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  • May 1 is decision deadline for Munn Arena

    Michigan State athletics set an internal deadline of May 1 to have a final decision as to whether to build new or renovate. The list of requirements involved in renovations seems to pile up ... from EPA requirements in replacing the current chiller system to accessibility mandates. The other issues are well known.

    AD Mark Hollis has quipped about what he needs to take the path of building new.

    This morning my confidence that Spartan Hockey will happen at Shaw and Chestnut is 4 Golden Shovels out of 5.

  • #2
    Re: May 1 is decision deadline for Munn Arena

    They totally need to sht or get off the pot. IMO, they need to keep up with the rest of the bigger Big Ten rinks.
    Slap Shot - 444 might want to consider a restraining order.
    dggoddard - Minnesota is THE ELITE Program in all of college hockey.
    wasmania - you have to be the very best to get ice time with the great gophers!

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    • #3
      Re: May 1 is decision deadline for Munn Arena

      Originally posted by 4four4 View Post
      They totally need to sht or get off the pot. IMO, they need to keep up with the rest of the bigger Big Ten rinks.
      So in other words, fish or cut bait, hold or cut bow-strings, put up or shut up, go large or go home, ...

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      • #4
        Re: May 1 is decision deadline for Munn Arena

        Originally posted by 4four4 View Post
        They totally need to sht or get off the pot. IMO, they need to keep up with the rest of the bigger Big Ten rinks.
        There's no need for a 10 or 15,000 seat rink in East Lansing. I wouldn't expect that a new barn would be much bigger than Munn, if at all. State average 5364 in their 6470 seat rink. There's no need to build bigger.
        "The use of common sense and logic will not be tolerated and may result in fine and/or suspension."- Western Professional Hockey League By-laws. 1999-2000.

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        • #5
          Re: May 1 is decision deadline for Munn Arena

          Originally posted by davyd83 View Post
          There's no need for a 10 or 15,000 seat rink in East Lansing. I wouldn't expect that a new barn would be much bigger than Munn, if at all. State average 5364 in their 6470 seat rink. There's no need to build bigger.
          Perhaps 10,000 is a bit much to ask at the moment, however 6,700 needs to be improved on:

          1. Munn is not a very accessible arena. Along with a new arena will come an improved parking situation.
          2. Seating will be more appealing.
          3. 10 Big Ten opponent games (as opposed to 2 to 6) will significantly bump the casual-fan attendence.
          4. By the time BTHC is going, the product on the ice will be better.

          There certainly should be emphasis on comfort and amenities, but we should add 2,000 seats with an option for expansion.

          -- BTW, if it hasn't been discussed already, Yost should expand as well. Silly not to.
          Last edited by owslachief; 04-20-2012, 09:55 AM.

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          • #6
            Re: May 1 is decision deadline for Munn Arena

            Originally posted by owslachief View Post
            Perhaps 10,000 is a bit much to ask at the moment, however 6,700 needs to be improved on:

            1. Munn is not a very accessible arena. Along with a new arena will come an improved parking situation.
            2. Seating will be more appealing.
            3. 10 Big Ten opponent games (as opposed to 2 to 6) will significantly bump the casual-fan attendence.
            4. By the time BTHC is going, the product on the ice will be better.

            There certainly should be emphasis on comfort and amenities, but we should add 2,000 seats with an option for expansion.

            -- BTW, if it hasn't been discussed already, Yost should expand as well. Silly not to.
            From an outsider's prospective, I have to believe that this is a fair assesment... I don't see why a 7500-8000 seat arena wouldn't work... If done right, I'm sure MSU can easily up their per game gate revenue with this plan....
            It's never too early to start the Pre-game festivities

            Go Cats!!! GO BLACKHAWKS!

            Cuck the Fubs... Let's Go WHITE SOX!!!

            Wildcat Born, Wildcat Bred....

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            • #7
              Re: May 1 is decision deadline for Munn Arena

              Originally posted by owslachief View Post
              Perhaps 10,000 is a bit much to ask at the moment, however 6,700 needs to be improved on:

              1. Munn is not a very accessible arena. Along with a new arena will come an improved parking situation.
              2. Seating will be more appealing.
              3. 10 Big Ten opponent games (as opposed to 2 to 6) will significantly bump the casual-fan attendence.
              4. By the time BTHC is going, the product on the ice will be better.

              There certainly should be emphasis on comfort and amenities, but we should add 2,000 seats with an option for expansion.

              -- BTW, if it hasn't been discussed already, Yost should expand as well. Silly not to.
              How would you expand Yost? Not really much of a way to do that structurally.
              "The use of common sense and logic will not be tolerated and may result in fine and/or suspension."- Western Professional Hockey League By-laws. 1999-2000.

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              • #8
                Re: May 1 is decision deadline for Munn Arena

                oops: should have some context
                Originally posted by davyd83 View Post
                How would you expand Yost? Not really much of a way to do that structurally.
                Wasn't referring to dimensions, but capacity. Again, probably better-suited for another thread / fan base.
                Last edited by owslachief; 04-20-2012, 01:02 PM.

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                • #9
                  Re: May 1 is decision deadline for Munn Arena

                  Oh man, this is exciting. Don't know how I will feel if we gotta bail on Munn, though.

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                  • #10
                    Re: May 1 is decision deadline for Munn Arena

                    Originally posted by Pirateasaurus View Post
                    Oh man, this is exciting. Don't know how I will feel if we gotta bail on Munn, though.
                    If you're a fan of wrestling or volleyball, you need not bail.

