Spencer Tollackson: Minnesota "needs a new arena and practice facility"

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So the #1 upgrade needed for The Barn is a new ribbon scoreboard. Wonderful. That should help recruiting and maintain the nostalgic feel of the arena.

Yes it is and the reason is because it is something they can do now. Having a state of the art scoreboard and ribbon scoreboards would help to 'clean up' the arena. As it is now those advertisements and scoreboards that are attached to the face of the second deck make the place look like it hasn't been taken care of in years. Trust me, updating those two things would do NOTHING to take away the nostalgic feel to the arena. And as far as recruiting goes that is what kids want to see......and nice weightrooms and lounges for them to kick back in.
 


GoGophers2005 said:
So the #1 upgrade needed for The Barn is a new ribbon scoreboard. Wonderful. That should help recruiting and maintain the nostalgic feel of the arena.

Yes it is and the reason is because it is something they can do now. Having a state of the art scoreboard and ribbon scoreboards would help to 'clean up' the arena. As it is now those advertisements and scoreboards that are attached to the face of the second deck make the place look like it hasn't been taken care of in years. Trust me, updating those two things would do NOTHING to take away the nostalgic feel to the arena. And as far as recruiting goes that is what kids want to see......and nice weightrooms and lounges for them to kick back in.
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This is where the silk purse and sow's ear come into play.
 

There are no sacred cows. Even Yankee stadium was replaced, but it still feels like Yankee stadium. A new arena with a raised floor and some of the other things that make the Barn special is the best solution. This building will be 100 soon. It can't live forever.
 


Minnesconsin fan said:
Gopherbadgerman or UWOLE or any other posters know what the sentiment in Madison was before the Badgers moved into Kohl Center? The UW Fieldhouse had other issues that Williams might not have but it is somewhat comparable in that it is leaving the old traditional building for the new multi-purpose facility. I have seen Badger fans say that it was the start of feeling like the administration was finally giving the coaches the tools to succeed.
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I think it was going downhill a bit, but the Kohl Center, when packed and rocking, is great, can have the feel of an NBA Arena - not a college atmosphere like Indiana or Duke. But I do think it helps when bringing a recruit into the building with its updated looks. It is much more impressive then Williams when empty. But at full capacity and with fans into the game, Williams is one of the better arenas in the country IMO. But I dont know how it cuts it when players are shown it empty.
 

GoGophers2005 said:
First off redoing Williams just to get rid of obstructed view seats and the old charm of the place is rediculous. Are any of these recruits actually sitting in the stands? Or using the restrooms in the concourse? NO! So its not the upgrading of those things that is important to a recruit. A practice facility will go miles in attracting recruits because it will be where they spend 80% of their time.

Second, Williams is not in need of any upgrades in the next couple of years, but in 5-10 it surely will be, so I want to see at least a plan getting started. A new scoreboard, ribbon banner across the face of the 2nd deck is upgrade #1. Upgrade #2 will include a new entrance along University side that will add a team store, more restrooms and concessions, and possibly a second level that will connect to the arena that could become a larger club room and amenities.
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GoGophers2005 ---- Completely agree on your assessment of the facility needs of the program. I believe the scoreboard/ribbon boards will happen soon as part of the promised upgrades with the Gopher Points program. I particularly like the idea of a new entrance on University Avenue. I would imagine that you could easily improve the visual aesthetics from the outside, provide greater room for the team store, concessions, and restrooms, and improve the flow of people through the building. Much like the new lobby on the east side did in the early 1990s.

The other idea I have would be to somehow create greater space on the west end of the Williams Arena side of the building. Directly between Williams and the Sports Pavilion are the Gopher Volleyball facilities and other locker rooms on the main level and the Sports Pavilion Club Room on the 2nd level. I wonder if you couldn't potentially move the Volleyball locker room to the new practice facility and remove the club room in order to open up a significant amount of corridor space for Williams Arena. There might even be a way to have 2nd floor club seats for Williams on that end.

I believe that the building remains structurally sound and that the roof is in the process of being repaired. To me, you can add the bells and whistles to the team facilities, much of which has already been done for the men's and women's hoops teams, and still retain the character and charm of the arena.

Besides, there is an intense amount of donor fatigue right now. I simply can't envision even entertaining a fundraising campaign for a new arena for another 15 to 20 years. The money to do it right simply isn't there.
 

