AUSTIN | Moody Center (U.T. Basketball Arena) | Complete

[IluvATX]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Yes, because right now in all of downtown, the residential population is only about 10,000 or so. Any new arena would have seating somewhere on the order of 20,000 to 25,000 people. 10,000 people living downtown come and go at all hours of the day, but an arena would be a one two punch of 20,000 to 25,000 arriving and leaving at once.

I wonder how many people commute downtown for work.

Edit: looks to be around 100,000, though I can't find a good source. This makes me think that traffic wouldn't be a huge issue since most events are outside of regular working hours.

[Tech House]

Originally Posted by LoneStarMike

The Brackenridge Hospital site is 14 acres. Isn't it going to be torn down when the new medical center is finished? Put the arena/concert venue there. It'd be close IH-35 and it's not that much further from UT as the Erwin Center is now.

And yes, I know the city has plans to turn that area into an "Innovation District." Let 'em find someplace else for people to "innovate."

That location would be ideal, and then the Erwin land can be converted to innovation district to make it like a swap of uses.

[dphogan]

The Statesman site fits perfectly. Look what Detroit is doing with their new arena. They are building it as a part of retail and office space.



Memphis built their arena right off Beale St and it works great for shows and sporting events.

I'm not sure why everyone is worried about it becoming a parking lot. This isn't the Astrodome. Parking garages would be build and are needed anyway. The city needs a downtown venue to keep large shows and conventions from going to San Antonio/Houston/DFW. We already have the Cedar Park Center but I'm sure no one from Buda makes the drive for a Stars game. Make it central. Build it right. It will work best for all.

[Mopacs]

Originally Posted by dphogan

The Statesman site fits perfectly. Look what Detroit is doing with their new arena. They are building it as a part of retail and office space.



Memphis built their arena right off Beale St and it works great for shows and sporting events.

I'm not sure why everyone is worried about it becoming a parking lot. This isn't the Astrodome. Parking garages would be build and are needed anyway. The city needs a downtown venue to keep large shows and conventions from going to San Antonio/Houston/DFW. We already have the Cedar Park Center but I'm sure no one from Buda makes the drive for a Stars game. Make it central. Build it right. It will work best for all.

^^^ That's exactly what I've envisioned...maximize use of the property. Not sure UT would put a priority on that, but we shall/would see...

[lzppjb]

If it's a joint venture, the City could put the priority on developing the surrounding area as mixed use.

I do think a downtown arena would help us land more big conventions and concerts. Would be much easier to get a DNC or RNC here with an arena in that location.

If we had an MLB team, I'd prefer a baseball stadium there. I love stadiums with downtown views, and many are going that direction.

[dphogan]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

If we had an MLB team, I'd prefer a baseball stadium there. I love stadiums with downtown views, and many are going that direction.

Thank your late 90's city council for f'ing that up. Nolan Ryan and the Express wanted to put the Dell Diamond downtown, but the city didn't want the development or to give the tax breaks to make it happen. If I remember correctly, UT was ready to go in on a joint venture on that to replace the Disch as well. Baseball in downtown Austin, I can see it now and it would have been spectacular.

[Mopacs]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

If it's a joint venture, the City could put the priority on developing the surrounding area as mixed use.

I do think a downtown arena would help us land more big conventions and concerts. Would be much easier to get a DNC or RNC here with an arena in that location.

That's a good point. That type of land use would be consistent with the city's vision for this district...or as close as they could get with an arena.

http://www.austintexas.gov/waterfront
ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/npzd/South...ront_36x48.pdf

[smith_atx]

I'd definitely be against a half-assed effort. But, if they went all out and surrounded it with mixed use development and made sure it was a dynamic inviting design, I could see it being a positive for the city.

[Syndic]

Originally Posted by dphogan

Thank your late 90's city council for f'ing that up. Nolan Ryan and the Express wanted to put the Dell Diamond downtown, but the city didn't want the development or to give the tax breaks to make it happen. If I remember correctly, UT was ready to go in on a joint venture on that to replace the Disch as well. Baseball in downtown Austin, I can see it now and it would have been spectacular.

Minor league baseball doesn't belong in downtown. Only major league.

[Tech House]

Originally Posted by Syndic

Minor league baseball doesn't belong in downtown. Only major league.

For real. A minor league ball club just screams "Austin: The Fresno of Texas!"

Most of what Austin offers is already minor league, at best. Save the energy and funds to do something right for once.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by Tech House

For real. A minor league ball club just screams "Austin: The Fresno of Texas!"

Most of what Austin offers is already minor league, at best. Save the energy and funds to do something right for once.

Exactly. We're not trying to be like El Paso.

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by Syndic

Minor league baseball doesn't belong in downtown. Only major league.

A minor league team downtown would have been awesome. If that would have come to fruition, I'd be at the games all the time. I'd probably have season tickets. I go to one or two Express games a year. That's about it. That is mostly because I have no desire to drive all the way the hell up to Round Rock all the time.

