Gophers talking about modernization of Williams Arena, similar to Purdue

[BleedGopher]

per Anderson:

“The next big project” for the athletic department will be to address venerable Williams Arena, the home of Gophers basketball, which is “coming up on its 90th anniversary,” Cunningham said. That could entail a modernization effort similar to what Purdue did with Mackey Arena, which—among other things—included enlarging the concourses of the raucous home of Boilermakers basketball.

Williams Arena doesn’t have a kitchen, which limits concessions possibilities, and bathrooms need an overhaul, too, he said. Fortunately, “we have the space to do it,” and—even though “it will be an expensive undertaking”—“we are talking about it.”

http://www.southernminn.com/owatonn...cle_40117c66-749a-5fd9-aee1-56244dc55f56.html

Go Gophers!!

 

[Seany]

Now that would be great! The Barn needs a little bit of work for its next 90 years.

 

[GoodasGold]

I’d like to see some ramps installed to give the over 70 crowd an equal opportunity to rush the court.

 

[abrams]

It needed. Bad. The restroom from the upper level takes an effort to get at. The number of obstructed view seats is crazy. Rebuild it.

 

[Bordergopher]

The inside (court, seats, rafters) is the best and should not be changed significantly. The concourses, food stalls, restrooms and lobbies? Yes! Remodel up a storm. In my mind, you could completely demolish those areas and make something really nice and cool. It would be awesome to combine that with the historic innards, which is the real charm of the place. Now, I know some of you guys would miss the trough urinals, but you will get over it.


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[GFBfan]

The inside (court, seats, rafters) is the best and should not be changed significantly. The concourses, food stalls, restrooms and lobbies? Yes! Remodel up a storm. In my mind, you could completely demolish those areas and make something really nice and cool. It would be awesome to combine that with the historic innards, which is the real charm of the place. Now, I know some of you guys would miss the trough urinals, but you will get over it.


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Who says those have to go in the update?

 

[GO41FAN]

HOORAY! Bout time!

 

[salzie]

Something needs to be done

I'm ok with upgrading and keeping existing structure, not everything needs to be razed to the ground. I love the barn when it gets rocking. Brought a buddy this year for his first trip vs Nebraska, he was shocked how loud it got

 

[Winasota Gopher]

I've had an eye-opening experience working on a new stadium build in my hometown. Talking with the designers and engineers about what is important to today's fan and then witnessing the responses from people as they would through it the first time.

The most important things to today's fan (maybe not fans that go to the games, but the demographics of "today's fan") are undoubtedly sightlines, ease of concessions, the width of the concourse, and ability to view the game from multiple spots.

Those things matter. For me, I go to the game and sit in my seat and what's on the court matters. But they've already got my money, the stadium was never going to be the attraction. That's the difference between 9,000 for a Rutgers game and 12,000. Gotta get with the times.

 

[RatherBeGolfing]

(Pleasantly) surprised at how little opposition there is in this thread. When I opened it, the first thing I expected was pitchforks over even the mere mention of making some changes to the Barn.

 

[MennoSota]

I’d like to see some ramps installed to give the over 70 crowd an equal opportunity to rush the court.

.

 

[builtbadgers]

The inside (court, seats, rafters) is the best and should not be changed significantly. The concourses, food stalls, restrooms and lobbies? Yes! Remodel up a storm. In my mind, you could completely demolish those areas and make something really nice and cool. It would be awesome to combine that with the historic innards, which is the real charm of the place. Now, I know some of you guys would miss the trough urinals, but you will get over it.


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Love this take.

 

[salzie]

(Pleasantly) surprised at how little opposition there is in this thread. When I opened it, the first thing I expected was pitchforks over even the mere mention of making some changes to the Barn.

we're probably younger than the average fan that attends the game

 

[Ski U Mah Gopher]

All I say is:

Do it right and all at one time.

If it takes a year at Target Center or the X, that's the price to pay.

 

[Bad Gopher]

Who says those have to go in the update?

The building code, if I'm not mistaken. (Not sure what triggers its applicability, though, in a rehab situation.)

I don't think we'll ever get indoor plumbing for the upper decks in any scope short of a complete rebuild, but whatever can be done to the place without wrecking its uniqueness should be done. The mid-90s renovation was welcome and necessary, and this effort will be, too.

