Bentley Begins Process to Build On-Campus Rink

[schiegs]

http://www.uscho.com/2015/03/10/bentley-evaluating-sites-for-a-new-on-campus-arena/

The rumours can now shift to open discussion. After years of gripes, bad food, cold seating, bad sight lines, and a dangerously comical hodge-podge of wires called a "press box", Bentley has announced their plans to "investigate sites" for an on-campus arena. This has been folded into a greater capital campaign for the upcoming 100th anniversary, and has been given an initial "green light" by major donor(s). This last piece was always the missing link. Schools don't have mystical piles of cash lying around to build flashy projects. They take generous, insightful, freinds and alumni to step up, and lead.

The two spots mentioned most often are the current tennis courts (which could then be moved to the back entrance of the athletic fields), or vice versa with the arena being in the back entrance. The former seems to make much more sense as a centralized, accesable location for everyone. The 2,500 seat configuration would likely be a horseshoe shape.

Now the next logical step of rumor mongering can begin... Will Bentley remain with Atlantic Hockey? The school has had discussions with other leagues in the past, and has been recieved warmly from an academic and sports market perspective. The facility was always a "call us when that is fixed" subject. Well, it looks like it will be fixed.

Discuss.

 

[RaceBoarder]

Re: Bentley Begins Process to Build On-Campus Rink

Always good to see a program making a significant investment like this... Good for them

 

[blackswampboy]

Re: Bentley Begins Process to Build On-Campus Rink

good news, Falcons!

signed,
your Falcon friends in Ohio

 

[komey1]

Re: Bentley Begins Process to Build On-Campus Rink

Kudos to Bentley for making this investment.

To go with the rumor part of it - the timing is interesting with the possible opening in ECAC/Hockey East coming.

 

[Snively65]

Re: Bentley Begins Process to Build On-Campus Rink

Nice summary of Bentley hockey history by our own Dan Rubin. A lot of us have been reluctant to get caught up in the rumor mill the past couple of years; for example, see one of schiegs' recent posts on our Bentley season thread. If there is one thing that we have learned from Bentley over the years, it is that they do not make many mistakes in financial management and strategic planning, being a topnotch business school and all.

 

[Patman]

Re: Bentley Begins Process to Build On-Campus Rink

about time, weren't they supposed to do this 10 years ago?

 

[ericredaxe]

Re: Bentley Begins Process to Build On-Campus Rink

Maybe they can replace Notre Dame in hockey east.

 

[Yuppie Scum]

Re: Bentley Begins Process to Build On-Campus Rink

Congrats! As we can vouch up at the Lawler, 2500 can feel like 30000 if the fans show up invested.

 

[Downstate_RIT_Fan]

Re: Bentley Begins Process to Build On-Campus Rink

Exciting times for Bentley fans, looking forward to reading the Bentley threads once the project kicks off and the first artist renderings of the new rink appear.

With regards to other leagues, if that is in Bentley's future, I'd throw at least another 500 seats in the rink to make it attractive to the bigger leagues that play to larger crowds.

 

[Red Cows]

Re: Bentley Begins Process to Build On-Campus Rink

Clearly, this facility is not on campus:

http://bentleyfalcons.com/facilities/ryanarena

The directions on this page made me laugh. Is it hard to find? This is a serious question.

Does Bentley practice in this facility? All the time? If not, then, like UNO, not having an on-campus arena to practice in, either, is something you'll get used against you in recruiting until you announce it/get it built. And, because UNO's current facility is not on campus, student attendance at our games is spotty.

Kudos if this is not the case and you get this done because having your own arena (which is expensive, by the way, before and after built) will almost certainly improve your hockey lot in life. We aren't opening our new arena until this fall:

http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/mavs_ca

http://netnebraska.org/interactive-...rena-coming-fall-2015-maverick-hockey-2014-15

https://vimeo.com/108291868

....................and, the boost associated with having your "own" barn is already incredibly evident here. UNO welcomed what was easily the best recruiting class in school history this past season and next year's, albeit smaller, is very high quality as well. I attribute this to both the presence here of Dean Blais, and, this new facility. UNO has been ushering recruits through there since around Christmas.

We played you guys for the first time last season and maybe this will aid in making a return trip possible. Sincere hopes that you get this done.

