FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[miac952]

Really good analysis at how costly this endeavor is.

Re: the facilities, it is too bad the TRIA rink wasn't built a little larger. 1,200 is probably no quite what UST is looking for in a smallish D1 arena. The deal with STA wasn't the wisest move in the world, even in the current state. Way too far from campus.

I do know from many in the athletic department that they are all in on making football a scholarship sport within 6 years of shifting to D1. They figure that requires $15-$30 million in stadium upgrades and another $20 -$30 million upfront to support the scholarship commitments for football and an offsetting Women's sport (Lacrosse?). Maybe track shifts to the new and underutilized U of M facility in STP?

Basketball can work within the arena they have. They may open up more seats and extend the wall and seating out on the fitness center side of the basketball arena.

For land the Ford Plant land comes to mind but the fights amongst the neighborhoods over housing density and affordability have been so vicious to date, I can't imagine introducing any sports facilities into the mix. Maybe a baseball field, since Highland little league fields are already there. A lot of the baseball games will end up at US Bank, like the Gophers, with how early the D1 season starts. The CHS field is also a great spot for college baseball.

[OzJohnnie]

For land the Ford Plant land comes to mind but the fights amongst the neighborhoods over housing density and affordability have been so vicious to date, I can't imagine introducing any sports facilities into the mix. Maybe a baseball field, since Highland little league fields are already there.

Is the Ford plant site still not redeveloped?  I can remember as clear as if it were yesterday driving over the river on the bridge one evening by the plant.  A little rainy, the streetlights had that orange glow and Sweet Child O' Mine was on the radio.   It's funny how some very random memories stick so vividly in your memory.

[repete]

Esq. et al:

Great posts on the pux situation. As someone who used to be involved in D1 hockey I know how dicey these transitions can be. But thinking the current upheaval in the college game is probably a net positive for the Tommies, right?

[miac952]

For land the Ford Plant land comes to mind but the fights amongst the neighborhoods over housing density and affordability have been so vicious to date, I can't imagine introducing any sports facilities into the mix. Maybe a baseball field, since Highland little league fields are already there.

Is the Ford plant site still not redeveloped?  I can remember as clear as if it were yesterday driving over the river on the bridge one evening by the plant.  A little rainy, the streetlights had that orange glow and Sweet Child O' Mine was on the radio.   It's funny how some very random memories stick so vividly in your memory.

Not even close to developed. The land is cleared. But, lots of jockeying right now with developers, neighbors, and politicians on housing density, retail mix, building heights green space, and affordability. I can commiserate with Highland residents. Every time I am over there the traffic is bad right now. There are very few arteries in and out of that area. With high rise apartments and condos being a pet of the plan to meet the density and affordability requirements the Council is pushing, Highland may look like Uptown in a decade.

[BDB]

johnnie_esq, as a big hockey fan from Learn-To-Skate up to the pros I really enjoyed your comments. You obviously know the subject at hand. I have opined on this site that possibly keeping the hockey programs was a shoe horn too far for UST to take on the D1 bus. Hard to fathom that in a big jump like this looks to be that some program(s) might not feel the cut.

I do get concerned over the number of D1 hockey programs in the region. Besides all the Minny schools you've got Wiscy, NoDak, Omaha, all the Michigan schools and everyone else in here drawing the best players. Like, there are only so many walleyes in Mille Lacs.

For the uninitiated, there is an abundance of D3 caliber players. Many enter school as 21-22 year old freshman after playing juniors out of high school hoping to attract a scholarship but after that doesn't happen finding a D3 college that wants them and continuing their education/hockey career.

Will be interesting seeing how UST deals with hockey as much as any other of their programs.

[miac952]

With Arizona State and Penn State making the move, and finding success so far in their shift, it sounds like Illinois and UNLV are very close to also pulling the trigger. UNLV can piggyback on the Golden Knights popularity. You do start to wonder when the product gets watered down though, unless you are able to steal more talent out of the Canadian Jr world.

[repete]

On to Augsburg next week.

They are bad.

Glad I made it to Collegeville, of course, but wow. Could very well be the worst mismatch I've seen since I started going to games there (1st Nixon admin). Fun to see some of the things they did, like moving Kai B. outwide and no one on Auggie could or would touch that big guy. But Auggie did manage a cheap shot on Erdmann after he delivered the TD pass.

[miac952]

This passed under the radar in the last couple weeks.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/j2-acquisition-limited-completes-acquisition-of-api-group-300928895.html

For those that don't know, Lee and Penny Anderson are one of the biggest UST benefactors out there. With the sale of their business they now have $3 billion more floating around. Add in a handful of individuals like Ron Fowler (San Diego Padres Owner) that have given a lot of support to athletics. I am guessing a pretty substantial capital campaign will be undertaken in the near term.

