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Post by WilsonBlvdHoya on Sept 3, 2014 19:21:48 GMT -5
There is a solution out there on a McDonough replacement which doesn't involve sending the ANC/OGB into DEFCON status. Whether the University would pursue it, not sure. Oh? Do tell! The best I've been able to come up with is making a deal with Marriott to effectively create a mini-Madison Square Garden on the footprint of the current Key Bridge Marriott site, with a Georgetown-sized arena (12k or so?) topped by hotel rooms/dining/entertainment. Arlington County is chomping at the bit to turn Rosslyn into a 'thing' and could be persuaded to grant all kinds of exemptions/incentives. Bonus: could easily steal 50% or more of the Patriot Center's concert lineup and generate a significant one of its own. Russky, you're a bonafide city-planning genius! And, as my moniker betrays me as an Arlington resident (18 yrs now!), I'd be all over converting Key Bridge Marriott into MSG-on-the-Potomac (ok capacity-wise, more like 1st-Mariner-Arena-on-the-Potomac). Given the County Board's pro-development proclivities over the past two decades, there won't be much local opposition either....
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tashoya
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Post by tashoya on Sept 3, 2014 19:27:16 GMT -5
Oh? Do tell! The best I've been able to come up with is making a deal with Marriott to effectively create a mini-Madison Square Garden on the footprint of the current Key Bridge Marriott site, with a Georgetown-sized arena (12k or so?) topped by hotel rooms/dining/entertainment. Arlington County is chomping at the bit to turn Rosslyn into a 'thing' and could be persuaded to grant all kinds of exemptions/incentives. Bonus: could easily steal 50% or more of the Patriot Center's concert lineup and generate a significant one of its own. Russky, you're a bonafide city-planning genius! And, as my moniker betrays me as an Arlington resident (18 yrs now!), I'd be all over converting Key Bridge Marriott into MSG-on-the-Potomac (ok capacity-wise, more like 1st-Mariner-Arena-on-the-Potomac). Given the County Board's pro-development proclivities over the past two decades, there won't be much local opposition either.... Wait, wait, wait.... Most of the bars I went to as an undergrad are gone but the Key Bridge Marriott lives on? Where's the justice? Not that I have anything in particular against the place but still.
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Loyal Hoya
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Post by Loyal Hoya on Sept 4, 2014 15:48:25 GMT -5
If Marriott could do that for us, it would almost make up for its role (at least in the minds of the students at the time) in moving the Pub out of Healy Basement and into the Leavey Center.
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Post by hoyasaxa2003 on Sept 4, 2014 17:18:47 GMT -5
Is the Marriott idea less far-fetched than the renovation of McDonough that would not cause World War III in the neighborhood? I mean, it would require demolishing the current Marriott, and building a brand new arena and hotel. I realize that things like permits and neighborhood approvals might come more easily, but that would still require a huge investment in money.
It seems clear that Georgetown is not going to spend millions on such a project (but correct me if I am wrong), so the other alternative is Marriott or somebody else putting up the money as an investment (in which case, would it really be "our" home arena?). The huge advantage of such a project is that it might provide a pro-quality arena in a smaller setting (making sell-outs more common, and driving some demand for tickets). The disadvantage is that it's not truly "on campus," though much more accessible than Verizon.
My ideal would be for the medical school to move off campus, and to use some of that land for a 7-9K capacity arena. Of course, that WOULD probably cause the neighbors to spontaneously combust.
