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Post by explorer88 on Sept 28, 2023 8:11:07 GMT -5
Would like to compare expectations from the first poll to what everyone thinks now that renderings are public.
What are the pluses and where could we do better?
Overall Grade?
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Post by JoeFedorowicz on Sept 28, 2023 8:17:08 GMT -5
What are the pluses and where could we do better? Overall Grade? I think if you are aware of the financial constraints and the current financial status of the school, the renderings look great for under $20M. It looks like an arena as opposed to a workout facility that can turn into a high school gym. Creating a practice arena in later years would improve the usability, but this needs to be first. I'd love an understanding of how 3000 people will get in and out...and what that looks like. Are we still walking along the baselines, or are there are going to be different points of entry? If it's the same entry point, the walk to the Olney Ave side is a tougher one while a game is going on. The "Glaser Suite" is featured prominently, but I wish they sectioned off more space for more suites/larger suites. It just looks like a roped off section. Again, don't know how real-to-life the renderings are...but something similar to how Drexel does their suite. Flat space with some seats and high-top tables. There are competing pictures about the colors of the walls and ceiling. Darker > Lighter IMO. Gets a solid A-minus in my book. Happy it's out there.
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Post by explorer88 on Sept 28, 2023 9:01:14 GMT -5
Really only concerned with the one rendering with the white ceiling. That looks terrible and I hope it is not a representation of what it will look like. The rest looked fine for me.
I hope the seating is steeper rather than backing up further away from the court. Steeper stands make it look so much better.
I agree with Joe about the Glaser Suite. That area could be designed better. Maybe they can make the finished product better than the drawing.
Pluses .... Baskets are on the floor versus hanging from the ceiling.
They realized they need to substantially upgrade the gameday experience. I wish they could give more detail on those plans but it appears some upgrades are coming. Ash referred to it as the bells and whistles which is correct.
Overall it is pretty much as I expected. B+ for me with a hit coming from the white ceiling picture.
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Post by calsufan on Sept 28, 2023 10:15:55 GMT -5
Seats behind the basket...
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Post by theneumann64 on Sept 28, 2023 10:41:52 GMT -5
I still have some questions, similar to Joe. Are we still going up those same staircases getting out and climbing up to our seats from court level? Or are there entrances to the sections at different points? Concessions- it's not that it's some major obstacle to go down to the 2nd level to get food in a different room, it's that that's not something you see anywhere else (except a High School).
Overall though, the renderings look good. We have to live in reality, a new building wasn't happening. A third floor gym is what we've got to work with, and no major external construction was going to happen. Have to work with what we can afford to do. My general rule has always been "make me feel like I'm in an arena, not a High School gym." I'm not going to have a definite answer on that until I'm physically sitting in the building in a year or so, but I'm optimistic.
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Post by explorerburger on Sept 28, 2023 11:07:25 GMT -5
That ceiling caught my attention, too. Sort of looks like something you'd see in a theatre or some other kind of modern performance space. It's weird and out of place. I'm not sure its that much worse than staring into Gola's rafters, though. Really only concerned with the one rendering with the white ceiling. That looks terrible and I hope it is a misrepresentation of what it will look like. The rest looked fine for me. I hope the seating is steeper rather than backing up further away from the court. Steeper stands make it look so much better. I agree with Joe about the Glaser Suite. That area could be designed better. Maybe they can make the finished product better than the drawing. Pluses .... Baskets are on the floor versus hanging from the ceiling. They realized they need to substantially upgrade the gameday experience. I wish they could give more detail on those plans but it appears some upgrades are coming. Ash referred to it as the bells and whistles which is correct. Overall it is pretty much as I expected. B+ for me with a hit coming from the white ceiling picture.
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Post by calsufan on Sept 28, 2023 11:26:32 GMT -5
Paint the ceiling gold. Make it a thing.
