Tony Perkins to Mizzou

Iowa needs a new basketball facility, period. Not a new CHA, either.

The problem is where do you put it? Carver sucks ass as a BB facility, but it also sucks ass location-wise. There's literally nothing within a 45 minute walk except some apartments, a railroad track, and some parking lots.

Wanna have a few beers after a game or do the bar scene? Better plan on a $75 Uber (if you can get one) or a sub-freezing 45 minute walk downtown. Wanna have a decent dinner before the game and meet up with some family/friends? Better plan on parking downtown and either walking or finding said Uber. CHA as a basketball venue is a total shithole. There, I said it. Sightlines suck ass, no decent food or amenities, a concourse so crowded (because it's literally the only one) you can hardly move, and not enough pissers. Absolutely no premium seating, no student section, and old rich people have a monopoly on the close seats that do exist.

But where are you going to put it? Downtown would be the best option, but where do you go with it? Coralville? Anywhere in IC you'd have to bulldoze 6 city blocks and that ain't happening. The only other option is to put it where Carver is, eff that. East of Finkbine where the tennis and XC facilities are? Again, no nightlife out there and good luck getting the richie riches in the housing to the east agreeing to that.
 
Iowa needs a new basketball facility, period. Not a new CHA, either.

The problem is where do you put it? Carver sucks ass as a BB facility, but it also sucks ass location-wise. There's literally nothing within a 45 minute walk except some apartments, a railroad track, and some parking lots.

Wanna have a few beers after a game or do the bar scene? Better plan on a $75 Uber (if you can get one) or a sub-freezing 45 minute walk downtown. Wanna have a decent dinner before the game and meet up with some family/friends? Better plan on parking downtown and either walking or finding said Uber. CHA as a basketball venue is a total shithole. There, I said it. Sightlines suck ass, no decent food or amenities, a concourse so crowded (because it's literally the only one) you can hardly move, and not enough pissers. Absolutely no premium seating, no student section, and old rich people have a monopoly on the close seats that do exist.

But where are you going to put it? Downtown would be the best option, but where do you go with it? Coralville? Anywhere in IC you'd have to bulldoze 6 city blocks and that ain't happening. The only other option is to put it where Carver is, eff that. East of Finkbine where the tennis and XC facilities are? Again, no nightlife out there and good luck getting the richie riches in the housing to the east agreeing to that.
Yeah it's not 1983 anymore. CHA isn't practical inside or out it's just not. And as you said no easy obvious solutions to it. Rock meet hard place.
 
Sarcasm? I can’t really tell if you are being a smart ass or not. It is a message board so I am just throwing out thoughts and/or opinions.
Oh man sorry I can see how that looked like sarcasm directed at you. It wasn't. Your post just made me me think of that possibility for why Tony left. The sarcasm was just me knowing that isn't really the case. But it would be really cool if it were.
 
What kind of service does Cam Bus provide for basketball games?
I park at Hancher, (free), cambus (free) to CHA is 10 minutes. Drop off is literally a few feet from the west entry. Pick up post game, same location, multiple cambuses, 15 minutes back to Hancher, downtown in 5 minutes.

Get to know Iowa City, Mr. Fry.
 
Iowa needs a new basketball facility, period. Not a new CHA, either.

The problem is where do you put it? Carver sucks ass as a BB facility, but it also sucks ass location-wise. There's literally nothing within a 45 minute walk except some apartments, a railroad track, and some parking lots.

Wanna have a few beers after a game or do the bar scene? Better plan on a $75 Uber (if you can get one) or a sub-freezing 45 minute walk downtown. Wanna have a decent dinner before the game and meet up with some family/friends? Better plan on parking downtown and either walking or finding said Uber. CHA as a basketball venue is a total shithole. There, I said it. Sightlines suck ass, no decent food or amenities, a concourse so crowded (because it's literally the only one) you can hardly move, and not enough pissers. Absolutely no premium seating, no student section, and old rich people have a monopoly on the close seats that do exist.

But where are you going to put it? Downtown would be the best option, but where do you go with it? Coralville? Anywhere in IC you'd have to bulldoze 6 city blocks and that ain't happening. The only other option is to put it where Carver is, eff that. East of Finkbine where the tennis and XC facilities are? Again, no nightlife out there and good luck getting the richie riches in the housing to the east agreeing to that.
Sight lines are fine. Actually very good. Not a bad seat in the house. I don’t bother with food at any large sports venues, duh! Crowd in concourse is no different from any other I have attended (multiple). Individual seats, good. Pissers are the same at every sports venue. Don’t drink a bunch of beer (not you, Fry).
Yes. Change student seating. No premium. Who cares?
Personally, I like the athletic facilities all in one general area. Downtown is a physical impossibility. Go to Madison and try to find a defined campus. Good luck.
 
