AUSTIN | Moody Center (U.T. Basketball Arena) | Complete

[lzppjb]

I think it looks like plenty of room. They'll be able to build on top of the current Red River when it gets moved.



https://texassports.com/news/2017/4/...on-campus.aspx

[Syndic]

It's definitely going to be a snug fit but there is enough room for sure. The CoA may wish it was bigger but it works for the university.

[Geckos_Rule]

Have there been any renderings of this released yet? I could have sworn I saw some a while ago, but looking back, I don't see any.

[freerover]

Originally Posted by Geckos_Rule

Have there been any renderings of this released yet? I could have sworn I saw some a while ago, but looking back, I don't see any.

Nope. UT trying to use Muny golf course land lease to city to get red river rerouted.

[Runner]

Just curious what's wrong with the current one? Has a capacity of 17k.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by Runner

Just curious what's wrong with the current one? Has a capacity of 17k.

The new medical school/innovation district will eventually extend into that current land.

https://www.burntorangenation.com/ba...k-erwin-center

[GoldenBoot]

Originally Posted by Runner

Just curious what's wrong with the current one? Has a capacity of 17k.

Simple. It's old (built in the 70's) and does not come close to having what is necessary to compete with newer facilities. Size was never the issue. In fact, the new one will be smaller.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

In fact, the new one will be smaller.

Which is one of the selling points for a lot of folks. I haven't been to a game or concert there in years, but it was always boomy - bad acoustics, and bad game experience, in my opinion.

[Geckos_Rule]

Originally Posted by drummer

Which is one of the selling points for a lot of folks. I haven't been to a game or concert there in years, but it was always boomy - bad acoustics, and bad game experience, in my opinion.

Agreed. Beyond it simply being old and outdated, it is far too large. Unless UT Men's basketball is ranked in the top-25 and playing someone like Kansas, or unless its some other special occasion, the stadium usually won't sell out. I remember reading that during the Shaka Smart years, our attendance averaged around 12,000.

I was there during the UT-ULM game, which admittedly wasn't going to be big attendance regardless, but it was incredible how empty it felt, even though there were probably still 7-8k people there. We need to take a page out of Duke's book, to have an arena that is smaller, but always loud, and always sold out.

[freerover]

It’s debatable how much smaller it’ll be now that they turned it over to a private developer and financier. They are going to want to keep those giant concrets. UT would like a more intimate arena but they would rather a free arena even more.

[lzppjb]

The Drum is a morgue. Can't wait for it to be replaced.

[Geckos_Rule]

https://www.hookem.com/story/innovat...yers-boosters/

Lots of new info on the arena provided by the Statesman.

For a TL;DR:

• Arena will be fully privately funded. Estimated cost is $300m. Should be finished by the 2020-2021 basketball season.
• Private developer also has their hands on the Spurs and Mavs arenas. They will have a lease on the property.
• UT will be allocated about 60 days a year for basketball and graduation, and other events in the Arena. The private developer will seemingly have carte-blanche over all other events.
• Arena will seat about 17,000, but the upper decks will be closed off for UT games. Only 10,000 for UT games.
• There will be no new underground or attached practice facility for UT basketball. The Cooley pavilion will remain for the time being.

All in all, this looks like a net loss for UT basketball. I love the idea of a smaller arena that's consistently sold out or close to sold out, but I hate the idea of it coming by closing off the upper levels of a giant arena. Why not just renovate the Erwin Center and close of the upper levels of that? I can't think of a single arena in the country that closes off sections of seats during games, that still has a good gameday experience.

Hopefully CDC realizes what making UT basketball games good to watch means, and he'll do what needs to be done to make it work.

[GoldenBoot]

Originally Posted by Geckos_Rule

[url]Hopefully CDC realizes what making UT basketball games good to watch means, and he'll do what needs to be done to make it work.

He does...and that's one reason he is doing this. And two additional reasons are: (1) it would cost more than the total project cost of ~$450 million to renovate the Erwin Center; (2) There is no option to renovate the Erwin Center. That land is earmarked for new Dell Medical School buildings. A new arena is required no matter what.

I don't mind the idea of a 17,000 seat arena and closing the mezzanine off for UT games. In fact, I think it's smart. Austin still has a large arena for sports, music, and other events while being able to limit the capacity for low-attended UT games. If CDC is successful in achieving his goal of having all of his sports compete in the Top 10 of their respective sports, UT basketball will require more than 10,000 seats - and they will have it with this design. However, they don't need it now. Win-win situation all around.