 

[schiegs]

Clearly, this facility is not on campus:

http://bentleyfalcons.com/facilities/ryanarena

The directions on this page made me laugh. Is it hard to find? This is a serious question.

Does Bentley practice in this facility? All the time? If not, then, like UNO, not having an on-campus arena to practice in, either, is something you'll get used against you in recruiting until you announce it/get it built. And, because UNO's current facility is not on campus, student attendance at our games is spotty.

Kudos if this is not the case and you get this done because having your own arena (which is expensive, by the way, before and after built) will almost certainly improve your hockey lot in life. We aren't opening our new arena until this fall:

http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/mavs_ca

http://netnebraska.org/interactive-...rena-coming-fall-2015-maverick-hockey-2014-15

https://vimeo.com/108291868

....................and, the boost associated with having your "own" barn is already incredibly evident here. UNO welcomed what was easily the best recruiting class in school history this past season and next year's, albeit smaller, is very high quality as well. I attribute this to both the presence here of Dean Blais, and, this new facility. UNO has been ushering recruits through there since around Christmas.

We played you guys for the first time last season and maybe this will aid in making a return trip possible. Sincere hopes that you get this done.

You think it's bad reading about it, try going to a game there. Yes, that is also their practice facility. I've been there dozens of times, and still have trouble finding it sometimes.

A new arena was the only logical step. It was simply a matter of finding the right circumstances to make the commitment. Bentley is a conservative institution run by conservative people.

 

[lmg6841]

Re: Bentley Begins Process to Build On-Campus Rink

Congrats.

If you guys beat out RIT to a spot in the ECAC I will ragequit.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Bentley Begins Process to Build On-Campus Rink

I wonder if RPI is going to delay a "return trip" to Bentley until this new arena is finished. We seem to be doing that more often, at least we did with Mercyhurst, Sacred Heart (albeit at an AHL rink), and RIT.

 

[Yuppie Scum]

Re: Bentley Begins Process to Build On-Campus Rink

I live down the street from the JAR. It's no harder to find than anything else in the age of GPS and smartphones, but yeah, it's a few miles off of either 95 or 90 in a dense residential setting.

 

[schiegs]

I wonder if RPI is going to delay a "return trip" to Bentley until this new arena is finished. We seem to be doing that more often, at least we did with Mercyhurst, Sacred Heart (albeit at an AHL rink), and RIT.

I'm hoping this will start the process of cashing in on some of those return dates Bentley has saved up. Seeing some Boston area schools at the new facility would provide for a great atmosphere. Not sure of any return commitments per se, but NU, BU, and Harvard have all been paid visits.

 

[ericredaxe]

Re: Bentley Begins Process to Build On-Campus Rink

Why does Bentley currently not play in the Waltham rink? Pretty similar to JAR iirc, and a lot closer to campus...

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Bentley Begins Process to Build On-Campus Rink

I'm hoping this will start the process of cashing in on some of those return dates Bentley has saved up. Seeing some Boston area schools at the new facility would provide for a great atmosphere. Not sure of any return commitments per se, but NU, BU, and Harvard have all been paid visits.

Not sure it's really a "save up" deal, as I'm sure some of the big name schools are paying you guys for the NC game (usually in the form of subsidizing travel), essentially making it a one-and-done. We only recently started giving return visits to Atlantic teams around 2011 or so, but the leagues seeing Hockey East on the scheudle more often seem to be the Big Ten and the ECAC.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Bentley Begins Process to Build On-Campus Rink

Why does Bentley currently not play in the Waltham rink? Pretty similar to JAR iirc, and a lot closer to campus...

Probably has to do with rink rental. Have to assume the new on-campus rink will be one that Bentley owns.

 

[schiegs]

Why does Bentley currently not play in the Waltham rink? Pretty similar to JAR iirc, and a lot closer to campus...

If you're referring to the one on Totten Pond Road, I don't think that has any seating????

Trivia Question: Who remembers the name of the ski hill that used to be across the street and up a bit from that MDC rink? Bentley Ski Club used to practice there. It's now apartments iirc.

 

[Ronnieb]

Re: Bentley Begins Process to Build On-Campus Rink

This is great news! Nice for Atlantic hockey in general. I am also pleased to see that the words that were spoken by Dean Shepardson on the game broadcast a couple of weeks ago were not just lip service. Well done!