GUHoya07
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 4,083
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Post by GUHoya07 on Mar 1, 2005 21:45:07 GMT -5
Very people will argue that we should not renovate McD. My issue with some arguments is folks overblow what a renovated McD can do for the program. If we finance the thing with corporate donations such that MBNA or whoever gets a cut of every ticket sale, we are not in a great position either. The devil is in the details. In spirit, I am on board with it, but I don't think the benefits of a new McD are as great as folks make them out to be. Well I think you are out of your mind if you don't realize how great the benefits would be. Maybe they won't always seem so enormous if we can draw decent crowds at MCI like we hope to in the next few years, but when you compare it to being forced back to our current McDonough and causing the virtual destruction of our basketball program I think they are pretty huge.
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Jack
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
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Post by Jack on Mar 1, 2005 21:45:24 GMT -5
Selfish and childish? Perhaps. Ridiculously naive? Without question.
Or perhaps you think annual 6% tuition increases can keep up indefinitely while faculty salaries stay stagnant and the financial aid packages become completely non-competitive with Top 25 national universities (of which Georgetown will not be one).
As for this particular building project, I wonder how some of you plan on doing something of this scale when Georgetown has been unable to do anything productive with the Wormley School plot for the past 7 years, and all they wanted was to put GPPI in there.
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GUHoya07
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 4,083
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Post by GUHoya07 on Mar 1, 2005 21:50:40 GMT -5
High major programs, such as Wake, have managed to be quite successful with an off-campus arrangement even without sponsored bus transportation to the arena for games. Isn't the Wake situation very, very different? I'm not a specialist on this so I would appreciate it if someone else chimed in. You keep bringing up this Wake example but what pro teams are they competing with for use of the arena, isn't this basically Wake's arena? And although its off campus I've heard from numerous people that it is almost like an on campus arena even if there is a 20 minute drive in traffic in snow uphill both ways with flat tires .
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nodak89
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Roy Roy Royyyyy!!!
Posts: 1,881
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Post by nodak89 on Mar 1, 2005 21:51:55 GMT -5
Here's what $100 million will buy you in Grand Forks, ND. www.ralphengelstadarena.com/new2/Arena_Info_Section/Arena_Info_Main.htm11,500+ seating for hockey for the seven-time NCAA national champion Fighting Sioux. World class facilities. One of the best hockey arenas in the world (seriously). When I was at a hockey game there on Saturday I couldn't help but dream enviously about something like this for my beloved Hoyas! As for parking, people park off site and ride buses to the arena. It's a whole whopping 8 blocks, but at -20 F, it's worth it. There's a virtual tour button on the left sidebar. So, anyone got a $100 million?
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lichoya68
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
OK YOUNGINS ARE HERE AND ARE VERY VERY GOOD cant wait GO HOYAS
Posts: 17,438
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Post by lichoya68 on Mar 1, 2005 21:52:13 GMT -5
some thoughts... first i didnot get to see the plans.. second even if on the boards.. and if all the money where there there are still some major problems... we should all call this not an arena but A FREAKING CONVOCATION CENTER BECAUSE THE UNIVERSITY DESPERATELY NEEDS THAT FOR graduations concerts and new student convocation ...where the parents come now and sit out side and watch on tv monitors.... right after they paid their first 45 K tuition room and board.. so please.... never call this an arena.. it can double as a great arena inside the convocation center ... ok!!! but be patient the problems are immense.. the parking ... big problem as the university had to give up alot of med parking to the hospital buy out people.. the neighbors will be huge problem.... they still fight the boat house ....and the performing arts center.. so even if alot of money came in... like 40 million... even then there are great problems .. go hoyas.. beat uconn.. and they wiill build ...some day...
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TBird41
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
"Roy! I Love All 7'2" of you Roy!"
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Post by TBird41 on Mar 1, 2005 21:54:08 GMT -5
Ummm, how bout some combination of AI, Ewing, Sweets and Bill Clinton go fundraising / donate some dough? Would that work? Plus we only need 8 digits according to Jersey. Let's not make it anymore complicated than it already is by adding another digit.