 

[GoGophersUMN]

The inside (court, seats, rafters) is the best and should not be changed significantly. The concourses, food stalls, restrooms and lobbies? Yes! Remodel up a storm. In my mind, you could completely demolish those areas and make something really nice and cool. It would be awesome to combine that with the historic innards, which is the real charm of the place. Now, I know some of you guys would miss the trough urinals, but you will get over it.


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Absolutely. I doubt many people are attached to the urinals, concession stands, narrow concourses, etc. but just about everyone loves the inside. Keep the inside but change the rest of it and people will be happy. Mess with the inside and people will be mad.

 

[stocker08]

I say they only update it to 90s style with the big bazooka lettering and all. Oh...and Informer by Snow is looped in the concourse when the live broadcast is not on.

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[salzie]

Absolutely. I doubt many people are attached to the urinals, concession stands, narrow concourses, etc. but just about everyone loves the inside. Keep the inside but change the rest of it and people will be happy. Mess with the inside and people will be mad.

dont take away my subway

 

[JimmyJamesMD]

I'm for re-doing the concourses. It would be quite the retro fit, and not a ton of room to work with. I would love to see some renderings

 

[Hates Monikers]

If they can redo the concourses and modernize it while keeping the charm in the court/stands area, great. Even better if they could eliminate obstructed seats. But I'm not going to get my hopes up.

In the past I might have been one of the people chaining myself to the building if there was talk about replacing it. But after seeing Mariucci, TCF Bank, Stadium, Xcel, I'd rather have a new stadium and I think it would be great. It won't happen, and I'm going to duck for cover now, but someone had to say it.

 

[Gopherlife]

As long as they leave the actual game environment of Williams Arena the same, I'm fine with whatever else they want to do. Don't mess with the game environment, though!

 

[Gopherfan84]

Inside could use some updates that are probably not possible, Lux. boxes for corporate sponsors and such. Concourse and other things are terrible and need updates badly.

 

[Ope3]

All I say is:

Do it right and all at one time.

If it takes a year at Target Center or the X, that's the price to pay.

My hunch is that the majority of games during a renovation year would be played at 3M/Mariucci Arena, with a few of the bigger Conference draws at Target Center (or Xcel or US Bank).

 

[Holy Man]

Trough urinals are underrated for their efficiency.

 

[gopherguy15]

Totally down for a renovation, but don't they dare mess with that raised floor. And for the love of god, can they please find a way to not sell their souls to corporate America like Mariucci?

 

[Ope3]

Trough urinals are underrated for their efficiency.

Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines could have used some troughs. Worst bathroom lines I have ever seen, bad combo since the NCAA ban on beer sales also ended this year.

 

[Holy Man]

Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines could have used some troughs. Worst bathroom lines I have ever seen, bad combo since the NCAA ban on beer sales also ended this year.

That's right. Longest lines I've seen at a sporting event ever. But plumbing sponsor of the cans that welcomed you with a poster that said, "Gotta Leak?" was creative.

 

[GoodasGold]

It needed. Bad. The restroom from the upper level takes an effort to get at. The number of obstructed view seats is crazy. Rebuild it.

Effort is never a Good thing:
Effort diminishes the facility of man’s existence.
~ Voltaire
If it requires any effort, it not wort doing.
~ Beetle Bailey
I let others do the lifting, I do the lying.
~ Donald Trump

 

[Bordergopher]

I’ve not visited all that many arenas or stadiums, so I don’t have a lot of comparisons. However, I think Lambeau Field is a bit of an example. They wanted to keep the history of the field and bleachers, but update the place. They built a beautiful, modern entrance/lobby area and Packers HOF facility. So, your first impression is “Wow, this is nice”. Unfortunately for them, when you walk out into the open stadium part, your reaction is “Wow, this is crappy”. For Williams, it would be “Wow this is nice”, followed by “Wow, this is really cool”, and lastly by the recruits, “Wow, I want to play here.”


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[PMWinSTP]

The inside (court, seats, rafters) is the best and should not be changed significantly. The concourses, food stalls, restrooms and lobbies? Yes! Remodel up a storm. In my mind, you could completely demolish those areas and make something really nice and cool. It would be awesome to combine that with the historic innards, which is the real charm of the place. Now, I know some of you guys would miss the trough urinals, but you will get over it.


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That's the sense I got from the article...concourses, concessions, bathrooms, addition of other common area amenities. Really the last venue there in need of some serious TLC.