FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[miac952]

I seriously doubt UST will drop football.  Financially it would likely make sense, but I think there are too many alums invested in the program to drop it.  Also why would UST recruit for a program it was going to eliminate.  The problem UST may have is the lack of land around the main campus.  There isn't much room for expansion, and I am sure the neighborhoods would complain about everything.  Obviously there is the potential to move athletics to new venues off campus which isn't ideal.  There is also the potential to redesign facilities to make them work.  Is it possible to expand the football stadium over Cretin?  Hockey might be a bit of a challenge, but there is a solution.

I spoke with a member of the UST alumni board last week he had two things to share,I have no way of proving what he is saying so take it for what it is.
1.) UST & city of St. Paul do a venture for a hockey arena where as the city supplies land close to UST. The building & upkeep would be UST responsibility with the understanding that youth hockey has prime ice time available to them.
2.)Take football off campus to US Bank Stadium. This one made me roll my eyes.

I live in Highland Park and I'd love to know where that piece of land might be located. The only spot that would fit the bill is the old Ford Plant site and I doubt the Ryan Company and the city will free up the space.

Check out who the current board chair is at UST and get back to me. Pat has been circling the wagons with St Paul City leaders, U of M leaders, and others related to real estate and facility partnership opportunities.

If something were to go on that site it would likely be a baseball field however. The little league fields and adjacent open space were protected initially. UST's  on-campus field has some really peculiar dimensions (Byron Buxton couldn't cover the CF ground with 90 degree fence angle). UST could always go to CHS as well.

For Hockey I would GUESS the Highland arena site would be the location.

[miac952]

I seriously doubt UST will drop football.  Financially it would likely make sense, but I think there are too many alums invested in the program to drop it.  Also why would UST recruit for a program it was going to eliminate.  The problem UST may have is the lack of land around the main campus.  There isn't much room for expansion, and I am sure the neighborhoods would complain about everything.  Obviously there is the potential to move athletics to new venues off campus which isn't ideal.  There is also the potential to redesign facilities to make them work.  Is it possible to expand the football stadium over Cretin?  Hockey might be a bit of a challenge, but there is a solution.

I spoke with a member of the UST alumni board last week he had two things to share,I have no way of proving what he is saying so take it for what it is.
1.) UST & city of St. Paul do a venture for a hockey arena where as the city supplies land close to UST. The building & upkeep would be UST responsibility with the understanding that youth hockey has prime ice time available to them.
2.)Take football off campus to US Bank Stadium. This one made me roll my eyes.

I live in Highland Park and I'd love to know where that piece of land might be located. The only spot that would fit the bill is the old Ford Plant site and I doubt the Ryan Company and the city will free up the space.

Not only should we actually know the location of this new arena by now but based on the timeline, somebody should start digging/construction yesterday or earlier.

Given that the move to D1 hasn't been confirmed and finalized yet, it's going to take some time.
And it wouldn't be uncommon to transition for a few years with either existing facilities (not ideal, but it's not like we are packing the house as is) or make use of something else.

What about the area around Schulze arena? I thought that was discussed as a possibility (here, maybe not beyond this place).

W/r/t football being dropped, I'm sure everything has been considered as this is a huge shift, but the possibility of non-scholarship Pioneer League seems to be a much less costly option. Travel will be increased over the MIAC (both for games and for recruiting, although not to a crazy extent) and there won't be a Tommie-Johnnie cash cow every few years (unless...)

Charles M. Schultz-Highland Arena? https://www.google.com/maps/place/Charles+M.+Schulz-Highland+Arena/@44.9160044,-93.1687071,541m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m12!1m6!3m5!1s0x87f62bccf440c2c7:0xffcaebc7e25f8d6b!2sCharles+M.+Schulz-Highland+Arena!8m2!3d44.9172222!4d-93.1647222!3m4!1s0x87f62bccf440c2c7:0xffcaebc7e25f8d6b!8m2!3d44.9172222!4d-93.1647222

I live about 3 blocks from there...if a 3,000-9,000 seat arena is proposed for that property I will attend every city council meeting and protest along Snelling Avenue daily to stop it. There is no room for that size of property.

Breaking.... You live in Highland Park. It is about to become St Paul's version of Uptown.

The city just approved plans for 1,500 workers and nearly 10,000 new residents in high density development at the Ford Site and you are going to fight against an arena that might add 500 or so additional vehicles during off peak hours 10-12 times a year to a spot that can manage it? Furthermore, it would add a MUCH needed additional sheet of ice for St Paul youth hockey programs.

[SagatagSam]

[...] and you are going to fight against an arena that might add 500 or so additional vehicles during off peak hours 10-12 times a year to a spot that can manage it? [...]

With faunch its the principle of the matter. No quarter for Tommies--EVER!

[sjusection105]

105, since when do you go to swanky D.C. cocktail parties with the Rev?

Although, leave it to UST to put up the dough for the expensive trappings like playing at U.S. Bank Stadium that create the illusion of status. It's the Lamborghini of football stadiums parked illegally on Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis, so to speak. If you thought Tommie home games felt sparsely attended, just wait until they play a non-SJU opponent at U.S. Bank Stadium! It will make the 9-man semifinal games look like sellouts.