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                    • #11
                      Re: May 1 is decision deadline for Munn Arena

                      Originally posted by owslachief View Post
                      oops: should have some context


                      Wasn't referring to dimensions, but capacity. Again, probably better-suited for another thread / fan base.
                      I hope Sparty gets a new barn. Munn is tired. And let's face it, the atmosphere leaves something to be desired. Last time I was there in January, it was a close, exciting hockey game and the house was pretty dead. There was more exciting college hockey atmosphere at Michigan Tech than there was at Michigan State. Hopefully they go in that direction and Hollis and TA can begin the fundraising ASAP. It's a great program with a storied history that deserves a venue that reflects that.
                      "The use of common sense and logic will not be tolerated and may result in fine and/or suspension."- Western Professional Hockey League By-laws. 1999-2000.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: May 1 is decision deadline for Munn Arena

                        Originally posted by davyd83 View Post
                        I hope Sparty gets a new barn. Munn is tired. And let's face it, the atmosphere leaves something to be desired. Last time I was there in January, it was a close, exciting hockey game and the house was pretty dead. There was more exciting college hockey atmosphere at Michigan Tech than there was at Michigan State. Hopefully they go in that direction and Hollis and TA can begin the fundraising ASAP. It's a great program with a storied history that deserves a venue that reflects that.
                        All of the above. The series with Northern was a good one. Unfortunately there's an almost ancestral bias toward getting "up" for the B1G schools ... especially for those patrons not exactly devoted to college hockey. I'm not one of those, and will cheer just as loud for a goal or a good hit vs. any CCHA or Big Ten opponent.

                        And there are other tweaks that can go a long way. I think the band needs a reset ... and a return to the variety of material it had 20 years ago. Do I dare mention the announcing needs to be a little less forced and a little more ... dynamic?

                        One positive development is that TA has definitely taken the student section VERY seriously and is doing everything he can to engage them. I believe we saw some positive signs this year.
                        Last edited by owslachief; 04-20-2012, 02:01 PM.

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                        • #13
                          Re: May 1 is decision deadline for Munn Arena

                          Originally posted by owslachief View Post
                          BTW, if it hasn't been discussed already, Yost should expand as well. Silly not to.
                          IIRC, the most recent Yost renovation plan I heard about will actually drop overall capacity.

                          Back on topic: I've long contested that, if you pour some money into renovating Munn, you'll have one of the better facilities in college hockey again. The building sets a fine baseline for renovation, and the university has taken excellent care of the place ever since it opened in 1974. The sightlines are fine and the structure is sound. The refrigeration system does need to be completely overhauled, but really, that's Munn's biggest problem. (And yes, that is a major problem, but it's not a kiss of death.)

                          All of Munn's problems are fixable. It makes more sense to me to put $25 million toward renovations rather than $65 million or $70 million toward a completely new barn. If you get rid of the the benches and install chairback seating, install a new rink, add some nice visual bells and whistles, expand the bathrooms and take steps to make the place look less like a prop from a bad 1950s sci-fi film, Munn will be one of the better facilities in college hockey again. It won't be Ralph Engelstad Arena, but, if MSU were to build a new facility, it too wouldn't be anything close to REA.

                          That said, I will say that, from a purely nostalgic standpoint, I'd much rather them renovate the heck out of Munn. It was, without question, my favorite place on campus back when I was a student, and I'd feel quite cruddy if the building never hosted hockey again.
                          Last edited by aallenpollreisz; 04-20-2012, 02:39 PM.
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                          • #14
                            Re: May 1 is decision deadline for Munn Arena

                            Originally posted by davyd83 View Post
                            I hope Sparty gets a new barn. Munn is tired. And let's face it, the atmosphere leaves something to be desired. Last time I was there in January, it was a close, exciting hockey game and the house was pretty dead. There was more exciting college hockey atmosphere at Michigan Tech than there was at Michigan State.
                            Just a few comments from an outsider...

                            I may be in the minority, but I have always thought of Munn as a model arena. Clean, great views from anywhere, good size. I may be nostalgic though as I saw my very first hockey game at Munn when it was verrry new.

                            And if you want sterile, come to the CFIA and watch the silver-spoon sucking ND alums sit on their hands (and the students aren't much better). Yes, MSU fans/alums need to noisy it up a bit, but I would guess a few more seasons of good hockey might bring them back to life.
                            "Hockey is the only tribe I belong to." --Jack Falla

                            "Why, as a matter of fact, I suggested starting a hockey program to Father Callahan, our president. He was downright interested until we came to the use of sticks, and then he threw up his hands. He said, 'No, that game is not for our University. Notre Dame will never endorse any game that puts a club in the hands of an Irishman.' " -- Knute Rockne: All American

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                            • #15
                              Re: May 1 is decision deadline for Munn Arena

                              Yost has undergone renovations every few years, and the one undertaken this offseason is a bit larger than normal but still does little to change capacity. I don't think you'll see capacity increase there at any time in the near future. There is more to renovations than increasing the number of seats, though. Yost is getting another solid quality upgrade, and some more higher-revenue seats, and that will be a plus.

                              What sort of renovation are they talking about for Munn? Would they consider building it "upward," redoing the roof and adding second decks? I always thought that would be a workable option. It doesn't have the structural limitations Yost (or many other places) have and a good renovation will be just like a new rink anyway.

                              I would think that the optimal arrangement for MSU would be to have an arena with 7-8,000 seats, all chairs, equivalent sightlines to what they have now, real luxury boxes, and of course better atmosphere. You can't build atmosphere, though--this year's Michigan game was a good example that the fans can get involved in the game if properly stimulated. It may be that a significant renovation, coupled with the introduction of B1G hockey, changes the atmosphere all on its own.

                              This all sounds like something that can happen using the current Munn structure, at least to me. Right now Munn is functional, but neither charming and nostalgic nor glitzy and new. A good rebuild will do it well.
                              Jesus Saves

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