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Post by jerseyhoya34 on Mar 1, 2005 21:55:40 GMT -5
Isn't the Wake situation very, very different? I'm not a specialist on this so I would appreciate it if someone else chimed in. You keep bringing up this Wake example but what pro teams are they competing with for use of the arena, isn't this basically Wake's arena? And although its off campus I've heard from numerous people that it is almost like an on campus arena even if there is a 20 minute drive in traffic in snow uphill both ways with flat tires . I think their user agreement is more beneficial to the school, but you are also looking at a program that invested in other ways to improve overall quality. We lagged behind them by a few years in these respects. It is not an on-campus arena by any stretch. In gameday and suburban sprawl traffic, it is a good 20 minutes. They do not compete for usage other than with a local semipro team, if I remember correctly. However, they don't exactly put the arena on lockdown either, as fans of other NC schools are quite able to infiltrate en masse as you see at the MCI. Point is that I think GU could do a good job with the MCI if we did some things to prime the pump so we get actual butts in chairs. We can't just assume that people will show because we are GU. You have to ask them to come.
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GUHoya07
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 4,083
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Post by GUHoya07 on Mar 1, 2005 22:00:28 GMT -5
Yeah, I see all those opposing fans infiltrating en masse when I watch games there and see the alternating bands of black and gold in the crowd.
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LCPolo18
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 4,406
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Post by LCPolo18 on Mar 1, 2005 22:44:46 GMT -5
The last time they played football on top of Yates was the 1998 season. Actually, the last season that the football team played on top of Yates was the 2001 season. That year Harbin field was used by the soccer team in the fall. The last three years (2002-2004) the football team has been playing on Harbin field.
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JimmyHoya
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Hoya fan, est. 1986
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Post by JimmyHoya on Mar 1, 2005 22:58:22 GMT -5
I think their user agreement is more beneficial to the school, but you are also looking at a program that invested in other ways to improve overall quality. We lagged behind them by a few years in these respects. It is not an on-campus arena by any stretch. In gameday and suburban sprawl traffic, it is a good 20 minutes. They do not compete for usage other than with a local semipro team, if I remember correctly. However, they don't exactly put the arena on lockdown either, as fans of other NC schools are quite able to infiltrate en masse as you see at the MCI. Point is that I think GU could do a good job with the MCI if we did some things to prime the pump so we get actual butts in chairs. We can't just assume that people will show because we are GU. You have to ask them to come. I was down at Wake this past summer, and while it may not be on campus, it really didn't seem to be much more than a 2-3 minute drive under normal conditions from the school, and maybe a 10-15 minute walk.
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Post by jerseyhoya34 on Mar 1, 2005 23:00:23 GMT -5
It takes around 15-20 minutes to get to the football stadium on game days, and the football stadium is near the basketball arena. When you account for parking issues and so forth, it is not far off from the MCI in terms of logistics. Factor in how students need to arrange for their own transportation.
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Post by AustinHoya03 on Mar 1, 2005 23:10:33 GMT -5
My sense is that the next major bldg project that the University is focused on is the science center--assuming that the bschool bldg is in the bag from a fundraising perspective. I think that they are targeting the science bldg for 2010-2011. The athletics stuff would be realistically after that, unless some big donor steps up earlier or there is a change at the top, i.e., new president with different view on the matter I recently received a "thank you for donating" form letter signed by Dean McAuliffe that made mention of the need for a better science program/suggested future donations be made keeping this need in mind. Improvements made to the science program in general would require a dramatic improvement in facilities, so I think you're probably right on that being a priority. On a related note, my freshman year the Georgetown Independent ran a fake Halloween issue featuring a picture of Reiss with the caption: "The science building? We're gonna get high and blow that thing up. --President Leo O'Donovan, S.J." Or something like that. I always thought of that walking by Reiss for the following three years.
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Joe Hoya
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
You're watching Sports Night on CSC, so stick around.
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Post by Joe Hoya on Mar 2, 2005 0:05:14 GMT -5
So, anyone got a $100 million? You might, after the royalties from record sales come in.
