Re: Arizona State Moving To D1
http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2015/07/22_arizona_state_full_steam.php
It's now less than three months until Arizona State plays its first NCAA hockey game, something that a year ago was practically inconceivable to most people.
In that time, ASU and coach Greg Powers have quickly proven that it was the right move for all involved. From putting together a solid schedule, to showing some deft recruiting prowess, to building a staff, to moving forward with plans for an arena and conference, Arizona State is prepared for what lies ahead.
Note: My comments here are directed at the College Hockey News article link.
When the 100 million or so that will be required to build a state-of-the-art facility that will be required at a school the size of ASU, something they can actually recruit to, is actually forthcoming, THEN I will be impressed.
Playing in a giant arena you don't own is a non-starter. If, as the article says, they are actually playing in a new arena in time for the '17-'18 season I would then be
really impressed.
Here's what has to happen, first:
1. Secure the funds to build the facility.
2. Secure a site for it to be built on (the site
was proposed in June with the school's unveiling of the "ASU Athletics Facilities District" plan on land SE of Well's Fargo Arena, or, on other land in the District, east of Rural Road that is in the same general area.)
3. Design a facility that "works" on the selected site.
4. Actually build the facility.
The '17-'18 season begins in, let's say, October 2017. That gives you 26 months to get
all this accomplished,
if this process was already underway or even just started today. I have yet to see a single article in the news media, anywhere, that says empirically that the funding has been obtained to build this facility, something that is going to require legislative involvement unless big pockets step up to the plate, and I mean soon. There is just no way this is all going to happen in time for the '17-'18 season. I don't care if they can "build year round" in Tempe.
Just the
construction cycle alone (now almost complete--begun in January of 2014) on Baxter Arena at UNO will have taken 22 months when the arena actually is complete. FWIW, the process was not very encumbered by winter weather at all due to the very mild '14-'15 winter here. Rain did slow down the construction pace in the spring of this year, however.
Unless there is a whole lot going on behind the scenes that isn't being reported on, I can't imagine how they could be in a new facility any sooner than the '18-'19 season and that is IF the actual decision had already been made and the funding sourced.
I also think coming up with the money required is far from a slam dunk. The more public money that is required to make this happen I think the harder it will be to get accomplished, too.
Hope they can, and, do, but I am not holding my breath.