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Post by diehardexplorer on Sept 28, 2023 11:47:01 GMT -5
Really only concerned with the one rendering with the white ceiling. That looks terrible and I hope it is not a misrepresentation of what it will look like. The rest looked fine for me. I hope the seating is steeper rather than backing up further away from the court. Steeper stands make it look so much better. I agree with Joe about the Glaser Suite. That area could be designed better. Maybe they can make the finished product better than the drawing. Pluses .... Baskets are on the floor versus hanging from the ceiling. They realized they need to substantially upgrade the gameday experience. I wish they could give more detail on those plans but it appears some upgrades are coming. Ash referred to it as the bells and whistles which is correct. Overall it is pretty much as I expected. B+ for me with a hit coming from the white ceiling picture. the renderings with the white ceiling were only in the video announcement. it appears they were trying to give everyone a 3d/virtual reality look at the place. if you look at the arena renovation site, those renderings are not included so i think it's safe to say it will look like these pictures. goexplorers.com/images/2023/9/28/Final_Version.pnggoexplorers.com/images/2023/9/26/Picture2.jpggoexplorers.com/images/2023/9/28/Rendering_Final_2.pngi agree about the seating. i hope they at least make the sideline seats steeper. it will not only look better, but it should allow them to add additional capacity on the sidelines. i hope someone at la salle is looking at this. i'm also not a fan of the layout of the glaser suite. looks like some wasted space there. and i have the same questions as joe regarding this. getting out of gola now is a nightmare. i hope there will be multiple exits and some type of concourse underneath the stands. might as well do it right. all in all, i'm happy with what they've done. with a few tweeks here and there, this place will be really nice.
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Post by GlitterBro #2 on Sept 28, 2023 12:07:54 GMT -5
Paint the ceiling gold. Make it a thing.
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Post by coachd on Sept 28, 2023 12:26:33 GMT -5
Not exactly what anyone hoped for as it isn't a new arena but it could be used as a practice court in the future... who will be the next John Glaser amongst the alums and donate at least half the $ for a brand new arena 10 years from now?
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Post by thelasallelunatic on Sept 28, 2023 13:28:32 GMT -5
Don't like the seating capacity or the suite. If the enrollment ever returns to pre Colleen numbers, and/or the team ever gets decent (and for the school's sake, we better hope both are possibilities) this thing is basically Gola arena in 2003.
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MisterD
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Post by MisterD on Sept 28, 2023 13:42:55 GMT -5
If that's the worst case scenario, we're in good shape.
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Post by crayzeeguy on Sept 29, 2023 8:42:43 GMT -5
Don't like the seating capacity or the suite. If the enrollment ever returns to pre Colleen numbers, and/or the team ever gets decent (and for the school's sake, we better hope both are possibilities) this thing is basically Gola arena in 2003. I’d be completely fine if we outgrew our home arena… means we are making progress in many other areas
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Post by diehardexplorer on Sept 29, 2023 8:47:42 GMT -5
Don't like the seating capacity or the suite. If the enrollment ever returns to pre Colleen numbers, and/or the team ever gets decent (and for the school's sake, we better hope both are possibilities) this thing is basically Gola arena in 2003. nothing they can do about the capacity unless they start taking down walls which would add millions to the cost. they're trying their best to get as close as possible to the current 3,400 actual capacity. if i remember correctly, the league told a number of schools to start using real capacity numbers around 10 years ago. st joe's (pa) inflated theirs even worse and did it again after their renovation. no way hagan holds anywhere near 4,200 people. it's 3,800 max. i feel confident the renovated arena will hold more than the 3,000 that ashwin mentioned during the q&a session. not sure what you mean about it being gola in 2003. this will be significantly better than gola ever was. it never held 4,000 people. that was a bogus number and everyone knew it.
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Post by talkinbball on Sept 29, 2023 9:39:33 GMT -5
This isn't going to go over well but, I think I must have missed something. Like the last 30 years. In 1993, this would have been a good idea and a fine plan to compete for about 25 years. In 2023, and during the last 5 years or so, schools actually looking to remain relevant on even a minor National level, have advanced themselves to a status where we have NO CHANCE of ever being relevant again. This is a colossal waste of money.
In 2023, we need a harsh reality check as to where we stand not only with regard to Athletics but, as a University. If this is mostly about the Glaser money, someone from the Administration, I would hope would have the foresight to approach the Glaser family and see what options they would be open to with regard to the donation. If they are insistent on the money being spent on the facility, then spend only that money and no more. This isn't even throwing "good money after bad". We never actually spent "good" money on a facility. We built a gym when we needed, at least, a facility. There isn't even a valid comparison for what this is.
And yes, I have contributed to the Basketball "Program" for almost every year since graduation and this is my 50th year. I finally faced "reality" about 4 years ago and started directing my donations to the school in another direction. I will be forever grateful for the memories of the good times!
