PITTSBURGH | New Multi Purpose Arena | U/C

[a chicago bearcat]

Originally Posted by PA Pride

I hate to be a downer, but Pittsburgh is already listed as one of the most overburdened cities with 3 professional teams. (in terms of total metro wealth) Income needed per team: Major League Baseball - $89.2 billion. Major League Soccer - $16.1 billion. National Basketball Association - $38.4 billion; National Hockey League - $35.7 billion; and National Football League - $33.0 billion.

In 2008 the Pittsburgh metro had $100.7 billion total personal income (TPI).

So, i'm not sure how Pittsburgh is supporting 3 sports teams which add up to $157.9 billion personal income needed....

I'm guessing it's because Penguins and moreso the Steelers make killings on merchandise and broadcast rights outside of the metro area. Steeler nation is a legend for a reason. I believe one of the nicknames of Jacksonville is Pittsburgh South, because so many people have moved out of Pittsburgh.

[Minivan Werner]

A basketball court is smaller than a hockey rink, so I'm not sure why the lower bowl would need to be retractable. And they've had various basketball tournaments at the Mellon Arena, haven't they?

Pittsburgh can't support an NBA team, but I'm sure they can host more tournaments, and maybe even some NBA pre-season games, with this new arena.

[Austinlee]

Pittsburgh already has a sweet basketball arena:


http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2...78116829nQlkoE


http://www.prepticket.com/battle/market/national/id/169


Too bad it only holds 12,508. Not exactly NBA capacity.

[Orion1]

Originally Posted by Minivan Werner

A basketball court is smaller than a hockey rink, so I'm not sure why the lower bowl would need to be retractable. And they've had various basketball tournaments at the Mellon Arena, haven't they?

Pittsburgh can't support an NBA team, but I'm sure they can host more tournaments, and maybe even some NBA pre-season games, with this new arena.

Interesting. Actually I never really paid it that much attention. Maybe the nba floor looks deceptively larger width wise with seating on the edge of the court....Oh well.

[Gilamonster]

NBA in Pittsburgh? That is a laughable idea. Very few Pittsburghers have any interest in having a franchise here and even fewer think it could ever happen. If the NBA were to list their top choices for a new NBA franchise, I doubt Pittsburgh would even make the top 50. Very few mid size cities have a hockey team as well as an NBA team for obvious reasons. But the primary reason Pittsburgh is off the NBA radar is that there is simply a lack of interest. In business terms, there is very little market for their product.
Consol Energy Center will have plenty of uses besides hockey and is a welcome upgrade to the Mellon Arena. I'm too lazy and tired right now to find a link, but I have read a few articles on how the building is to be equipped with state of the art technolgy and wireless capabilities. The only significant feature it will lack in comparison to "The Igloo" is a retractable roof.

[Wiz Khalifa]

Originally Posted by Gilamonster

Consol Energy Center will have plenty of uses besides hockey and is a welcome upgrade to the Mellon Arena. I'm too lazy and tired right now to find a link, but I have read a few articles on how the building is to be equipped with state of the art technolgy and wireless capabilities. The only significant feature it will lack in comparison to "The Igloo" is a retractable roof.

Which was never used anyway.

[Rothwell]

Lack of interest or not, I could see an NBA team coming to Pittsburgh in the near future. The abundance of corporate and economic muscle the city has always makes it a possibility.

[Austinlee]

Originally Posted by Rothwell

Lack of interest or not, I could see an NBA team coming to Pittsburgh in the near future. The abundance of corporate and economic muscle the city has always makes it a possibility.

Lack of interest isn't the problem. I've talked to lots of people who would love an NBA team in Pgh. Lack of income is the problem.

Sports teams are considered based on TPI - Total personal income in a metro. Not number of corporations.

And Pittsburgh is one of the 4 most overextended markets right now. We actually need another $60.62 billion in personal income just to support the teams we have now. http://pittsburgh.bizjournals.com/pi...7/daily21.html

I'm not trying to be a downer here, just realistic.

[Orion1]

Hey Pittsburgh, this Philadelphian is eager for updates!

[dugdogmaster]

Originally Posted by Orion1

Hey Pittsburgh, this Philadelphian is eager for updates!

Check out the Pittsburgh Penguins official NHL webpage, they have a construction cam.

[Burgh15]

KDKA is going to have a tour of the concourses and seating bowl on the news tonight.

[Burgh15]

http://kdka.com/slideshows/Consol.Energy.Center.20.1500815.html

[Rail>Auto]

I hope the preservationist fight like hell to save Mellon Arena!

[Orion1]

Originally Posted by Burgh15

http://kdka.com/slideshows/Consol.Energy.Center.20.1500815.html

Looking good!
Thx.

[Luk_o]

Congrats Pittsburgh! She's really coming along nicely. I'll have to get down there for a CGY-PIT match this winter, a Pittsburgh visit has been on my to do list for too long now. If I could sync it to catch a Steelers game as well, that would be fantastic. Cheers.

[GeneW]

I just can't get excited about the new arena, maybe it looks better up close but it just looks so bland and unexciting. The Civic Arena has that whole Jetsons in-your-face futurism, the Colsol Center seems so tame in comparison.