Arena Designs - Which do you prefer?

[rjl]

What I don't want is to drive around for an hour to find a parking spot that is 10 minutes hard walk away from the arena. I understand that the hope is that people will park and walk and visit various establishments ontheir way in or out from the arena. Maybe you know where you can park and be able to walk to the arena but I am not familiar with downtown parking other than over by the Exhibtion building, library and CII. If I planned on parking there and walking and arrived to find that the lots were full then what?

Also one of the comments I have heard from a season ticket holder to Thunder games is that he does not want to park and walk a long way to a game in 0 degree weather. His choice would be to stay home. I believe that is the type of attitude that exists in Wichita. The parking is not a side issue it is a critical issue that if not addressed to make it easy to find parking will lead to failure of the arena no matter how it looks.

Oh, I understand wanting some clarity about where to park, and what distance it's going to be.

In that immediate area there are several parking lots and even a parking garage or two normally used for offices and businesses. I imagine some of the poorer quality lots will be refurbished, and I imagine there will be some additional signs to make the experience as user/audience friendly as possible.

Yes, you will have to walk. Get there early, you have to walk less.

Currently, a the largest croud that ever goes to a Thunder game is around 6,000. Assuming most people are at least 2-to-a-car, I imagine the official arena parking lot would cover a majority of that.

Figuring the newness and location of the arena will attract as many as 10,000 people to Thunder games, it will become a little more congested, but certainly livable. I'd guess, however, that season ticket holders might get some preferential treatment when it comes to parking.

[engrshock]

The proposed designs show less than 400 parking spots as they are being presented. I had no problem walking 15 minutes in St. Louis from the Adam's Mark to the Savvis Center. Had I been driving to the arena I would not know where to park or where available parking is located but I understand that there are lots and garages near by.

[rjl]

The proposed designs show less than 400 parking spots as they are being presented. I had no problem walking 15 minutes in St. Louis from the Adam's Mark to the Savvis Center. Had I been driving to the arena I would not know where to park or where available parking is located but I understand that there are lots and garages near by.

I didn't know an exact number of spots on site. I imagine it would vary depending on what design they went with and the orientation of the arena on the property.

As much as they've said people will have to expect to walk a little, they've got to know it will be a dealbreaker if it gets too difficult to figure out.

Wonder if an underground parking garage is out of the picture? Cost may preclude it.

[SpanglerFan316]

Oh, and the difference between this and Riverfest the arrival and depature of cars is spreadout over the course of the day rather than concentrated into a small time frame. Compare the usual congestion at WSU on any given weekday to the congestion of trying to get on or off campus for a men's basketball game.

A good point. However the WSU/city police help traffic leave WSU after a game; it isn't that bad. If there were things to do before and after a game/concert (e.g. eating, movie at the Old Town Warren, blues/jazz bar), maybe the traffic rush would be spread out. I can see myself parking in one of the free lots near River City Brewery, eating a meal, walking to the new arena, etc.

[DaShox]

Things learned from tonight's meeting:

The bowl and video board will have a marquee just like Greensboro. That will be first class.

Option B is my choice, but I too would like to see it turned as in Option A. Many arena's 'wow' factor is on the inside. The Pyramid in Memphis sits right on the bank of the Mississippi. Cool to look at it, but there's nothing around it so it looks industrial & barren. Verizion Center looks like a typical store front entrance, but inside it's very very nice. Greensboro is a non descript limestone exterior but (other than the interior easter egg colors) has a wow factor.

Parking -- Rupp Arena's front entrance has a small lot right across the street. The lower level of Rupp Arena has the UK Hall of Fame Museum ($5 tour), restaurants, and upscale stores (clothing, jewelry, etc). With the appropriate street atmosphere, walking the 2-3 blocks to an event makes the event you are going to more fun.

Capacity -- build it so we can add 2,500 to 5,000 seats at a later date.