Sight lines are fine. Actually very good. Not a bad seat in the house. I don’t bother with food at any large sports venues, duh! Crowd in concourse is no different from any other I have attended (multiple). Individual seats, good. Pissers are the same at every sports venue. Don’t drink a bunch of beer (not you, Fry).
Yes. Change student seating. No premium. Who cares?
Personally, I like the athletic facilities all in one general area. Downtown is a physical impossibility. Go to Madison and try to find a defined campus. Good luck.
Premium seating may be a way to move the fat cats and make room for a student section.
 
Sight lines are fine. Actually very good. Not a bad seat in the house. I don’t bother with food at any large sports venues, duh! Crowd in concourse is no different from any other I have attended (multiple). Individual seats, good. Pissers are the same at every sports venue. Don’t drink a bunch of beer (not you, Fry).
Yes. Change student seating. No premium. Who cares?
Personally, I like the athletic facilities all in one general area. Downtown is a physical impossibility. Go to Madison and try to find a defined campus. Good luck.
Not compared to many other P6 arenas, many of which are in the Big Ten. CHA up past half way up sucks to see. It's bowl seating like the Rose Bowl and Michigan. Multiple decks are better in every way. Closer to the floor on top levels, louder, better access, allows more than one concourse to eliminate congestion and long lines at concessions and bathrooms as well as exit/entry...

I don’t bother with food at any large sports venues, duh!
Lots of people want food even if you don't. Lines say so.

Crowd in concourse is no different from any other I have attended (multiple).
You've apparently never been to Pinnacle Bank or CHI, and those are just two off the top pf my head I can think of.

No premium. Who cares?
Premium seating would free up tons of space for a student section next to the floor instead of putting them practically in a backstage closet with the band.

Personally, I like the athletic facilities all in one general area. Downtown is a physical impossibility. Go to Madison and try to find a defined campus.
Antiquated view. Who cares if Carver is right next to Kinnick and the baseball field? What purpose does it serve? Put a venue somewhere were nightlife can develop, with easy parking and access to transportation. CHA has none of this. It takes a solid hour to hour and a half to get to a four lane where people are doing the speed limit after a game. Sorry, this ain't Duke or Purdue or something. We don't have that kind of attraction that it should take that long. Build and arena on the edge of town near a major access road with tons of parking. Bars, restaurants, and nightlife will pop up around it along with other things drawn to the area. The only place a 10 minute walk from CHA will get you is a railroad track or the outfield fence of a baseball field.
 
DING DING DING DING DING...


Do you think the 50-100 million dollar renovation is coming to Carver in the next 5 years? We all know Carver ain’t going anywhere, anytime soon. IMO, the capacity goes from 15500 to 12500. They double up on the “HawkNest” thing that Alford tried to create. Personally, I think that it is Goetz’s first major move and removing Brian is a distant second.
 
It's an obscure, out of the way place, disconnected from the parts of town from which the attendees would begin their journey. Attendance is a problem. Adults don't want to ride a Cambus, crammed with raucous college kid, then take a 5-minute walk on a freezing icy night. I'm sure when an event has attendance problems, a good salesman would make the event more accessible to the market that might attend if it was more convenient to do so.
 
Not compared to many other P6 arenas, many of which are in the Big Ten. CHA up past half way up sucks to see. It's bowl seating like the Rose Bowl and Michigan. Multiple decks are better in every way. Closer to the floor on top levels, louder, better access, allows more than one concourse to eliminate congestion and long lines at concessions and bathrooms as well as exit/entry...


Lots of people want food even if you don't. Lines say so.


You've apparently never been to Pinnacle Bank or CHI, and those are just two off the top pf my head I can think of.


Premium seating would free up tons of space for a student section next to the floor instead of putting them practically in a backstage closet with the band.


Antiquated view. Who cares if Carver is right next to Kinnick and the baseball field? What purpose does it serve? Put a venue somewhere were nightlife can develop, with easy parking and access to transportation. CHA has none of this. It takes a solid hour to hour and a half to get to a four lane where people are doing the speed limit after a game. Sorry, this ain't Duke or Purdue or something. We don't have that kind of attraction that it should take that long. Build and arena on the edge of town near a major access road with tons of parking. Bars, restaurants, and nightlife will pop up around it along with other things drawn to the area. The only place a 10 minute walk from CHA will get you is a railroad track or the outfield fence of a baseball field.
I have watched games in CHA from a wide variety of sections, rows. I just don’t follow your sight lines issue. Yeah. Now my season tick is section nn row 25. Mid court, so I am spoiled.