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DFW HOYA
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Post by DFW HOYA on Sept 4, 2014 17:59:49 GMT -5
Coming soon to a football blog near you. georgetownfootball.blogspot.com/2014/08/designing-futures-of-athletics-at.htmlThe best I've been able to come up with is making a deal with Marriott to effectively create a mini-Madison Square Garden on the footprint of the current Key Bridge Marriott site, with a Georgetown-sized arena (12k or so?) topped by hotel rooms/dining/entertainment. Arlington County is chomping at the bit to turn Rosslyn into a 'thing' and could be persuaded to grant all kinds of exemptions/incentives. Bonus: could easily steal 50% or more of the Patriot Center's concert lineup and generate a significant one of its own. It's a great idea, and worth some perspective. Verizon Center will be 20 years old when this year's freshmen class graduates, and that's becoming the time pro sports owners begin the drumbeat for a new arena. Since Verizon Center was built, half the NBA has new arenas, there are only eight arenas over 20 years ago. Privately built, there's no way Ted Leonsis can float a $500 million renovation without public support, but it's likely to come around at the same time Dan Snyder will be pitching his version of Jerry World at 23rd and East Capitol Street. The success of Verizon Center reinforces the power of Metrorail. What made Capital Centre so forgettable (and for that matter, GMU's Patriot Center) is its lack of accessibility, and with it, attractiveness to restaurants and nightlife. Unless you were there, it's hard to overstate how absolutely barren the area around Capital Centre was.
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Post by FrazierFanatic on Sept 4, 2014 18:35:30 GMT -5
Yeah but Ewing et al were there. That was all we needed.
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RusskyHoya
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Post by RusskyHoya on Sept 5, 2014 11:37:12 GMT -5
Russky, you're a bonafide city-planning genius! Thanks. Bona fide dilettante is more like it And, of course, it's always easier to play Sim City with other people's money... Is the Marriott idea less far-fetched than the renovation of McDonough that would not cause World War III in the neighborhood? I mean, it would require demolishing the current Marriott, and building a brand new arena and hotel. I realize that things like permits and neighborhood approvals might come more easily, but that would still require a huge investment in money. It seems clear that Georgetown is not going to spend millions on such a project (but correct me if I am wrong), so the other alternative is Marriott or somebody else putting up the money as an investment (in which case, would it really be "our" home arena?). The huge advantage of such a project is that it might provide a pro-quality arena in a smaller setting (making sell-outs more common, and driving some demand for tickets). The disadvantage is that it's not truly "on campus," though much more accessible than Verizon. My ideal would be for the medical school to move off campus, and to use some of that land for a 7-9K capacity arena. Of course, that WOULD probably cause the neighbors to spontaneously combust. Marriott will follow the money, as any good business would. If they think there's money to be made, they might be interested in playing ball. The newly-opened Marriott Marquis next to the Convention Center cost $520 million, for comparison. Also, with the Marquis and its massive 1,175 rooms now online, Marriott may be more willing to lose the Key Bridge capacity temporarily. The question of whether it would be 'our home arena' is an important one, but I think it's worth stepping back and examining what exactly it is about an on-campus arena that we value/privilege, as opposed to continuing to rent out Verizon. I think the Rosslyn Key Bridge scenario satisfies most of these, some of which you mentioned: 1. A more right-sized venue compared to Verizon, while also being new and high-quality 2. Priority in scheduling - we wouldn't be playing fourth fiddle to the Caps, Wizards, and Lady Gaga/Maroon 5/One Direction. 3. Lower rent. Not no rent, of course, but given the major costs of construction, operations, and upkeep, rent doesn't look like such a bad deal in comparison. The flip side of this is venue revenue capture - University-owned and operated venues get to keep it all; renters don't. 4. Student convenience - there's nothing really magical about a facility being on the actual campus; it really has to do with being within convenient walking distance. By that metric, a Key Bridge Rosslyn location would be more convenient to Georgetown students than many bona fide on-campus arenas are to students at huge state schools where students have to drive to class and the like. Also, the area surrounding a Key Bridge arena could be much more casual fan-friendly (read: bars and restaurants) than something in the middle of campus. 