UNT Athletic Facilities Master Plan Information for BOR Meeting 11.16.17

[UNT 90 Grad]

7 hours ago, UNTFan23 said:

The idea is to put a videoboard in each corner and possibly sound as well.

^This.  As I understand it, one of the main drivers for this change is to clear sight lines for a new deck that would be on top of the expanded section of the athletic center. 

[PlummMeanGreen]

2 hours ago, UNT 90 Grad said:

^This.  As I understand it, one of the main drivers for this change is to clear sight lines for a new deck that would be on top of the expanded section of the athletic center. 

That Athletic Center deck is huge & would add another 500-1,000 fans to our stadium capacity.  (1,000 would look like sardines I suppose).

 Very impressed with what La Tech did with their end zone facility.

[UNT Mean Green]

2 hours ago, UNT 90 Grad said:

^This.  As I understand it, one of the main drivers for this change is to clear sight lines for a new deck that would be on top of the expanded section of the athletic center. 

Believe that the expansion of the athletic center includes enclosing those decks with offices and usable space, basically making the entire building adjacent to where the scoreboard is now in the south end zone. That’s one of the main issues with the athletic center is those decks are a complete waste of space, and the entire building is way undersized in terms of useable space (along with horrendous flow for the student-athletes having to walk up and down a singular staircase that is outside to access meeting rooms, weight room, and training rooms).

[NorthTexan95]

7 hours ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

It’s more affective to just build a new area. The Superpit is getting outdated and is having to be updated with thinks like ADA laws, etc.. Yes it is grandfathered in on somethings, but those are eventually going to have to be updated. Also, having it on the athletics side allows for more space on an already cramped UNT campus. The building of a new “Superpit” will allow for it to hopefully be used more (outside of B-ball and VBall) and for more events as well. 

I agree that a new arena would be best.  Right now we have to basically share the facility with the school which limits scheduling.

[Matt from A700]

I noticed the new dorm hall by Kerr got pushed back to Spring 2019 (Sorry Class of 2022).

I'm excited about this new stand alone dining hall but surprised they're going to have to take out a lot of the nice landscaping by the BLB to make it happen.

[Snowy]

^agree. Location of the dining hall is puzzling 

[BTG_Fan1]

1 hour ago, Matt from A700 said:

I noticed the new dorm hall by Kerr got pushed back to Spring 2019 (Sorry Class of 2022).

I'm excited about this new stand alone dining hall but surprised they're going to have to take out a lot of the nice landscaping by the BLB to make it happen.

Lol blocked the parking lot off a year before it was ever approved 

[UNTLifer]

Bring back the snake charmer to get the Pit's crowd going.

[bleedgreen4ever]

So anyone know what would happen to the coliseum once the new basketball arena is built?

[PlummMeanGreen]

41 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

Bring back the snake charmer to get the Pit's crowd going.

I had met the snake charmer back in the day right before we moved to the Super Pit.  For the life of me, I cannot remember his name now, but one of my old Yuccas had a picture of him with that snake at the old Men's Gym.  

We were in a pretty decent Missouri Valley Conference basketball league at that time.   Part of that era's last team  before we moved to the Super Pit included players like Stan Blackman, Ken Bailey and Bobby Iverson.  Iverson was a great basketball talent we got snake bit by the Jehovah Witnesses as he wanted to join that religion's mission program  full time so he dropped out of North Texas.  Bobby Iverson could have easily been 1'st team Mo' Valley and to be 1'st team in that league was a pretty big deal. 

GMG!

Edited November 14, 2017 by PlummMeanGreen

[Cerebus]

13 hours ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

 Also, having it on the athletics side allows for more space on an already cramped UNT campus.

 

22 minutes ago, bleedgreen4ever said:

So anyone know what would happen to the coliseum once the new basketball arena is built?

Nothing is happening to the coliseum. It is booked for 100s of days every year.  It will remain and continue to hold the types of events it holds now, except for the athletics events.  

 

[bleedgreen4ever]

2 minutes ago, Cerebus said:

 

Nothing is happening to the coliseum. It is booked for 100s of days every year.  It will remain and continue to hold the types of events it holds now, except for the athletics events.  

 

Seems odd there'd be a basketball coliseum still in place without an athletic use. If the university wants to use it as a convention center type of building, then I hope they end up fully renovating it so it looks up to par. Besides, that building is quite aesthetically unappealing.

[Cerebus]

Just now, bleedgreen4ever said:

Seems odd there'd be a basketball coliseum still in place without an athletic use. If the university wants to use it as a convention center type of building, then I hope they end up fully renovating it so it looks up to par. Besides, that building is quite aesthetically unappealing.

Like I said, it's booked for 100s of events every year.  It more than pays for itself.   I am sure very long term they would like to replace it, but they just spent a few million to spruce it up so it can last a decade or two longer.  