Stadium design (and remodel) have come a long way the past 10 years. Go and grab HOK (now Populous) architects and have them do a 2 week study on the possiblities of what could be with an existing Williams Arena and I think we all would be blown away.

A couple posts above this someone talks about Yankee Stadium and how it was torn down.......this situation is nothing like Yankee Stadium. Yankee Stadium went under a HUGE remodel in the 70's that pretty much gutted the place of all its charm. The Yankee Stadium that was torn down was pretty much a 1970's piece of crap. Fenway Park and Wrigley Field are closer to what Williams Arena is with it its ORIGINAL charms.
 

HHH_Gopher said:
GoGophers2005 ---- Completely agree on your assessment of the facility needs of the program. I believe the scoreboard/ribbon boards will happen soon as part of the promised upgrades with the Gopher Points program. I particularly like the idea of a new entrance on University Avenue. I would imagine that you could easily improve the visual aesthetics from the outside, provide greater room for the team store, concessions, and restrooms, and improve the flow of people through the building. Much like the new lobby on the east side did in the early 1990s.

The other idea I have would be to somehow create greater space on the west end of the Williams Arena side of the building. Directly between Williams and the Sports Pavilion are the Gopher Volleyball facilities and other locker rooms on the main level and the Sports Pavilion Club Room on the 2nd level. I wonder if you couldn't potentially move the Volleyball locker room to the new practice facility and remove the club room in order to open up a significant amount of corridor space for Williams Arena. There might even be a way to have 2nd floor club seats for Williams on that end.

I believe that the building remains structurally sound and that the roof is in the process of being repaired. To me, you can add the bells and whistles to the team facilities, much of which has already been done for the men's and women's hoops teams, and still retain the character and charm of the arena.

Besides, there is an intense amount of donor fatigue right now. I simply can't envision even entertaining a fundraising campaign for a new arena for another 15 to 20 years. The money to do it right simply isn't there.
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Ok - this is interesting. What's in the pavillion now- volleyball? Can the whole pavillion side be restructured to include the practice facility and an expansion of gameday walkways and concession areas. In other words- get rid of the stands, put the volley ball games somewhere else on campus, put in a couple of courts, a primo weight room and locker room/lounge?
Could be pretty cool actually.
 



Isn't Pav for gymnastics too?

But I agree. Convert Pav into practice facility. Done.
 

What the U really needs is a 4-block expressway straight from University/Washington/Oak area straight to the freeway. Getting from the University ramp to 94 took me freakin' 35 minutes after the Iowa game. That's stupid.

Minimally, how about the U take responsibility for the off-campus traffic problem they create after the game. How about configuring all the lights for slicker flow of outgoing traffic??
 

I can certainly see some renovation, but Spencer is talking through his hat about a new arena. Case in point, TCF Stadium. Going into our 4th year and the weak home schedule we'll be lucky to average 45,000 and that is if Kill and the kids come out smokin. The cure all for Williams Arena is put a basketball team in there worthy of playing in "The Barn" The way the Gophers are playing right now they should be over in the Sports Pavillion. I'm hearing the practice facility is on hold and won't be addressed until we have an new AD in place.
 

From the Barn said:
The problem with the barn has and always will be the obstructed seats which plays no small part in the lower attendance figures. most of the unobstructed seats are full, but who wants to fork over money for a seat where you can't see the whole court.

Cameron is basically a high school gym. It is tiny, and there are no unobstructed seats. More importantly, it is a place where kids want to play. The Barn isn't anymore.
They should turn the barn into a practice facility/museum/offices. There's gotta be space at the U for a new arena without tearing it down.
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Is this an assumption based on recruiting outcomes or stated player sentiment? Honest question. I guess we know Spencer's thoughts on the subject, but he is media now and that can sometimes influence things. I seem to remember Hoffarber saying his desire to be a Gopher and play in The Barn influenced his decision to accept here. Does anybody know if players get exit interviews and if playing in The Barn has been deemed an issue?
 



brucekaupa said:
What the U really needs is a 4-block expressway straight from University/Washington/Oak area straight to the freeway. Getting from the University ramp to 94 took me freakin' 35 minutes after the Iowa game. That's stupid.

Minimally, how about the U take responsibility for the off-campus traffic problem they create after the game. How about configuring all the lights for slicker flow of outgoing traffic??
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You really think bitching on GH is going to help?

