Wouldn't it be nice (a new basketball arena)

[ST_Lawson]

Yes, I know that we're still waiting to hear about west side Hanson Field improvements, but I happened to be looking around at some stuff and came across a basketball arena that I would LOVE to have at Western.

A friend of mine is the Director of Bands/Percussion Instructor/Pep Band Director at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix and I was checking out some of his photos on facebook the other day. GCU plays in the WAC with teams like Chicago State, UMKC, and some other teams scattered around the west and south areas.

Anyway, GCU built a new arena that opened in 2011 with ~5,000 seats. With growing enrollment and a faster-than-expected move to Div. I, they spent March-August this year expanding the arena to ~7,000 seats. Personally, I think that something in that size range (5k with possible expansion to 7k) would be perfect for a school of our size and "level", and the arena is absolutely beautiful. Three of the four sides (the two long sides and one of the ends) are permanent seating, with the other end being pretty nice bleachers that can be folded away so that the arena can be used for concerts and graduation and stuff.

Here's what it looks like from the outside:



Here's the inside before the expansion:




Here's a rendering of pre-expansion setup for stuff like concerts or graduation-type events (notice the suites around the sides):



And here's the stadium with the expansion to 7k seats (they took out the suites around the sides for more seating capacity...also, note the collapsible bleachers at one end):



And here's a news story about the arena expansion with video inside: http://www.fox10phoenix.com/story/26351 ... rena-grows

My dream would be to see something like this built (the footprint would take up slightly more than a quarter of the main "square" of Q-lot), and they could have Men's and Women's basketball as well as graduation ceremonies and some concerts held here. Then take Western Hall, get rid of the "upper level" seating areas, turn them into athletic training areas or something, and just have the "lower sections" and the "court" area for volleyball matches, basketball practice facilities, etc.

Again, just dreaming about stuff, I know that expecting something like this in the next 10 years or so is pretty unrealistic...but sometimes it's nice to dream.

[VoiceOfReasonFan]

A few things... GCU is a FOR PROFIT school, like University of Phoenix or others of that ilk. No doubt that type of education has boomed in the last decade or so, but it may not forever.

I love to dream too ST, but more so, I like setting difficult goals that can be achieved with hard work. To me, this isn't that at this point. Like you said, maybe in 10 years, but not now. How about we work on getting the Leatherneck Club's coffers a bit more in line with a D1 athletics program first? Or raise enough money to get ground broken on a West Side stadium? Or a University endowment that isn't a joke? Let's start with the foundation before we jump to installing the penthouse suites on the 80th floor.

[WIU0812]

Actually that GCU original stadium in 2011 cost approximately $40 million and WIU has in their master plan that they are budgeting for is $58 Million so hopefully it will be just as nice or nicer by the time that comes around.

I also agree that the lack of early requests for fundraising on the west side has been shocking. I suggested to Tommy that he sells bricks that can be engraved on the side of the new stadium or brick pavers that can be engraved the way U of I has done some in the past near their alumni House. It is like they do not want to do any fundraising and just take on all funds as is and hope for the best. If they had started fundraising at beginning of this season by just presenting a picture of a proposed stadium layout they would be on their way to raising funds and some people who want do donate more could donate more than once and spread it out so its not a large dent in their budget all at once.

[ST_Lawson]

1. Yes, GCU is in a VASTLY different situation than we are....private for-profit, religious, located in a major metro area, with 68k students, and they don't fund a football program.
2. As 812 mentioned, the cost/size of the arena is roughly in line with what the master plan has stated for when/if we get a basketball arena.
3. And yes, I realize that there are plenty of other things that need to be addressed long before any plans can be made for something like this.

Still...maybe it's the "wonder of the season" or maybe just the long dreariness of no football and another likely mediocre basketball season to look forward to for the next few months that make me dream of better days in the future.
Gotta hope for something, right?

[Tere North]

I'd do something like this at the entrance to WIU, where Godfathers and the Theatre we. We no long use the prior old HyVee facilities for th Gwendolynn Brooks Cultural Center interim place, so that would add some team or other rooms with an enclosed walkway to the arena.

[WIU0812]

The old godfather's is not cost effective to fix it is supoosed to be demoed in the future which I would assume is not far away.

[ST_Lawson]

Godfathers is already gone. It's asphalt now.

I'd imagine that they'll probably end up tearing down the old movie theater too and eventually do the "welcome center" there.
I don't think the old Hy-Vee building is going anywhere anytime soon though, since it also houses WIUM/WIUW and the Radio Information Service, and I'm not sure where else they'd put them with the current situation. But I don't see them using part of that building for locker rooms or anything.

I think that it'd be a better situation overall (especially with regards to parking) if the arena took up a section of Q-lot (it's pretty much never full anyway) and if they do end up needing extra parking, take a section of it and turn it into a 2-level parking garage.

[WIU0812]

That is what I meant the old theater and not godfathers. I guess I am not familiar with the old HyVee which building is that?

[wiu712]

I am not familiar with the old Hy-Vee. Which building is that?

The old Hy-Vee is the building that sits between the old cinema on the east and the Western Illinois Credit Union on the west. It sits well off of University Drive with a big parking lot in front of it. It is now the home for Tri-States Public Radio (WIUM-FM).

[Western_101]

Good stuff Scott!

Yes it is nice to dream.....excellent find. GCU arena would sure look nice in Q Lot. I like UNI's Mcleod Center too.

I wonder if a new arena is 10+ years away if in the mean time the existing Western Hall could get a facelift and get some new and reconfigured seating. SIUe reconfigured the seating in the Vadalabene Center....much improved. Loyola Chicago reconfigured the seating in the Gentile Center......much improved.