5. Additional University uses - the potential for hosting BIG EAST women's basketball or volleyball tournaments (or home games against UConn and Notre Dame), the possibility of a unified undergraduate graduation location, etc. The question of the medical school/GUMC's future remains the biggest uncertainty in strategic campus planning. I've said before that this is the one area where I get the most contradictory input from different sources. What I am certain of, however, is that an on-campus arena of any kind is a non-starter. The McDonough of 1982 would never be allowed to be built there today. The best I've been able to come up with is making a deal with Marriott to effectively create a mini-Madison Square Garden on the footprint of the current Key Bridge Marriott site, with a Georgetown-sized arena (12k or so?) topped by hotel rooms/dining/entertainment. Arlington County is chomping at the bit to turn Rosslyn into a 'thing' and could be persuaded to grant all kinds of exemptions/incentives. Bonus: could easily steal 50% or more of the Patriot Center's concert lineup and generate a significant one of its own. It's a great idea, and worth some perspective. Verizon Center will be 20 years old when this year's freshmen class graduates, and that's becoming the time pro sports owners begin the drumbeat for a new arena. Since Verizon Center was built, half the NBA has new arenas, there are only eight arenas over 20 years ago. Privately built, there's no way Ted Leonsis can float a $500 million renovation without public support, but it's likely to come around at the same time Dan Snyder will be pitching his version of Jerry World at 23rd and East Capitol Street. The success of Verizon Center reinforces the power of Metrorail. What made Capital Centre so forgettable (and for that matter, GMU's Patriot Center) is its lack of accessibility, and with it, attractiveness to restaurants and nightlife. Unless you were there, it's hard to overstate how absolutely barren the area around Capital Centre was. The Olympics 2024 push (whatever one thinks of it) does add an interesting element to the Verizon renovation question. I think the venue has aged quite well - certainly far better than FedEx Field - as is well-positioned for a MSG-like extended service life. What the near-to-medium term costs are, dollar-wise, I have no idea. I would add on to your point about Metro accessibility with a further emphasis on a critical mass of transit-oriented development. If the Cap Center were plopped down immediately adjacent to the Landover Metro, it wouldn't be much better than it was. RFK is Metro-accessible, but going there for games feels like a chore half the time, because of its residential/otherwise desolate surroundings. The Phone Booth is the focal point of a dense, upscale, highly-developed entertainment district - one that has sprung up over the last decade and a half, spurred by said Phone Booth. That model is the present and future of successful urban arenas. It's what the Kings are ambitiously trying to do with their new facility in central Sacramento (as opposed to being in a sea of parking lots and strip malls in suburban Natomas). I do think that Arlington County wants them some of that - hell, they're actively planning to deck over much of I-66 in Rosslyn at enormous cost, and the second Rosslyn Metro station (the starting point for the separated Blue Line) is fast beginning to look like "when, not if." My idea still won't ever actually happen, but I believe the thought exercise is highly valuable in terms of thinking through what our priorities and long-term interests are. And, to pull this back to the topic of the thread, scheduling must now be a core part of that thought process. EDIT TO ADD: Marriott is apparently looking to add something like 1,300 new hotels by 2017, so the capital is there.
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on Sept 5, 2014 11:47:14 GMT -5
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Post by professorhoya on Sept 8, 2014 21:10:24 GMT -5
There is a solution out there on a McDonough replacement which doesn't involve sending the ANC/OGB into DEFCON status. Whether the University would pursue it, not sure. Oh? Do tell! The best I've been able to come up with is making a deal with Marriott to effectively create a mini-Madison Square Garden on the footprint of the current Key Bridge Marriott site, with a Georgetown-sized arena (12k or so?) topped by hotel rooms/dining/entertainment. Arlington County is chomping at the bit to turn Rosslyn into a 'thing' and could be persuaded to grant all kinds of exemptions/incentives. Bonus: could easily steal 50% or more of the Patriot Center's concert lineup and generate a significant one of its own. Add a Hot Shoppes. Instant sellout!
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Post by HoyaSinceBirth on Sept 9, 2014 12:32:29 GMT -5
Hoyas open up BE play @ Xavier on NYE at 10pm
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MCIGuy
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Post by MCIGuy on Sept 9, 2014 12:53:25 GMT -5
The success of Verizon Center reinforces the power of Metrorail. What made Capital Centre so forgettable (and for that matter, GMU's Patriot Center) is its lack of accessibility, and with it, attractiveness to restaurants and nightlife. Unless you were there, it's hard to overstate how absolutely barren the area around Capital Centre was. Was? It's STILL barren.