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We can't fund a practice facility and he wants to tear down the barn... what a dip$hit. Terrible speaker and radio personality also.
 

NurumbiCongo;484574[B said:
]You really think bitching on GH is going to help?[/B]_______________________________________
We can't fund a practice facility and he wants to tear down the barn... what a dip$hit. Terrible speaker and radio personality also.
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I guess you could be fairly asked the same question. :)
 

From the Barn said:
The problem with the barn has and always will be the obstructed seats which plays no small part in the lower attendance figures. most of the unobstructed seats are full, but who wants to fork over money for a seat where you can't see the whole court..
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Only game I've ever been to at the Barn I sat in obstructed seats (like behind and underneath the lofts I think) and I still loved every minute of it.
 

GoGophers2005 said:
Stadium design (and remodel) have come a long way the past 10 years. Go and grab HOK (now Populous) architects and have them do a 2 week study on the possiblities of what could be with an existing Williams Arena and I think we all would be blown away.

A couple posts above this someone talks about Yankee Stadium and how it was torn down.......this situation is nothing like Yankee Stadium. Yankee Stadium went under a HUGE remodel in the 70's that pretty much gutted the place of all its charm. The Yankee Stadium that was torn down was pretty much a 1970's piece of crap. Fenway Park and Wrigley Field are closer to what Williams Arena is with it its ORIGINAL charms.
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I'm not a Red Sox fan, but I didn't find Fenway all that charming. The area around it is cool. The stadium itself? Eh. Wringley's better, but still over-rated, IMO. Nostalgia can only cover so much wear and tear.

The point on Yankee Stadium, isn't that the old stadium was so great, but that they took great pains to keep them similar. You literally feel like you're in a suddenly modernized version of the old stadium, whether that's good or not. The same can be done with the Barn.
 

howeda7 said:
I'm not a Red Sox fan, but I didn't find Fenway all that charming. The area around it is cool. The stadium itself? Eh. Wringley's better, but still over-rated, IMO. Nostalgia can only cover so much wear and tear.

The point on Yankee Stadium, isn't that the old stadium was so great, but that they took great pains to keep them similar. You literally feel like you're in a suddenly modernized version of the old stadium, whether that's good or not. The same can be done with the Barn.
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This thread has changed my whole perception. Howeda, I think you have the best take here. Kids who will be recruited will fail to understand the charm and history of The Barn, and I don't blame them. If you renovate with the history in mind, however, you can both appease those that can appreciate the old facility while serving the needs of competing in the modern era. Do you think Tyus Jones really cares about how awesome Williams Arena used to be? He's not even old enough to remember the last time the house was packed.
 

howeda7 said:
I'm not a Red Sox fan, but I didn't find Fenway all that charming. The area around it is cool. The stadium itself? Eh. Wringley's better, but still over-rated, IMO. Nostalgia can only cover so much wear and tear.

The point on Yankee Stadium, isn't that the old stadium was so great, but that they took great pains to keep them similar. You literally feel like you're in a suddenly modernized version of the old stadium, whether that's good or not. The same can be done with the Barn.
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You can't take building codes circa 1930 and try and make them remotely translate into 2012. Everything inside Williams Arena that you see is probably 40 years out of date code wise.....heck I wouldn't doubt that the raised floor couldn't be built in 2012 because it isn't permanantly accessible to a wheel chair (and the replacement floor somehow got grandfathered in). They could try and do Williams Arena but what you would end up with is either a facility that is twice as big or 4,000 less seats. Either way it would be less intimate and less unique. Look at Conseco Fieldhouse.....that is probably as close as you can get....it isn't bad, but it's not great.
 

zipsofakron said:
This thread has changed my whole perception. Howeda, I think you have the best take here. Kids who will be recruited will fail to understand the charm and history of The Barn, and I don't blame them. If you renovate with the history in mind, however, you can both appease those that can appreciate the old facility while serving the needs of competing in the modern era. Do you think Tyus Jones really cares about how awesome Williams Arena used to be? He's not even old enough to remember the last time the house was packed.
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But yet Indiana can recruit to Assembly Hall? Probably the worst arena in the country? I think we are putting wayyyy too much on speculation that Williams Arena is the problem.

