Downtown Arena

[Brokershock]

which site do you prefer? i plan on attending the meeting at the boa atrium downtown tomorrow night.

[BenWSU]

None of the above. :whistle:

We need the NBA &/or NHL here in Wichita with a plan to put a team inside the new arena.

I see the arena as another example of wasted taxpayer money.

[DUShock]

I am with Pool, why build & make the investment without the ability to draw even an NCAA Regional.

Since the project is progressing, I hope for nothing but success.

[RockChalkWUShock]

I vote for old town. Since the shocks are playing at a "neutral" site in Michigan, I wonder if they might play a "neutral" site game at the new arena against some prime opposition.

[Brokershock]

i wouldn't mind being the opening event at the arena with a early or mid season tournament like the padre jam.


my list of marquee opponents that i'd like to see...

1. oklahoma state
2. texas tech
3. gonzaga
4. michigan state
5. memphis (turgeon's ties)

[kawwsu77]

Which site is the one south of Douglas and the one west of the railroad tracks in your poll I would vote for that one. I don't like the one north of Douglas because it wasn't even included in the original zone.

On the topic of bringing NHL team here it is never going to happen Wichita is not a big enough market.

[Brokershock]

its the one on emporia.


i don't think the nhl would look at wichita, especially when okc shot themselves in the foot a few years ago by only bringing in 7k for an nhl exhibition game. notice their chl attendance has fallen about 3000 per game in the last five years.

p.s. it is nice to see 6000-7000 at the thunder games over the atmosphere... made for a nice atmosphere in the "cow palace"

[Wuzee]

Anywhere BUT Old Town.

[SubGod22]

How many seats is the arena said to have? Or is that still up for debate? As long as it's big enough for the NCAA this will be great. If they screw it up and make it too small then it's a waste. But wasn't it going to hold 18k or so?

[ShockBand]

I'm thinking about going to the county's meeting at the Bank Of America building to ask questions. Its from 4 to 7 pm today.

Isn't the current minimum for 1st/2nd round 12,500? I can't see them taking it much bigger than 15K for 1st/2nd rounders, because if they do, they eliminate some of those more remote regional places that they have awarded sites to recently. So, if the basketball capacity is 15,000 (what I think the specs are) it would be OK for the NCAA. However, I don't think the building capacity should be predicated on an event that we would have once every few years at most.

As far as location, I think the north and central sites are the worst. The east is OK and isn't too far from Old Town and sits on the doorstep of a proposed arts district, and the west would help support the Waterwalk venture.

As far as the arena itself, I think Wichita is kind of in a population size that is a quandry, especially if we are trying to play with the Omahas, Tulsas, and Oklahoma Citys of the world, all three of which are more than just a little bigger than Wichita. If the population of Wichita was 150,000 bigger or smaller, I think a lot of these decision are a lot easier to make. IMHO of course.

[SubGod22]

Even if we'd only get the NCAAs every few years or so it'd be worth it. The amount of money that the event would bring to Wichita would be huge. And you know we'd get a team like Kansas or the Oklahoma schools here which would bring in a lot of money.

A larger venue would also make it possible to get some bigger events to help increase revenue. This arena can't be built less than 15k but I would feel more comfortable with 18k or so.

[ShockBand]

If I go to the meeting thingy, I'll report back what I find out.

[Brokershock]

i went to the meeting and talked w/ john nath (coliseum director)

he mentioned that the site south of spaghetti works and the site south of the transit center were the top two - may be able to get shuttles running.

personally i'm pulling for the site against the railroad tracks, south of douglas. my reason... its close to both oldtown and the waterwalk. not to mention, its proximity to the transit center might help the city run shuttles to the nearby parking lots to pick up folks for the arena and/or take them to the waterwalk/oldtown before and after the game.

the west site, i believe is fair, but too far from old town.
the north site, i was originally for, but taking buildings out on douglas, imho, is not an option.

the more i hear, the more excited i get.

[SubGod22]

Did they mention the seating capacity Broker? It's worthless if built too small.

[Brokershock]

15000 was the base seating.

nath has given myself and the rest of the park city council a tour last fall of the coliseum before the vote. what a mess. his explination of the smaller venue is that attendance for public events is actually down over the last decade, so venues are being built a little smaller, with the option of placing a curtain over the upper deck to make it a little more intimate. he has said that 15000 would be sufficient for ncaa 1st & 2nd round for a "long time". mentioned to me that most of the sites aren't filling their 13-14000 seat arenas for the games now.

thinking about it, i'm ecstatic that we didn't expand koch. 10500 is perfect. sellouts - and the buzz that goes with it.