A minor league team downtown would have been appropriate IMHO. Austin is a long, long way from being able to land/support a MLB franchise. The requirements to support MLB are probably much higher than any other professional sport. Getting enough fans to go to (and/or watch on TV) 81 homes games a year is a large task for even the biggest markets. You might be able to get some buy in from San Antonio fans, but it still would be a tough task.

I would think a NFL team would have the most chance of success. We're in football crazy Texas, there are less games, and it would likely bring fans from San Antonio. Austin-San Antonio combined could definitely support the NFL. The NFL would probably put the team in San Antonio before Austin though.

An NHL team in Austin *might* work. I'm not sure. That might require getting fan buy in from San Antonio. I doubt that would happen like it would with a NFL team.

So that leaves us with the MLS. It really is Austin's only chance at a professional sports team in the foreseeable future.

[paul78701]

Oh.. And the NBA might work?? But I highly doubt the NBA would put a franchise in Austin being that every major city surrounding us already has a franchise.

[drummer]

I'd be happy to see MLS come in. It's up and coming around the country and central Texas certainly has the market for it. I think San Antonio will probably get that first, too, however, with the Scorpions.

That said - I love the Detroit example. That's ideal for the Statesman property, but transportation infrastructure is still lacking as everyone would still need to drive their own vehicles.

[Austin1971]

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[Mopacs]

With regards to traffic, I think this would definitely necessitate another river crossing in the vicinity (Trinity, etc.), as has been discussed and proposed. At the very least, a wide pedestrian bridge that can eventually accommodate rail. If I were there for an event, my preference would be to park on the other side of the river near the convention center and walk across. The Congress bridge alone won't suffice.

[Syndic]

I do think Austin needs to have a team with just the nickname "Bats". It just occurred to me how perfect it would be as a name/mascot in baseball. It would be a double entendre. It's original in sports. No one has the name/mascot "Bats". Just think of the uniforms. Make the colors blueish-purple, black, and white. They would be awesome. The logo practically draws itself. And we could all show up to the games in Batman outfits. As a baseball lover, I would love nothing more than to see an MLB team build a stadium on the Statesman site, with a view of downtown from the stands like other Major League cities do. For example, Pittsburgh:



And San Diego:



It's just such a patently American thing. Using ballparks to frame our skylines is one of the greatest American traditions. It would be amazing for it to happen in Austin. As a lifelong diehard Astros fan, it would be hard for me, but I would cope.

[dphogan]

Lets be real.

MLB is not expanding. Only shot is to get a team relocated and the only team that might move is Tampa Bay. MLB not happening.

NBA is not coming to Austin. Austin lies within the Spurs territorial rights so they would block anything from happening.

NHL would go to Houston first. Rockets owner Les Alexander has been looking for a team for years and if the NHL isn't in a hurry to go to the 4th largest city in the country, we ain't gettin one.

NFL won't come to Austin proper. UT holds a lot of pull and so do Jerry Jones and Bob McNair. If a team were to come relocate, it would be to New Braunfels/North San Antonio.

Minor League Baseball is great. A downtown staduim that could seat 25k would be perfect. Not happening anytime soon with the Dell only being 10 yrs old. And plenty of large cities have minor league baseball including Columbus, OKC, and even Houston.

MLS is our best bet for a Pro sports team. Build a soccer stadium with a view like Pittsburgh or San Diego did with a city view and it will work out great. An area next door for the Horns and concerts and whatnot draw the rodeo and other large events and its a win win.

Traffic is a disaster until we get real about building a highway and I-35 has at least 5 lanes going in each direction so adding an arena or MLS stadium can only help to make that happen.

[smith_atx]

Las Vegas is trying right now to get an NHL team so they're probably next.

[Syndic]

Originally Posted by dphogan

MLS is our best bet for a Pro sports team. Build a soccer stadium with a view like Pittsburgh or San Diego did with a city view and it will work out great. An area next door for the Horns and concerts and whatnot draw the rodeo and other large events and its a win win.

Obviously, we know that MLS is the best bet. I wasn't attempting even remotely to appeal to peoples' rational side, but more-so their romantic, idealistic side. Great things don't start out practically. Also, rodeos? In downtown Austin? Are you kidding me? No thanks. Doesn't really fit with our culture or urban landscape.

Originally Posted by dphogan

Traffic is a disaster until we get real about building a highway and I-35 has at least 5 lanes going in each direction so adding an arena or MLS stadium can only help to make that happen.

No offense, but you might not belong in Austin if you think turning I-35 into a 5-lane highway in each direction is a good idea (also, you're acting like we don't have a highway?). Pretty much every rational person in Austin believes that's a horrible idea. Expanding highways just makes traffic worse, in the long run. We have to get people out of their cars. Cities are for people, not cars. You're advocating ideas straight out of the 1950's.