I refuse to eat bad food on purpose. The fans deserve the crap they get.

I have not been in many basketball arenas. Kohl Center, MN Barn. Barn has character. Kohl is sterile as a steer and near nothing. No parking, no shuttle service, long
Long walk. I guess you have been to a lot of bb venues?
I posted premium seating would be worth a try and have come around to better student seating, but FYI, UW students have end zone seats at the Kohl.

Please stop with the antiquated view bs. You toss that out because it fits your narrative. You have no idea what that even means. If you really think she and experience are not important, you are missing out on a lot of real life. And, until I see in print from you or anyone else, what the f@@k you guys mean by “improve the fan experience” I will just laugh my ass off every time I read it.

Want a cheap and efficient way to connect CHA to bars and restaurants? Set up a cambus designated route from key stations around campus and let ‘er go! (Like MN does for football.) I see you conveniently ignored my suggestion to park at Hancher. After the game I drive 5 minutes to George’s and Pagliai’s.

Waiting, Mr. Fry.
 
It's an obscure, out of the way place, disconnected from the parts of town from which the attendees would begin their journey. Attendance is a problem. Adults don't want to ride a Cambus, crammed with raucous college kid, then take a 5-minute walk on a freezing icy night. I'm sure when an event has attendance problems, a good salesman would make the event more accessible to the market that might attend if it was more convenient to do so.
The Hancher based cambus Transports the older fans, many young married with kids, visitors from opponents and a fair number of students. Give it a look. There is a foot bridge to frat row right there.

And, you and Fry need to recognize that students have these new fangled things called “cars”. A lot of them are electric!

I walked from Quonset hut married student housing where Hancher sits now, to the old field house to watch Ralph Miller and Lute Olson teams. It was cold.
 
I have watched games in CHA from a wide variety of sections, rows. I just don’t follow your sight lines issue. Yeah. Now my season tick is section nn row 25. Mid court, so I am spoiled.

I refuse to eat bad food on purpose. The fans deserve the crap they get.

I have not been in many basketball arenas. Kohl Center, MN Barn. Barn has character. Kohl is sterile as a steer and near nothing. No parking, no shuttle service, long
Long walk. I guess you have been to a lot of bb venues?
I posted premium seating would be worth a try and have come around to better student seating, but FYI, UW students have end zone seats at the Kohl.

Please stop with the antiquated view bs. You toss that out because it fits your narrative. You have no idea what that even means. If you really think she and experience are not important, you are missing out on a lot of real life. And, until I see in print from you or anyone else, what the f@@k you guys mean by “improve the fan experience” I will just laugh my ass off every time I read it.

Want a cheap and efficient way to connect CHA to bars and restaurants? Set up a cambus designated route from key stations around campus and let ‘er go! (Like MN does for football.) I see you conveniently ignored my suggestion to park at Hancher. After the game I drive 5 minutes to George’s and Pagliai’s.

Waiting, Mr. Fry.
Do they have buses going from downtown to the games? They used to have a bus lane next to Old Capitalist Mall that would be a great location for a continuous game shuttle.
 
The Hancher based cambus Transports the older fans, many young married with kids, visitors from opponents and a fair number of students. Give it a look. There is a foot bridge to frat row right there.

And, you and Fry need to recognize that students have these new fangled things called “cars”. A lot of them are electric!

I walked from Quonset hut married student housing where Hancher sits now, to the old field house to watch Ralph Miller and Lute Olson teams. It was cold.
Just because you walked to games 15 miles uphill both ways in the freezing cold and by golly you enjoyed it, doesn't mean people 50 years younger than you want to.
 
I refuse to eat bad food on purpose. The fans deserve the crap they get.
This is dumb even by your standards.

I have not been in many basketball arenas.
That's quite evident.

I have watched games in CHA from a wide variety of sections, rows. I just don’t follow your sight lines issue. Yeah. Now my season tick is section nn row 25. Mid court, so I am spoiled.

I refuse to eat bad food on purpose. The fans deserve the crap they get.

I have not been in many basketball arenas. Kohl Center, MN Barn. Barn has character. Kohl is sterile as a steer and near nothing. No parking, no shuttle service, long
Long walk. I guess you have been to a lot of bb venues?
I posted premium seating would be worth a try and have come around to better student seating, but FYI, UW students have end zone seats at the Kohl.