No, just a swanky western suburb near a famous lake 

[Mr.MIAC]

105, since when do you go to swanky D.C. cocktail parties with the Rev?

Although, leave it to UST to put up the dough for the expensive trappings like playing at U.S. Bank Stadium that create the illusion of status. It's the Lamborghini of football stadiums parked illegally on Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis, so to speak. If you thought Tommie home games felt sparsely attended, just wait until they play a non-SJU opponent at U.S. Bank Stadium! It will make the 9-man semifinal games look like sellouts.

No, just a swanky western suburb near a famous lake 

Who says my cocktail parties are swanky? We don't force our guests to use an outhouse. Is this what passes for swanky among you Johnnies?

[SagatagSam]

105, since when do you go to swanky D.C. cocktail parties with the Rev?

Although, leave it to UST to put up the dough for the expensive trappings like playing at U.S. Bank Stadium that create the illusion of status. It's the Lamborghini of football stadiums parked illegally on Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis, so to speak. If you thought Tommie home games felt sparsely attended, just wait until they play a non-SJU opponent at U.S. Bank Stadium! It will make the 9-man semifinal games look like sellouts.

No, just a swanky western suburb near a famous lake 

Must be on Dutch Lake, eh?

[faunch]

I seriously doubt UST will drop football.  Financially it would likely make sense, but I think there are too many alums invested in the program to drop it.  Also why would UST recruit for a program it was going to eliminate.  The problem UST may have is the lack of land around the main campus.  There isn't much room for expansion, and I am sure the neighborhoods would complain about everything.  Obviously there is the potential to move athletics to new venues off campus which isn't ideal.  There is also the potential to redesign facilities to make them work.  Is it possible to expand the football stadium over Cretin?  Hockey might be a bit of a challenge, but there is a solution.

I spoke with a member of the UST alumni board last week he had two things to share,I have no way of proving what he is saying so take it for what it is.
1.) UST & city of St. Paul do a venture for a hockey arena where as the city supplies land close to UST. The building & upkeep would be UST responsibility with the understanding that youth hockey has prime ice time available to them.
2.)Take football off campus to US Bank Stadium. This one made me roll my eyes.

I live in Highland Park and I'd love to know where that piece of land might be located. The only spot that would fit the bill is the old Ford Plant site and I doubt the Ryan Company and the city will free up the space.

Check out who the current board chair is at UST and get back to me. Pat has been circling the wagons with St Paul City leaders, U of M leaders, and others related to real estate and facility partnership opportunities.

If something were to go on that site it would likely be a baseball field however. The little league fields and adjacent open space were protected initially. UST's  on-campus field has some really peculiar dimensions (Byron Buxton couldn't cover the CF ground with 90 degree fence angle). UST could always go to CHS as well.

For Hockey I would GUESS the Highland arena site would be the location.

Just a couple years ago when I ran the summer Highland softball program and was on the baseball and softball board we were optimistic that Ryan and city would work to preserve youth ball fields. For those of you that don't know most of the ball fields in St. Paul are crap. I was under the impression the Little League Baseball program was going to get 2 fields. 

[faunch]

[...] and you are going to fight against an arena that might add 500 or so additional vehicles during off peak hours 10-12 times a year to a spot that can manage it? [...]

With faunch its the principle of the matter. No quarter for Tommies--EVER!

It has little to do with U$T. Snelling Avenue is already a **** show as it's a bypass for I-94 and 35E. It was designed as a neighborhood...not a location for a D1 hockey and basketball arena. There is not space for a large arena off of Snelling.

Combined w/ the project at the Ford plant that will bring in thousands of additional people I would project not living in the neighborhood more than another 5-10 years.

[miac952]

[...] and you are going to fight against an arena that might add 500 or so additional vehicles during off peak hours 10-12 times a year to a spot that can manage it? [...]

With faunch its the principle of the matter. No quarter for Tommies--EVER!

It has little to do with U$T. Snelling Avenue is already a **** show as it's a bypass for I-94 and 35E. It was designed as a neighborhood...not a location for a D1 hockey and basketball arena. There is not space for a large arena off of Snelling.

Combined w/ the project at the Ford plant that will bring in thousands of additional people I would project not living in the neighborhood more than another 5-10 years.

I would very much agree with you, that based on what is planned, traffic and pedestrian flow will be a NIGHTMARE. That is why I called it the future uptown of St Paul. With the limited arteries out to freeways, it was never intended to have that population density. A modest version of Ridder Arena connected to Highland's existing Shulz Ice complex is a proverbial drop in the bucket, compared to the thousands of other vehicles and pedestrians that will be added to the area daily with the Ford project. It may add a few hundred vehicles to the general area 10-20 times a year.

Basketball wont move off campus. There are a few tweaks that can be done to the existing arena to make it work effectively at D1 level. If UST becomes Creighton or Butler quicker than planned, then they can go back the drawing board. I don't see it happening soon though.