In the end, in order for Williams Arena to be successul for the next 10 years and more importantly the next 50 years is its flexibility. Like I said earlier, bring in a design team that can give us a 25-50 year plan (outside of standard upkeep) for Williams Arena and its surroundings. There is no doubt in my mind you could make Williams Arena be what everyone on this board wants (new arena, charm, bridge to the past, recruiting gem, etc.) all in one building. It takes a vision and a commitment to do that.
 

Indiana doesn't recruit to assembly hall. They recruit to the rabid fan base and practice facility.
 

zambam said:
Only game I've ever been to at the Barn I sat in obstructed seats (like behind and underneath the lofts I think) and I still loved every minute of it.
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You also have 1500 posts on a gopher message board, you aren't the problem.
 

GoodasGold said:
Is this an assumption based on recruiting outcomes or stated player sentiment? Honest question. I guess we know Spencer's thoughts on the subject, but he is media now and that can sometimes influence things. I seem to remember Hoffarber saying his desire to be a Gopher and play in The Barn influenced his decision to accept here. Does anybody know if players get exit interviews and if playing in The Barn has been deemed an issue?
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Hoffarber is a Minnesota kid. There will always be Minnesota kids that grew up following the team and will want to play wherever they play. These aren't the kids we lose to other schools with better facilities.
 


I really believe that things like a practice facility and locker rooms mean more than the arena to many of the kids. That's where they spend a majority of their time.

One of the first things football recruits mention when they see TCF Bank Stadium for the first time is how awesome the locker room is.
 

Time for a new arena

But maintain some of the barn charm.
 

GoGophers2005 said:
You can't take building codes circa 1930 and try and make them remotely translate into 2012. Everything inside Williams Arena that you see is probably 40 years out of date code wise.....heck I wouldn't doubt that the raised floor couldn't be built in 2012 because it isn't permanantly accessible to a wheel chair (and the replacement floor somehow got grandfathered in). They could try and do Williams Arena but what you would end up with is either a facility that is twice as big or 4,000 less seats. Either way it would be less intimate and less unique. Look at Conseco Fieldhouse.....that is probably as close as you can get....it isn't bad, but it's not great.
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Specifically to the raised floor, I'm sure they can find a way to keep that. The other parts that are 40 years past code probably don't need to be kept. The overall design can still be similar.

I have no hate for the Barn and I do think the impact on recruiting can be mimized with a nice practice facility. I just think it's short-sighted to exhaust ourselves raising the funds for that without adressing both, because it seems pretty unlikely to me that they'll be playing in the Barn 15-20 years from now either way. I fear they'll dither around and get the practice facility done around 2018 and by 2025 we'll be talking about tearing it down as part of building the new arena.
 


howeda7 said:
Specifically to the raised floor, I'm sure they can find a way to keep that. The other parts that are 40 years past code probably don't need to be kept. The overall design can still be similar.

I have no hate for the Barn and I do think the impact on recruiting can be mimized with a nice practice facility. I just think it's short-sighted to exhaust ourselves raising the funds for that without adressing both, because it seems pretty unlikely to me that they'll be playing in the Barn 15-20 years from now either way. I fear they'll dither around and get the practice facility done around 2018 and by 2025 we'll be talking about tearing it down as part of building the new arena.
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I agree with what you are saying. However, GG2005 and HHH-Gopher, a page back were talking about remodeling the barn and the pavillion end in a way that sounded intriguing. Couldn't you gut the pavillion, throw two courts in it running north and south and make a basement area that is a state of the arts weight training/ locker room area/lounge?
Then use some of the remaining space to create a west end concourse and food court.

Meanwhile in the Barn portion, jazz up the court area with the ribbon deal, clean up the stairwells and make the concourses wider by extending the building front on the south side and moving the bathrooms into the new area. The things that are not up to code- aren't some of those able to be called "pre-existing conditions"?

My first preference is to go big/new. But these posters convinced me that this is at least an interesting option.
 

I like the idea of renovating the pavilion to turn it into the practice facility; considering it is already connected to Williams Arena this makes perfect sense to me. To build an entirely different structure over that existing parking lot is a bad idea in my opinion, the "U" is short enough on parking already. I'm not in favor of completely getting rid of Williams Arena, however I do feel it is in need of some significant upgrades, i.e. sound system, scoreboard, seat obstructions etc. Could we renovate the pavilion and do the needed renovations to Williams Arena for under $40 million or in that ballpark?
 

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