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Post by explorerburger on Sept 29, 2023 9:46:01 GMT -5
I would be surprised if any of us haven't considered this perspective at least briefly. It's not fun to admit. (I don't totally agree. But I've definitely thought a lot about this in the past three or four years). This isn't going to go over well but, I think I must have missed something. Like the last 30 years. In 1993, this would have been a good idea and a fine plan to compete for about 25 years. In 2023, and during the last 5 years or so, schools actually looking to remain relevant on even a minor National level, have advanced themselves to a status where we have NO CHANCE of ever being relevant again. This is a colossal waste of money. In 2023, we need a harsh reality check as to where we stand not only with regard to Athletics but, as a University. If this is mostly about the Glaser money, someone from the Administration, I would hope would have the foresight to approach the Glaser family and see what options they would be open to with regard to the donation. If they are insistent on the money being spent on the facility, then spend only that money and no more. This isn't even throwing "good money after bad". We never actually spent "good" money on a facility. We built a gym when we needed, at least, a facility. There isn't even a valid comparison for what this is. And yes, I have contributed to the Basketball "Program" for almost every year since graduation and this is my 50th year. I finally faced "reality" about 4 years ago and started directing my donations to the school in another direction. I will be forever grateful for the memories of the good times!
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Post by explorer88 on Sept 29, 2023 10:15:36 GMT -5
To each their own as to how they want to donate their money and where.
This project was never supposed to cure our ills. I spoke to John Glaser for years about the need to do something better than the ill-fated 97 renovation gave us. I am talking 100+ conversations during all of they years we rode the bus to away games etc... He never fully committed to the need for better facilities although he heard me out every time. He was emphatic La Salle could only win with a Princeton style coach. I was surprised he left the gift for an arena renovation given he never committed to that in my years talking with him.
All this being said, the funds came with a caveat and La Salle took the funds and executed the best plan they could with funds they had from him and others. I cant' fault La Salle for what they are proceeding with.
Bottom line.....it will be worlds better than what we have now. It will come across better on TV and it should create an environment for La Salle basketball which better than we have today.
La Salle has to live moment to moment in this era of college basketball. If someone gives you a hamburger instead of a piece of half-eaten chicken out of the trash you gladly take it and hope down the line you get something better.
Who knows what happens in 10 years. Maybe some graduate hits the power ball or starts some company and sells it for billions and gives La Salle an enormous gift to construct a brand new facility.
We just don't know and can't control everything. Just improve and be better than you were yesterday with an eye on getting better everyday.
La Salle got better with this gift and this project. It isn't a cure-all but nothing rarely is.
I have been the biggest critic I think of the program's inability to be faster and better with their decisions. In 2 and a half years they removed possibly their worst coach that I have known as a La Salle fan and made home court better. I will take that for now.
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Post by las71 on Sept 29, 2023 10:22:27 GMT -5
I think it's difficult to determine how I feel about the renovations until I attend a game in the new arena. I do believe it will be an improvement and it's now up to the students and alums to go to the games and make this a difficult place to play. We were never going to be able to support a big time facility so it's up to us to make this work in our favor. I hope Dunphy has a few more years left as he has begun the process of making La Salle a tough out Hopefully he can continue the process of making us relevant again in the City and A 10. I'm looking forward to the upcoming season and future seasons in the Glaser arena. Go 'splorers.
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Post by theneumann64 on Sept 29, 2023 11:18:53 GMT -5
It's not going to be a silver bullet, we all recognize that I think. But if we can just upgrade to "arena that's not a punchline" I think that can't be understated.
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Post by calsufan on Sept 29, 2023 12:02:15 GMT -5
I hope this will induce people who had walked away from the program to sign back up for season tickets. The administration heard us and did something about it. Is it the next mecca of college basketball? Not even close, but as others have said, it's what we could do with what we have available as funds. It's a big improvement and now it's time for all local La Salle basketball fans to step up, sign up and show up.
