an avid UT fan, I just don't want my team playing in a 20,000-seat half-empty cavern for half their games. That ruins the atmosphere.
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Old Posted Feb 9, 2015, 4:00 PM
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Originally Posted by brando View Post
It's possible it's an intentional leak to scare the council and the city that UT is willing to just build their own small arena.
That's a good point. It very well could be. And it should scare city officials. Because without UT as a partner, the city will have to fund an arena all by themselves and that's no easy task considering all of the things the city has on its wish list to pay for.

But I'm with lzppjb. I'm tired of the cavernous arena for UT basketball games. I would like to see something more intimate. And this spot is perfect. It's right there by the soccer stadium, baseball stadium, and football stadium. And students could get there more easily. They wouldn't have to cross MLK Blvd.

On the other hand, I don't want to see Austin not have a legitimate multipurpose arena and them paying for one on their own seems very difficult to imagine. Maybe they can pair with a sponsor and give them naming rights in exchange for them paying for part of the cost?
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Old Posted Feb 9, 2015, 4:40 PM
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How about pairing with MLS and getting an indoor soccer arena?
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  #6  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2015, 5:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Syndic View Post
But I'm with lzppjb. I'm tired of the cavernous arena for UT basketball games. I would like to see something more intimate. And this spot is perfect. It's right there by the soccer stadium, baseball stadium, and football stadium. And students could get there more easily. They wouldn't have to cross MLK Blvd.
I'd still rather see Gregory gym renovated. Sure, it won't ever fit 20k people, but it could probably be expanded to fit ~10k (it currently supports 4k). That would be the *best* spot to get students to come to the games.

The COA needs to find a way to build it's own venue.
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Old Posted Feb 9, 2015, 5:39 PM
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I think the best approach would be for UT to build its own, smaller arena on UT property and let COA build its own arena elsewhere. I like the site east of the swim center. It complicates things way too much for UT and COA to collaborate on something that would either be too large or too small. There will have to be 2 separate arenas.
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  #8  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2015, 6:11 PM
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S

Last edited by Austin1971; Jan 25, 2020 at 7:04 PM.
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  #9  
Old Posted Feb 9, 2015, 6:46 PM
StoOgE StoOgE is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brando View Post
It's possible it's an intentional leak to scare the council and the city that UT is willing to just build their own small arena. Austin would not only lose out on a way to build a modern arena but it would lose the one they have now which is way to small for a city as large and with the same profile as Austin.

That's a lot of concerts, ACC graduations and misc events the city would lose.

It seems fair that the city and UT split the cost of an area given the civic value it serves. I'm betting Zimmerman is going to vote against with the impression that no one in his district goes to concerts.
From what I've been told by family members who are reasonably big money donors.. this is not a scare tactic.

The University is planning on building an on-campus arena of a size that is reasonable for use as a basketball facility for the University with a large chunk of funding being re-routed towards the South-end zone expansion of the football stadium.

They aren't going to increase the size of the stadium so much as build more box seats and several more club level seats that bring in real money for the University and Longhorn foundation.

I think any chance of partnering with UT for an arena may have sailed for the city... the question then becomes does it make sense to build a giant concert venue in Austin without a major sports team tied to it?
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  #10  
Old Posted Feb 10, 2015, 1:18 AM
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Yes lets get a NHL team and an NBA team.
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Old Posted Feb 10, 2015, 4:14 AM
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Yes lets get a NHL team and an NBA team.
We won't get an NBA team with the Spurs so close. Hockey is a tough sell in Texas, but the Stars seem to be doing well in Cedar Park.
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Old Posted Feb 10, 2015, 1:42 PM
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My wife and I go to the Texas Stars games often. They tend to almost sell out for every game. Its an AHL club that is owned by the Dallas stars. It'd be unlikely to get an NHL team. Although, Texas could use another.
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  #13  
Old Posted Feb 17, 2015, 7:15 AM
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Texas could still partner with city of Austin on new basketball venue

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Last edited by Austin1971; Jan 25, 2020 at 7:04 PM.
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  #14  
Old Posted Feb 17, 2015, 4:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Austin1971 View Post
By Wescott Eberts@SBN_Wescott on Feb 16, 2015, 5:06p

How Steve Patterson navigates the funding and construction of the next Horns hoops facility will help define his legacy.

http://www.burntorangenation.com/201...sketball-venue
Patterson's legacy is already defined.

Rocket Pack guy at football games, DJ's at Basketball games. Consultant speak everywhere, Disney consulting group telling a bunch of long-time fans and alums what it is they really want at a football game. Going so far as to say publicly that winning isn't what people will remember, it's if someone was nice to them. Or they saw an idiot in a jetpack evidently.