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IceHoya
Century (over 100 posts)
Posts: 166
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Post by IceHoya on Mar 2, 2005 0:17:54 GMT -5
11,500+ seating for hockey for the seven-time NCAA national champion Fighting Sioux. World class facilities. One of the best hockey arenas in the world (seriously). When I was at a hockey game there on Saturday I couldn't help but dream enviously about something like this for my beloved Hoyas! Hey Nodak, I'm glad you think so highly of our GU club hockey team! We're flattered, but seriously we should probably build a basketball arena first before we start thinking about hockey. As a side note, props to this year's club hockey team for winning the ACC league championship with big wins over Duke in the semis and UVA in the finals this past weekend! Beating Duke will never stop being one of the most satisfying feelings in the world, and I don't care what sort of sport/activity/spelling bee we're talking about.
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nodak89
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Roy Roy Royyyyy!!!
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Post by nodak89 on Mar 2, 2005 7:37:33 GMT -5
As much as I'd love Leonsis' money, it'd still have to be John Thompson Court at the AOL Center. ;D As long as we don't call it "The John"
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hoyahoyasaxa
Bulldog (over 250 posts)
Sead Dizdarezvic doesn't write term papers. The words rearrange themselves out of fear.
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Post by hoyahoyasaxa on Mar 2, 2005 8:19:00 GMT -5
Debt is not the issue. If you really want something, go out and ASK for the money. Visited the Law Center lately? That's an example of what alumni can do when asked. Keeping the neighbors happy is not the issue. Georgetown is regulated by square footage, and whether there are 2,000 or 6,000 in McD, if the square footage is the same and is part of the approved campus plan, it passes muster. The issue is commitment. Will a renovation be part of the new capital campaign? If not, what will that say to people about the future of Division I basketball at Georgetown? So then what can we do? Is there going to be some sort of letter-writing campaign or something to get GU to change it's mind? A petition? A search for big donors? Grassroots alumni action helped to bring about the recent change in the basketball program. Can we do the same thing with this-- or at least make it public enough that the university has to do something? Otherwise, we'll be complaining/worrying about it for twenty years with no solution. If someone organized a campaign, I bet that a lot of alumni would get involved (whether they are big or small time donors). What if enough alumni got together and were able to write that eight figure check to Georgetown? That's a heck of a lot of small donors, but throw in some larger ones, and it just might be possible. www.buildjohnthompsoncourt.com?
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HoyaNCCT
Silver Hoya (over 500 posts)
We will remind them.
Posts: 685
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Post by HoyaNCCT on Mar 2, 2005 8:46:41 GMT -5
It's so pretty...
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Post by ColumbiaHeightsHoya on Mar 2, 2005 9:07:53 GMT -5
I believe the multi-sport includes offices & a new weight room under the bleachers. This alone will benefit the hoops squad (as well as all other sports). I really think this will provide the much needed bounce for the football team as well as they will finally have facilities that rival other patriot league teams (not rival poorly organized high schools).
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hoyadrummer
Bulldog (over 250 posts)
Class of 2000
Posts: 266
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Post by hoyadrummer on Mar 2, 2005 9:25:06 GMT -5
If we are going to build a new on campus facility it needs to hold 7500 people, otherwise we can't play BE games there. In order to operate 7500 person arena we would need additional parking spots on campus. In order to get additional parking spots on campus we need ANC approval. Calling that a roadblock is an understatement. This is probably the reason the picture was pulled.
The Law Center is not an example of what alumni can do when asked, the Law Center is an example of alumni giving generously to what they perceive as an excellent administration. Nothing makes alumni less willing to donate than the feeling that their money will be mismanaged. I think a lot of alumni feel that about Georgetown, and that is why the giving rate is so low.
Given Georgetown's financial position I just don't know if this is a realistic project, as much as I agree that the program needs it.
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hoya01
Century (over 100 posts)
Posts: 166
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Post by hoya01 on Mar 2, 2005 12:42:01 GMT -5
A couple questions, perhaps for DFW. (1) Can you elaborate on the grass roots alumni fundraising efforts that occurred at the Law Center? (2) What "unofficial/non-university sanctioned" efforts have been done in the past 3 - 5 years to raise money for a renovated McDonough? (3) What happened to the 1789 plan you proposed a year ago?
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