Please stop with the antiquated view bs. You toss that out because it fits your narrative. You have no idea what that even means. If you really think she and experience are not important, you are missing out on a lot of real life. And, until I see in print from you or anyone else, what the f@@k you guys mean by “improve the fan experience” I will just laugh my ass off every time I read it.

Want a cheap and efficient way to connect CHA to bars and restaurants? Set up a cambus designated route from key stations around campus and let ‘er go! (Like MN does for football.) I see you conveniently ignored my suggestion to park at Hancher. After the game I drive 5 minutes to George’s and Pagliai’s.

Waiting, Mr. Fry.
Go to a game at Creighton once. Absolutely great "fan experience." Raucous fans, great arena in a terrific spot, easy to get in/out, way nicer views, student section is 11 rows deep on the full baseline, way better food options, dual concourses, multiple entry levels. More than ample parking. Nightlife everywhere within a couple minutes walk...you can get to restaurants, bars, every kind of food you could imagine from sushi, bar food, expensive steakhouses, the Mattress Factory is a great sports bar similar to the Vine...literally hundreds of places for any fan young, old, rowdy, or boring within a 5 minute walk from the stadium. The Capitol District and Old Market are right out the front door with 30-40 options each of places to go. The front street access to CHI is a city block long and getting an Uber/Lyft isn't congested at all. @InGoodCo will verify all of that.

But keep on spewing your opinion that because you're in your 80s and don't like change and improvements, nobody else should either. Sorry, but you apparently haven't seen a good "fan experience" and don't have anything to compare it to. And aside from all that, it's no coincidence that it doesn't play a huge part in the success and recruiting wins that Creighton has had. Progress and change are bad, right??

No matter where you put a new arena, as long as there's better access and amenities, the nightlife and attractions will follow post haste. UoI campus between railroad tracks, a bunch of trees, and a baseball field ain't that place. Put the thing near the 218/380 interchange and watch that area just blow up into a bustling spot, and leave CHA to the wrestlers.
 
This is dumb even by your standards.


That's quite evident.


Go to a game at Creighton once. Absolutely great "fan experience." Raucous fans, great arena in a terrific spot, easy to get in/out, way nicer views, student section is 11 rows deep on the full baseline, way better food options, dual concourses, multiple entry levels. More than ample parking. Nightlife everywhere within a couple minutes walk...you can get to restaurants, bars, every kind of food you could imagine from sushi, bar food, expensive steakhouses, the Mattress Factory is a great sports bar similar to the Vine...literally hundreds of places for any fan young, old, rowdy, or boring within a 5 minute walk from the stadium. The Capitol District and Old Market are right out the front door with 30-40 options each of places to go. The front street access to CHI is a city block long and getting an Uber/Lyft isn't congested at all. @InGoodCo will verify all of that.

But keep on spewing your opinion that because you're in your 80s and don't like change and improvements, nobody else should either. Sorry, but you apparently haven't seen a good "fan experience" and don't have anything to compare it to. And aside from all that, it's no coincidence that it doesn't play a huge part in the success and recruiting wins that Creighton has had. Progress and change are bad, right??

No matter where you put a new arena, as long as there's better access and amenities, the nightlife and attractions will follow post haste. UoI campus between railroad tracks, a bunch of trees, and a baseball field ain't that place. Put the thing near the 218/380 interchange and watch that area just blow up into a bustling spot, and leave CHA to the wrestlers.
Verified - Creighton has a great set up - Escalators, elevators - no lines for the bathroom cause there's one every 3 feet, they have concession's built in and then about 40 other vendors selling different things with stands. There place is next to Omaha's version of the Power and Light District in KC. The crowd is always there, even at 8 pm games on a Tuesday. Even when they are playing Roast Beef State - Creighton is the model of what it should be. Weird thing is... so is Nebraska - also, awesome set up in Lincoln.
 
I believe there have been feasibility studies for areas adjacent to downtown in the past. But I'm guessing these were all based on models in the 15,000 seat capacity, with corresponding requirements for parking.

Anyone know if any feasibility studies have been done for a 6,000 to 7,000 seat arena closer to downtown? I would think that might require a significantly smaller footprint. I'm sure it would still be incredibly difficult, but like I've said in the past, I think it could be an amazing attraction for downtown Iowa City, something that could be a shared partnership, and represent a bridge between the university and community.

You'd think the $100M in annual tv money could grease the skids a bit, too.
 

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