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Post by diehardexplorer on Sept 29, 2023 13:41:51 GMT -5
This isn't going to go over well but, I think I must have missed something. Like the last 30 years. In 1993, this would have been a good idea and a fine plan to compete for about 25 years. In 2023, and during the last 5 years or so, schools actually looking to remain relevant on even a minor National level, have advanced themselves to a status where we have NO CHANCE of ever being relevant again. This is a colossal waste of money. In 2023, we need a harsh reality check as to where we stand not only with regard to Athletics but, as a University. If this is mostly about the Glaser money, someone from the Administration, I would hope would have the foresight to approach the Glaser family and see what options they would be open to with regard to the donation. If they are insistent on the money being spent on the facility, then spend only that money and no more. This isn't even throwing "good money after bad". We never actually spent "good" money on a facility. We built a gym when we needed, at least, a facility. There isn't even a valid comparison for what this is. And yes, I have contributed to the Basketball "Program" for almost every year since graduation and this is my 50th year. I finally faced "reality" about 4 years ago and started directing my donations to the school in another direction. I will be forever grateful for the memories of the good times! i really do understand where you're coming from. i've been a season ticket holder for a long time (since the late '70's), not as long as you and some others on here, but i've felt the frustrations too. it should have never come to this. but let me explain my current feelings from a different perspective. imo, it's only a matter of time before the p5 conferences break away from the rest of us. they are going to have their own tournament and play in a different sandbox. forget about them. that leaves approximately 293 basketball programs left which will still make for great regular season basketball and an exciting march madness. assuming all 3 phases of this project get done, call me delusional but i think la salle can still field a competitive program under this scenario. finally getting a student rec center done in addition to what amounts to a new (i realize it's small) arena should help enrollment and keep the school's doors open. the school should become more appealing to recruits and the general student population. not doing something would make it that much harder. maybe i'm drunk from all the optimism in the building during the presentation on wednesday. i think with president allen and ashwin puri leading the way, there's a good chance things are turning around and i'm onboard.
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Post by thelasallelunatic on Sept 29, 2023 19:33:03 GMT -5
Don't like the seating capacity or the suite. If the enrollment ever returns to pre Colleen numbers, and/or the team ever gets decent (and for the school's sake, we better hope both are possibilities) this thing is basically Gola arena in 2003. nothing they can do about the capacity unless they start taking down walls which would add millions to the cost. they're trying their best to get as close as possible to the current 3,400 actual capacity. if i remember correctly, the league told a number of schools to start using real capacity numbers around 10 years ago. st joe's (pa) inflated theirs even worse and did it again after their renovation. no way hagan holds anywhere near 4,200 people. it's 3,800 max. i feel confident the renovated arena will hold more than the 3,000 that ashwin mentioned during the q&a session. not sure what you mean about it being gola in 2003. this will be significantly better than gola ever was. it never held 4,000 people. that was a bogus number and everyone knew it. As one of the best posters on here, I hear what you're saying. However, I am OK with blowing out the walls and making this thing right, to where we aren't talking about doing this thing again in 10 years.
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Post by lasalle69bestever on Sept 29, 2023 20:05:45 GMT -5
Maybe I'm dense or missed something. Where will we be playing in the meantime?
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Post by JoeFedorowicz on Sept 29, 2023 20:35:55 GMT -5
As one of the best posters on here, I hear what you're saying. However, I am OK with blowing out the walls and making this thing right, to where we aren't talking about doing this thing again in 10 years. I mean buck up then. They can't even afford the renovation they are doing.
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Post by JoeFedorowicz on Sept 29, 2023 20:36:23 GMT -5
Maybe I'm dense or missed something. Where will we be playing in the meantime? Shovels in ground March 2024.
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Post by thelasallelunatic on Sept 29, 2023 21:08:00 GMT -5
As one of the best posters on here, I hear what you're saying. However, I am OK with blowing out the walls and making this thing right, to where we aren't talking about doing this thing again in 10 years. I mean buck up then. They can't even afford the renovation they are doing. One day Joe... one day buddy.
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Post by 1863 on Sept 30, 2023 22:46:26 GMT -5
Overall, it has been a much-needed positive for La Salle University.
They've gotten a lot of good press out of this and I would guess that it may give them a bump both in recruiting and rekindling interest from the alumni. Combine that with an opening night at the "new arena" and the familiar face of Fran Dunphy at the helm and I suspect the ball will be rolling toward better times for La Salle Basketball.
From what I've read from others' posts on this board, our new President, Dr. Daniel Allen, is quite skilled at fund raising. He has to get a lot of credit for raising the other half/or portion of the $12 million (from what I've read) in such a short time.
As "JoeFedorowicz" said, "They can't even afford the renovation they are doing." He's right. Given the shaky financial ground the school is on at the moment, it's pretty much a miracle what they're accomplishing with this project.
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Post by JoeFedorowicz on Oct 1, 2023 16:02:52 GMT -5
Why is my name in quotes
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Post by weston2 on Oct 1, 2023 18:32:58 GMT -5
It's a waste. See what it did for SJU. Expect the same. You either build a state of the art multi use facility (minimum 5k) or invest in recruiting students, especially males. The improvements aren't going to move the needle. 3k is not even making the Indiana HS Top 50, it's a HS auditorium. And wait to you see where your ticket prices go.
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Post by thelasallelunatic on Oct 1, 2023 19:45:40 GMT -5
We do need male students.
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