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MCIGuy
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Post by MCIGuy on Sept 9, 2014 12:59:36 GMT -5
Hoyas open up BE play @ Xavier on NYE at 10pm What excites me is that the game ahead of it on FS1 starts at 7:30 and the Gtown-Xavier game starts at 10. Please, Lord, let this be an indication that the folks at FOX realized their mistake last season of not having that 30 minute cushion between games just in case the games go over their 2 hour time slot. This should be rule of thumb, at least on weekends when one does not have to worry about only having that preferred 7PM to 11PM (EST) window to work with. It isn't as if FOX is saddled with a million conferences to satisfy with broadcast time like ESPN. With only the BE to worry about this is doable.
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TBird41
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Post by TBird41 on Sept 9, 2014 13:07:16 GMT -5
The only home Saturday games of any note are Butler (1/17), Depaul (2/21) and Seton Hall (3/7). So, yeah, Winter Basketball Weekend is going to be a real big draw again this year.
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PhillyHoya
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Post by PhillyHoya on Sept 9, 2014 13:21:59 GMT -5
9PM weeknight home games are still the worst. Really? Another game at 9PM on MLK Day? And a 9PM game against Nova for the second year in a row? Thanks for nothing.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 9, 2014 13:23:06 GMT -5
Awful weekend schedule. They're not making this easy.
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Jack
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Post by Jack on Sept 9, 2014 13:25:51 GMT -5
Honestly not sure I will be coming down for any games this year - that weekend slate is atrocious.
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FLHoya
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Post by FLHoya on Sept 9, 2014 13:32:10 GMT -5
Hoyas open up BE play @ Xavier on NYE at 10pm What excites me is that the game ahead of it on FS1 starts at 7:30 and the Gtown-Xavier game starts at 10. Please, Lord, let this be an indication that the folks at FOX realized their mistake last season of not having that 30 minute cushion between games just in case the games go over their 2 hour time slot. The 2 1/2 hour gap is for NYE and one or two weekend slates during the year. Rest of the time, still 2 hour gaps.
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Post by hoyasaxa2003 on Sept 9, 2014 13:32:04 GMT -5
Honestly not sure I will be coming down for any games this year - that weekend slate is atrocious. To some degree, this is our new conference. While this is a particularly bad slate, there just aren't enough good teams to guarantee quality schedules. When you combine that with Verizon Center availability, there's not much that can be done about it. In the old Big East, with 16 teams, you were guaranteed 8 or 9 high quality teams, which yielded a home schedule that was usually pretty strong. Now, the conference only has 10 teams, including a bunch that aren't very strong (DePaul, Butler, Seton Hall - the latter might be better this season), so under almost any circumstance, the home slate is going to be weak.
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DanMcQ
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Post by DanMcQ on Sept 9, 2014 13:36:05 GMT -5
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GUJook97
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Post by GUJook97 on Sept 9, 2014 13:40:10 GMT -5
Honestly not sure I will be coming down for any games this year - that weekend slate is atrocious. To some degree, this is our new conference. While this is a particularly bad slate, there just aren't enough good teams to guarantee quality schedules. When you combine that with Verizon Center availability, there's not much that can be done about it. In the old Big East, with 16 teams, you were guaranteed 8 or 9 high quality teams, which yielded a home schedule that was usually pretty strong. Now, the conference only has 10 teams, including a bunch that aren't very strong (DePaul, Butler, Seton Hall - the latter might be better this season), so under almost any circumstance, the home slate is going to be weak. Agreed. The die is cast. Who should we have marquee weekend matchups with? I guess we missed out on Nova? Okay. It is what it is. Same thing for 9pm week night games. Big East games are played on TV at 7 and 9pm. We play some at 7 and some at 9. Aside from sneaking our way into the ACC, Im not sure what else could be done...
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