Option B looks like part Koch Arena and part Edward Jones Dome. Something like Conseco Filedhouse would fit Old Town yet also be futurisitc.

http://www.ellerbebecket.com/portfolio_template_34.html

[C0|dB|00ded]

Things learned from tonight's meeting:

The bowl and video board will have a marquee just like Greensboro. That will be first class.

Option B is my choice, but I too would like to see it turned as in Option A. Many arena's 'wow' factor is on the inside. The Pyramid in Memphis sits right on the bank of the Mississippi. Cool to look at it, but there's nothing around it so it looks industrial & barren. Verizion Center looks like a typical store front entrance, but inside it's very very nice. Greensboro is a non descript limestone exterior but (other than the interior easter egg colors) has a wow factor.

Parking -- Rupp Arena's front entrance has a small lot right across the street. The lower level of Rupp Arena has the UK Hall of Fame Museum ($5 tour), restaurants, and upscale stores (clothing, jewelry, etc). With the appropriate street atmosphere, walking the 2-3 blocks to an event makes the event you are going to more fun.

Capacity -- build it so we can add 2,500 to 5,000 seats at a later date.

Option B looks like part Koch Arena and part Edward Jones Dome. Something like Conseco Filedhouse would fit Old Town yet also be futurisitc.
http://www.ellerbebecket.com/portfolio_template_34.html

Capacity -- build it so we can add 2,500 to 5,000 seats at a later date.

I spoke with a city representative at length and convinced that person that we really need to look into the possibility of building it with the option of expansion over the next 20 years. That person gave me an estimate of 5-7 million to "over-build" an unfinished area for future additions. If we do not build the arena with expansion in mind, we are stuck with 15k for the life of the building until we demolish it. This person seemed surprised at my comments about CU and the Quiet Center's expansion and said that their expansion history would be looked at over the next week and brought up to the board.

As much revenue that is flying in with this sales tax I would think they could squeeze in 5-7mm without very much problem. I think they will find that after we are awarded an NCAA regional and a few big name acts come to town that 15k was a bit too conservative. The main reason for the under-sized plan was to keep the C.A.V.E. people from lighting themselves on fire and burning down the city.


T


...:cool:

[Tasmanian Devil]

I like D, none of the above.

[vbird53]

Once we build this 15,000 seat arena, I can't wait for the NCAA committee to come out and announce that they will be increasing the minimum size for an arena to host an NCAA men's basketball regional to 16,000!

[SubGod22]

I thought it was 15k fixed seat which would mean 17-18k for basketball?

[The Mad Hatter]

In any case vbird's point still holds. You know that whatever the capacity is, the official capacity to host a regional will be bumped above that. Murphy's Law always wins.

[NCAABound]

It's 15k for basketball. They sold it to us on the premise that it was 15k fixed seat arena - but conveniently changed it once it was passed. Believe me - I was involved with the initial campaign. It was a total tug job by the county.

[shocker07]

It's 15k for basketball. They sold it to us on the premise that it was 15k fixed seat arena - but conveniently changed it once it was passed. Believe me - I was involved with the initial campaign. It was a total tug job by the county.

That's interesting. I was involved with the vote yea campaign from day one and it was always "15,000 fixed seats for basketball." The capacity for concerts would be around 17,000. I don't believe this has ever changed.

[NCAABound]

Yes - when the vote yea campaign was around it was stating 15k fixed seats. But after the vote was finished - the county came in and said it wasn't 15k "fixed" seats - but 15k for basketball (including some floor seats because the court is smaller than the bottom of the arena seating.) So it was going to be more like 13,500-14,000 fixed plus floor seating during basketball. If that has changed I apologize. When the county came out with the 13-14,000 number I got pi$$ed and haven't followed it much since then.

[SubGod22]

If it's 15k for basketball then it's a joke and a waste of money

[vbird53]

If it's 15k for basketball then it's a joke and a waste of money

That's what I've been saying ever since I found out it was going to be 15,000 seats about four months ago.