[sjusection105]

This passed under the radar in the last couple weeks.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/j2-acquisition-limited-completes-acquisition-of-api-group-300928895.html

For those that don't know, Lee and Penny Anderson are one of the biggest UST benefactors out there. With the sale of their business they now have $3 billion more floating around. Add in a handful of individuals like Ron Fowler (San Diego Padres Owner) that have given a lot of support to athletics. I am guessing a pretty substantial capital campaign will be undertaken in the near term.

Interesting development. The previous $60M for the Anderson center was tied to Api doing construction across various UST construction projects. $60M donation nets the company many times more in construction business. Now with the company being sold, I can still see a substantial amount being donated to UST over time. The Board members seem to have a challenge with each other how big of checks they can write to UST. A nice problem for UST to have, too bad they are landlocked.

[formerd3db]

johnnie_esq:

I can understand what you are saying about arena size for UST ho key being too small currently. However, do you really think they need such a huge arena if they make the jump to DI? Ferris State's arena here in Michigan only seats 2490 and while they do fill it at times, that doesn't always happen. Granted, they are a State university (they compete in DIi in all other sports ad they were grandfathered in for DI hockey by the NCAA)
but the program is supported and I believe that a large portion used for the upgrades if the ice arena was per non-state monies ( need to check their website.) Plus, granted Adrian is DIII, bit they had two alumni donate together $2 million fir their ion campus arena, which while only seating 900, is usually filled for all their hockey programs, not only varsity, but their club collegiate teams, which have won national championships.

So, I understand the challenges that UST would face for hockey alone as you and orhers have outlined if they go to DI in all sports. But do you think there would be a chance to either expand the current facility or build a new one on campus OR is the land-lock problem as mentioned another deterent?

[faunch]

On to Augsburg next week.

They are bad.

Glad I made it to Collegeville, of course, but wow. Could very well be the worst mismatch I've seen since I started going to games there (1st Nixon admin). Fun to see some of the things they did, like moving Kai B. outwide and no one on Auggie could or would touch that big guy. But Auggie did manage a cheap shot on Erdmann after he delivered the TD pass.

I'm pretty sure SJU didn't open up the playbook against Auggie and the Knights the last two weeks. That said I'm sure Bethel kept things pretty generic in their defeat of the Keep Stackin' Knights. Should be a great game on Saturday and would expect decent crowd even though the Collegeville weather forecast is for a high of 35 /a low of 30 degress and snow ❄️!!! WTF???

[Pat Coleman]

AND, of course, HSU has not yet played (though losing at home to TX Lu is almost inconceivable).

Conceive it!

[MiacMan]

While my inside info at UST has diminished slightly over the last several years particularly as it would relate to hockey, I do have a contact with the city of St. Paul that happened to mention to me that they will be taking down the water towers and reservoir with plans to build another ice arena. The size and scope of the project was not clarified but it was mentioned that they were seeking a "partner" for this endeavor.

Water towers/reservoir on Snelling Ave. Between Highland Pkwy and Ford Pkwy.

Note: This conversation took place several weeks ago, prior to any confirmation of UST going D1.

[faunch]

While my inside info at UST has diminished slightly over the last several years particularly as it would relate to hockey, I do have a contact with the city of St. Paul that happened to mention to me that they will be taking down the water towers and reservoir with plans to build another ice arena. The size and scope of the project was not clarified but it was mentioned that they were seeking a "partner" for this endeavor.

Water towers/reservoir on Snelling Ave. Between Highland Pkwy and Ford Pkwy.

It would need to be built on the south end of the current parking lot and then maybe a ramp put in on the north along Highland Parkway...and even then it would be a tight fit. So 4,000+ new residents in at the old Ford plant and a 2,550+ seat arena on Snelling and Ford Parkway? Living right in the middle and with property taxes out of control it might be time to contact my real estate agent!

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.9171951,-93.1673357,650m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

[MiacMan]

While my inside info at UST has diminished slightly over the last several years particularly as it would relate to hockey, I do have a contact with the city of St. Paul that happened to mention to me that they will be taking down the water towers and reservoir with plans to build another ice arena. The size and scope of the project was not clarified but it was mentioned that they were seeking a "partner" for this endeavor.

Water towers/reservoir on Snelling Ave. Between Highland Pkwy and Ford Pkwy.

It would need to be built on the south end of the current parking lot and then maybe a ramp put in on the north along Highland Parkway...and even then it would be a tight fit. So 4,000+ new residents in at the old Ford plant and a 2,550+ seat arena on Snelling and Ford Parkway? Living right in the middle and with property taxes out of control it might be time to contact my real estate agent!

https://www.google.com/maps/@44.9171951,-93.1673357,650m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

Hold tight my Johnny friend! We'll have valuable property when this happens.