[UNTFan23]

33 minutes ago, Cerebus said:

Like I said, it's booked for 100s of events every year.  It more than pays for itself.   I am sure very long term they would like to replace it, but they just spent a few million to spruce it up so it can last a decade or two longer.  

The Coliseum could likely be booked for more events if athletics wasn't the primary user during basketball season.

BTW, they had a cheerleader contest in the SuperPit over the weekend.

[forevereagle]

47 minutes ago, bleedgreen4ever said:

Seems odd there'd be a basketball coliseum still in place without an athletic use.

I think you should consider it more of a general use coliseum with an option to become a basketball arena instead of the other way around. The BB floor is put away more often that it is used.

[UNT 90 Grad]

1 hour ago, bleedgreen4ever said:

Seems odd there'd be a basketball coliseum still in place without an athletic use. If the university wants to use it as a convention center type of building, then I hope they end up fully renovating it so it looks up to par. Besides, that building is quite aesthetically unappealing.

It might also seem odd to you for a “basketball” coliseum to be outside the control of the athletic department, yet that is the case.  One reason a basketball practice facility was needed is because the basketball team would periodically not be able to use the coliseum because the University was scheduling other events there.  

I’m assuming the AD will have control over the arena. 

[bleedgreen4ever]

3 hours ago, Cerebus said:

Like I said, it's booked for 100s of events every year.  It more than pays for itself.   I am sure very long term they would like to replace it, but they just spent a few million to spruce it up so it can last a decade or two longer.  

Yes, I'm fully aware it is booked for "100s" of events every year. At least paint the rusted metal look of the outside. The inside is fine for another decade or two.

Edited November 14, 2017 by bleedgreen4ever

[UNTFan23]

1 minute ago, bleedgreen4ever said:

At least paint the rusted look of the outside 

It's not paint, it's actual rust. It actually creates a protective layer for the underlying metal so that there is little to no maintenance needed (like repainting the material). To "fix" that, they'd need to replace all of the material with something else. This was a common architectural design back in the 70s.

[bleedgreen4ever]

1 minute ago, UNTFan23 said:

It's not paint, it's actual rust. It actually creates a protective layer for the underlying metal so that there is little to no maintenance needed (like repainting the material). To "fix" that, they'd need to replace all of the material with something else. This was a common architectural design back in the 70s.

Oh ok, no wonder it looks like rust, haha. I just think it looks very unappealing and it's right at the entrance of our university so if they plan on keeping the building for a lengthy period of time, I'd consider replacing the material with something else. But that's just my opinion. 

[BTG_Fan1]

13 hours ago, UNT 90 Grad said:

^This.  As I understand it, one of the main drivers for this change is to clear sight lines for a new deck that would be on top of the expanded section of the athletic center. 

Really wish they could find a way to cover the drive way area from AD center to where the present day scoreboard is. The weight-room is literally right behind the patio area and would allow for the weight-room to be expanded, with the new covered area allowing for seating/standing room only closer to the field at an elevated level.. (Hopefully this makes sense)

[Salsa_Verde]

Perhaps keeping the coliseum and adding a modern basketball arena would maybe give the university an opportunity to hold tournaments in the future for multiple sports like basketball and volleyball? 

[Wag Tag]

13 hours ago, UNT Mean Green said:

Believe that the expansion of the athletic center includes enclosing those decks with offices and usable space, basically making the entire building adjacent to where the scoreboard is now in the south end zone. That’s one of the main issues with the athletic center is those decks are a complete waste of space, and the entire building is way undersized in terms of useable space (along with horrendous flow for the student-athletes having to walk up and down a singular staircase that is outside to access meeting rooms, weight room, and training rooms).

What was mentioned was removing the video board and using the deck for fans and concerts.

[BTG_Fan1]

36 minutes ago, Salsa_Verde said:

Perhaps keeping the coliseum and adding a modern basketball arena would maybe give the university an opportunity to hold tournaments in the future for multiple sports like basketball and volleyball? 

I’m assuming you mean hold them at the same time? Volleyball is wrapping up and likely would just result in the basketball team playing away from home that weekend. 

Also, how old is the VBall center? Honestly it’s seems like a great facility, just the outside of it isn’t the best looking. The low ceiling I think also gives them a great advantage.

[UNT 90 Grad]

1 hour ago, BTG_Fan1 said:

I’m assuming you mean hold them at the same time? Volleyball is wrapping up and likely would just result in the basketball team playing away from home that weekend. 

Also, how old is the VBall center? Honestly it’s seems like a great facility, just the outside of it isn’t the best looking. The low ceiling I think also gives them a great advantage.

low ceiling = #olddenton

[BTG_Fan1]

20 minutes ago, UNT 90 Grad said:

low ceiling = #olddenton

Dang, you do have a point... TEAR IT DOWN!

Better yet, have a Silent Auction.. bidding on tearing down the VBall stadium, blow up Fouts, and drive an Earth-Mover for the eventual tail-gating area! Easy way to get the money needed!

Edited November 15, 2017 by BTG_Fan1