Cretin, Cleveland, the Ford Bridge, Edgcumbe, Snelling, and the River Road are all going to be very chaotic in the next 10 years. I don't envy you 

[faunch]

[...] and you are going to fight against an arena that might add 500 or so additional vehicles during off peak hours 10-12 times a year to a spot that can manage it? [...]

With faunch its the principle of the matter. No quarter for Tommies--EVER!

It has little to do with U$T. Snelling Avenue is already a **** show as it's a bypass for I-94 and 35E. It was designed as a neighborhood...not a location for a D1 hockey and basketball arena. There is not space for a large arena off of Snelling.

Combined w/ the project at the Ford plant that will bring in thousands of additional people I would project not living in the neighborhood more than another 5-10 years.

I would very much agree with you, that based on what is planned, traffic and pedestrian flow will be a NIGHTMARE. That is why I called it the future uptown of St Paul. With the limited arteries out to freeways, it was never intended to have that population density. A modest version of Ridder Arena connected to Highland's existing Shulz Ice complex is a proverbial drop in the bucket, compared to the thousands of other vehicles and pedestrians that will be added to the area daily with the Ford project. It may add a few hundred vehicles to the general area 10-20 times a year.

Cretin, Cleveland, the Ford Bridge, Edgcumbe, Snelling, and the River Road are all going to be very chaotic in the next 10 years. I don't envy you 

Wouldn't U$T hockey build a dual purpose w/ basketball?  That would only increase the number of game dates (men's and women's basketball and hockey)....not to mention the youth programs that would continue to use the existing rinks. 
If they're going to play in the Summit and whatever hockey league there is now that's the big ten wouldn't they want an arena in the 4,000+ range? 
NDSU Bison Sports Arena hold 5,600 and the Pentagon in SD holds 3,250.
Better convince the wife that it's time to move.

[jamtod]

[...] and you are going to fight against an arena that might add 500 or so additional vehicles during off peak hours 10-12 times a year to a spot that can manage it? [...]

With faunch its the principle of the matter. No quarter for Tommies--EVER!

It has little to do with U$T. Snelling Avenue is already a **** show as it's a bypass for I-94 and 35E. It was designed as a neighborhood...not a location for a D1 hockey and basketball arena. There is not space for a large arena off of Snelling.

Combined w/ the project at the Ford plant that will bring in thousands of additional people I would project not living in the neighborhood more than another 5-10 years.

I would very much agree with you, that based on what is planned, traffic and pedestrian flow will be a NIGHTMARE. That is why I called it the future uptown of St Paul. With the limited arteries out to freeways, it was never intended to have that population density. A modest version of Ridder Arena connected to Highland's existing Shulz Ice complex is a proverbial drop in the bucket, compared to the thousands of other vehicles and pedestrians that will be added to the area daily with the Ford project. It may add a few hundred vehicles to the general area 10-20 times a year.

Cretin, Cleveland, the Ford Bridge, Edgcumbe, Snelling, and the River Road are all going to be very chaotic in the next 10 years. I don't envy you 

Wouldn't U$T hockey build a dual purpose w/ basketball?  That would only increase the number of game dates (men's and women's basketball and hockey)....not to mention the youth programs that would continue to use the existing rinks. 
If they're going to play in the Summit and whatever hockey league there is now that's the big ten wouldn't they want an arena in the 4,000+ range? 
NDSU Bison Sports Arena hold 5,600 and the Pentagon in SD holds 3,250.
Better convince the wife that it's time to move.

The youth programs that already use the existing rinks aren't going to put anymore strain on Snelling than is already there, unless a bigger arena attracts substantially bigger events (possible). Something with the footprint of Ridder (with some capacity to grow) should be able to easily fit into the existing space, with room for a parking garage, etc. I don't really see a reason for a huge arena at this point.

And if they did dual purpose w/ basketball, they could keep that on campus, especially if baseball gets moved elsewhere. I don't think that's likely, but I don't see any chance of dual-purpose hockey/basketball at the Highland arena spot, so hold off the realtor for now.

[jamtod]

None of this matters anyway, since we're going to drop football and we can bulldoze O'shaughnessy for whatever hockey/basketball/soccer facilities we need.

[miac952]

Everything I had heard has basketball on campus. The one end with tickets and concessions was designed with potential expansion in mind. The student weight and cardio area could be moved to a number of spots on campus and that could be the atrium entrance to a larger basketball arena. A larger baseline grandstand could then be put in. That would put capacity in the neighborhood of 3000 - 4000, which is in line with UND. Intimate!

[jamtod]

Everything I had heard has basketball on campus. The one end with tickets and concessions was designed with potential expansion in mind. The student weight and cardio area could be moved to a number of spots on campus and that could be the atrium entrance to a larger basketball arena. A larger baseline grandstand could then be put in. That would put capacity in the neighborhood of 3000 - 4000, which is in line with UND. Intimate!

Yeah, I don't see any way basketball moves off campus. And if hockey is off-campus (not ideal), your attendance numbers are going to be depressed.

[miac952]

As I look a little more 3000-4000 is in line with Fordham, LaSalle, Iona, the Ivy's, Loyola, Furman, Pepperdine and many others.