[StoOgE]

Yeah,

Disappointed all around. This should be a smaller 10-12k arena. Even when we were a top 10 basketball team we never filled the drum except for rivalry games.

I wanted a true on-campus arena that had great game day environment. This feels like they are just going back to the city of Austin option without the cities involvement.

[ILUVSAT]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

Yeah,

Disappointed all around. This should be a smaller 10-12k arena. Even when we were a top 10 basketball team we never filled the drum except for rivalry games.

I wanted a true on-campus arena that had great game day environment. This feels like they are just going back to the city of Austin option without the cities involvement.

Top 10 program. Not simply achieving a Top 10 rating for a week or two.

[GoldenBoot]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

Yeah,

Disappointed all around. This should be a smaller 10-12k arena. Even when we were a top 10 basketball team we never filled the drum except for rivalry games.

There would be no development deal - no public-private partnership in developing this arena if it was limited to 10-12,000 seats. UT has over $300 million in athletic department debt on the books. They cannot afford this project without a partner. In fact, I think this is a great deal. UT is getting a great new, ~$400 million arena without spending anywhere close to that amount institutionally.


Oh, back in the mid-Barnes years and during some of the Penders years, when the teams were really good and competitive nationally, they did sell the place out quite a bit - even for non-rivalry games. People tend to forget that - As much as they forget that DKR was sold out every game from Mack Brown's first home game through mid-2012.

Selective memory, I guess...

However, I don't think Texas basketball has ever sold every home game out in one season. CDC wants to change that

[papertowelroll]

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

There would be no development deal - no public-private partnership in developing this arena if it was limited to 10-12,000 seats. UT has over $300 million in athletic department debt on the books. They cannot afford this project without a partner. In fact, I think this is a great deal. UT is getting a great new, ~$400 million arena without spending anywhere close to that amount institutionally.


Oh, back in the mid-Barnes years and during some of the Penders years, when the teams were really good and competitive nationally, they did sell the place out quite a bit - even for non-rivalry games. People tend to forget that - As much as they forget that DKR was sold out every game from Mack Brown's first home game through mid-2012.

Selective memory, I guess...

However, I don't think Texas basketball has ever sold every home game out in one season. CDC wants to change that

Even in those years, the place was often a ghost town for out of conference games. That was also before HDTV, which has definitely made a massive difference.

I'm surprised by the "even for Kansas" comment--I would have thought that they would open the upper decks for especially big games--but in general I think this is absolutely the right play. The Erwin Center doesn't just have too many seats, it is designed absolutely awfully for a basketball arena in 2018. I've been in several arenas larger than the Erwin Center that actually feel much more intimate. I think if they execute this plan it will make for a much, much, better basketball experience.

[Maximusx1]

I like this idea for a ceiling that you can move up and down, rather than curtains.
You could do 10k for smaller games and shows and then raise the ceiling up for big games and cocerts for 18k capacity.

http://www.venuesnow.com/news/detail...thing-ceilings

[the Genral]

Just wondering what a droppable ceiling would do to the acoustics, so we don't end up with an echo chamber. If the City had their own multi purpose arena for large events and even house the Austin Spurs, then ideally UT would get a purpose built basketball arena that only seats 8 to 9 thousand. Since that's never going to happen, I see the need for the private developer to build something big enough to attract large events for the other 300 days a year UT is not using it. I'm not sure why there would be a need to cover up the upper level seating when they're not in use, just keep he lights off, but if they feel the need to cover them, I hope they don't settle on using curtains. I can't imagine how much a droppable ceiling would add to the price tag, not that it matters if someone else is paying for it I suppose.

[atxsnail]

Originally Posted by the Genral

Just wondering what a droppable ceiling would do to the acoustics, so we don't end up with an echo chamber. If the City had their own multi purpose arena for large events and even house the Austin Spurs, then ideally UT would get a purpose built basketball arena that only seats 8 to 9 thousand. Since that's never going to happen, I see the need for the private developer to build something big enough to attract large events for the other 300 days a year UT is not using it. I'm not sure why there would be a need to cover up the upper level seating when they're not in use, just keep he lights off, but if they feel the need to cover them, I hope they don't settle on using curtains. I can't imagine how much a droppable ceiling would add to the price tag, not that it matters if someone else is paying for it I suppose.

not sure about for concerts, but i think part of the appeal for a tarp in sports venues is that not only will it help keep eyes off the empty upper deck, but it will help keep crowd noise in. the best arenas the ones that have loud fans that make for a hostile environment to visiting teams.

here's an example of tarps in an MLS vs Canadian Football setting at BC Place in Vancouver:

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=8183