This clown is turning UT sports into everything wrong with the NBA and stripping any character that college athletics has away.

Hopefully he isn't long for this job, but I worry that the football team turning things around will give him job security, and revenue will likely increase on his watch.
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Old Posted Feb 17, 2015, 5:49 PM
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Oh, I thought you were joking.

I'm not seeing how rocket pack guys at football games, DJs at basketball games, or getting Disney consulting group to tell long-time fans and alums what they want at a football game are bad things. For one thing, everybody does the rocket pack guy or parachute guy thing. It's commonplace in college football. It absolutely does not diminish Texas football culture in any way. Second, UT basketball games have been dead, boring events for years because DeLoss catered to blue-haired retirees who just want to have a nice calm evening and not make any noise rather than instilling an atmosphere of youth, fun, and noise. What Patterson really could do to cement his reputation as a positive, culture-changing figure is increase the size of the student section and drive some old the old fogies higher in the stands where they belong. Thirdly, same goes for football. Most long-time football fans and alumni are terrible fans. They're snotty and entitled. They don't think anything is required of them. When I go to games, I don't sit down or shut up for the entire game, no matter who is around me. These assholes leave shortly after half-time, are detached from the team, don't know any of the players' names, and don't think fans impact the game. They need to be told what to do, if not kicked out of the stadium completely. I blame DeLoss Dodds for being too old, soft, arrogant, and clueless. Just having the name "Texas" isn't going to be enough. Other programs are raising their profiles and to keep up we need to make some changes. If older folks can't cope with that change, they can keep their butts in Houston or wherever they live. We don't need them.
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Old Posted Feb 17, 2015, 6:25 PM
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Jetpack guy is not done everywhere. It's stupid and gimmicky. I hated it the first time I saw it. I'm surprised they rolled him out there for every damn home game.

I feel less strongly about the DJ. It's stupid, but whatever. Basketball needs a lot of work, so the DJ does not rank too highly on my list of hatred currently.
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Old Posted Feb 17, 2015, 7:03 PM
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Jetpack guy is not done everywhere. It's stupid and gimmicky. I hated it the first time I saw it. I'm surprised they rolled him out there for every damn home game.
It has been done by Michigan, the winningest and most historic football program in the country. And I don't see how it's any different than parachute guy, which everyone does.

Anyway, kids like stupid gimmicks. Maybe we did it too much but that's no serious knock on Patterson. And, let's be honest, we needed as many attractions to get people out to the ballpark as possible last year because the team sucked.
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Old Posted Feb 17, 2015, 7:18 PM
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And Michigan sucked last year. I don't care if they did it. Did they do it every dang game?

And you answered the issue with your last statement. Win. That's all we need. Win and stick with traditions. I hope to God they nix the jetpack BS next season. Every fan I know agrees. Only kids and their moms (not even all moms) enjoy that.

I go to a game to watch good football. I want to hear the band and I want to yell my head off. I want to see Bevo, Smokey, Big Bertha and the Pom Squad. I don't pay money to see Jetpack guy or hear Taco Bell gongs from a giant, deafening jumbotron.

Move the band back to a prominent location. Destroy Godzillatron. Until that can be done, at least turn the damn thing down and don't play crappy music over our band and fans. Move Bevo to where he can be seen.

Fans are not encouraged to make noise because they are constantly drowned out by the advertisements blaring out all the time. Jetpack guy is an advertisement for Mighty Fine, btw.

I used to go to every home game, some road games and the bowl game. I go to maybe 1 or 2 games a year now. Them sucking has had a part to play in that. But so does the atmosphere. It sucks.
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  #19  
Old Posted Feb 19, 2015, 8:39 PM
LiveattheOasis LiveattheOasis is offline
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Originally Posted by lzppjb View Post
How about pairing with MLS and getting an indoor soccer arena?
I don't know if it would be indoor, but you have to think an MLS size venue at the Statesman HQ spot for big shows and soccer matches would be incredible.

That location would probably win Austin the 24th team, if only we get Michael Dell involved ...
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Old Posted Feb 19, 2015, 8:56 PM
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The Statesman plot is the perfect spot for an arena and MLS type venue. It needs to be a join effort between the City of Austin, Travis County, and UT.

Both venues could be used for concerts/trade shows/conventions and would be a great move for Rodeo Austin in my opinion. I know the Houston Rodeo was a part of the design and financing of NRG Stadium in Houston along with the city, county and Texans. Seems like Rodeo Austin would be a great partner to have on board.

Real question would be is how much push back/influence would the Travis Heights neighborhood have?
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