RIT 2010-11: What do Tigers dream of?

[XCTiger]

Re: RIT 2010-11: What do Tigers dream of?

The plans for the renovations were laid when the general consensus for the new arena was 5-10 years away. Now that the picture is framing up to 1-2 years away, I would think that the renovation would be reevaluated, and perhaps incorporated with the now accelerated plans for the new arena.

Unless sombody hits the lottery big time and makes a huge donation, fundraising to get to the 50% (15M) level that Destler talked about will probably take 2-3 years, with 2+ years for construction. The Tigers will likely be calling the current Ritter home for another 5+ seasons.

I guessing/hoping that the donation being announced Friday is from the Ritter family so that the new facility will be "Ritter III".

 

[WestsideTigersFan]

Re: RIT 2010-11: What do Tigers dream of?

Unless sombody hits the lottery big time and makes a huge donation, fundraising to get to the 50% (15M) level that Destler talked about will probably take 2-3 years, with 2+ years for construction. The Tigers will likely be calling the current Ritter home for another 5+ seasons.

I guessing/hoping that the donation being announced Friday is from the Ritter family so that the new facility will be "Ritter III".

Well, 15m seems like a ton of money (not that it isn't) but the first mil. is already in. My hunch is about 18 months before the commitments total $15mil. I understand its been considered to sell naming rights in exchange for a significant amount of $$$, but I don't know if the school is going to actually do that or not.

I am sincerely hoping they look at size of the arena on a long term basis, recognizing that the Tigers will not be in AHA forever and that some sort of major reshuffling in terms of conferences, etc. will occur sometime shortly (primarily when Penn St.'s program starts playing). The potential exists for RIT to land in a place where the level of fan interest in the opposition might be fairly significant...so plan accordingly.

I would not be surprised to hear a DI announcement for the women's program at this event or in the near future either....

 

[TigerFan86-87]

Re: RIT 2010-11: What do Tigers dream of?

in relation to the new arena, I heard something along the lines that it may be for more than just hockey. That's what i heard though, not sure where I read it, but I did somewhere.

In the story on Ch 13, they said it could possibly be used for other events like concerts, the basketball team, ..... Something tells me that was just Ch 13 babbling. What in the world would the RIT basketball team need with a 4-6k seat arena to play in? The only time they've ever even come close to selling out the Clark Gym is when President Destler promised to dye his hair orange. Unless the Clark Gym were about to collapse from age and or disrepair, I can't see the bball team going anywhere. I can kind of imagine concerts, but doesn't the Field House serve that purpose quite well now? I suppose somewhat bigger acts could come to campus. But then again, how many acts popular with college students are all that big?

 

[nerdofthunder]

Re: RIT 2010-11: What do Tigers dream of?

, but doesn't the Field House serve that purpose quite well now? I suppose somewhat bigger acts could come to campus. But then again, how many acts popular with college students are all that big?

The Field house serves that purpose very well. http://www.gotickets.com/venues/ny/gordon_field_house.php claims that 8,000 fit into the field house for a concert. I doubt that a new hockey arena set to hold 6k for games would be able to accommodate anything slightly larger than a trivial improvement in seating capacity. The Clark Gym also doubles as a concert hall for smaller acts. RIT does not need any more concert space.

For a concert space you need serious sound deadening. If you've been in the field house you may notice that there almost no echo and minimal reverberation. While the new hockey arena should have some acoustic deadening, I don't think we want it that dry.

 

[LtPowers]

Re: RIT 2010-11: What do Tigers dream of?

A portion of that 3.5M is slated to demolition and removal of the old facilities, I would imagine.

Nothing's being demolished, AFAIK, except a couple of walls. The old facilities will remain in place.

I would not be surprised to hear a DI announcement for the women's program at this event or in the near future either....

It's no secret that RIT wants to move the women up to D-I. The only thing we're waiting on is for the moratorium to end, so I would expect the announcement next June.



Powers &8^]

 

[Chris Lerch]

Re: RIT 2010-11: What do Tigers dream of?

Despite the problems at ESL, there's money to be made renting ice. RIT's roadblock to this income has been little available ice and not enough locker rooms for tournaments. The old rink will be a source of revenue with improved locker rooms.

 

[Rochester]

Re: RIT 2010-11: What do Tigers dream of?

http://www.democratandchronicle.com...339/1007/SPORTS/RIT-arena-plan-excites-Tigers

Do you think President Destler would make the stadium 6,000. Another question... How do you make a 6,000 seat arena make make it on top of the ice.

If you look at Maryland's Basketball Arena! Destler was all over that, it turned out beautiful!!!

I hope we have just as nice or nicer than that arena, but obviously only 6,000 or so!

 

[LtPowers]

Re: RIT 2010-11: What do Tigers dream of?

RIT does not need any more concert space.

While I agree that the new arena doesn't need to be equipped to handle concerts, RIT is very badly in need of a better concert hall/auditorium. Ingle is okay for what it is, but it's old and cramped. Panara, on the other hand, is very nice, but NTID doesn't like anyone else to use it.


Powers &8^]

 

[Rochester]

Re: RIT 2010-11: What do Tigers dream of?

Unless sombody hits the lottery big time and makes a huge donation, fundraising to get to the 50% (15M) level that Destler talked about will probably take 2-3 years, with 2+ years for construction. The Tigers will likely be calling the current Ritter home for another 5+ seasons.

I guessing/hoping that the donation being announced Friday is from the Ritter family so that the new facility will be "Ritter III".

I don't care when it is built. I only care about the project moving ahead and built correct. I do not want anything like PaeTec Park. A beautiful stadium designed scaled back and now it is crap. This needs to be perfect.

 

[RIT4life]

Re: RIT 2010-11: What do Tigers dream of?

"The most recent speculation I heard was between U Lot and Gracies, but there are a number of other places it could go. There's a lot of space south of Wiltsie Drive off John Street, north of Ward Road, and between Lomb Drive and Loewenthal Road. And if worse comes to worst, I believe RIT owns land extending south almost to Bailey Road, which has enough room for dozens of ice rinks. =)"



I would think the area between the fieldhouse, soccer field and baseball field might be a better spot as to increase the student fan base and be more convenient for those living in the dorms..

 

[blazer777]

Re: RIT 2010-11: What do Tigers dream of?

"The most recent speculation I heard was between U Lot and Gracies, but there are a number of other places it could go. There's a lot of space south of Wiltsie Drive off John Street, north of Ward Road, and between Lomb Drive and Loewenthal Road. And if worse comes to worst, I believe RIT owns land extending south almost to Bailey Road, which has enough room for dozens of ice rinks. =)"



I would think the area between the fieldhouse, soccer field and baseball field might be a better spot as to increase the student fan base and be more convenient for those living in the dorms..

Agreed, you have to make it easy to get to from on-campus but also provide in-close parking for those coming from off-campus. With a 4 to 6k arena, you're bound to get a lot of people from surrounding neighborhoods coming to the games.

 

[Capernicus]

Re: RIT 2010-11: What do Tigers dream of?

Unless sombody hits the lottery big time and makes a huge donation, fundraising to get to the 50% (15M) level that Destler talked about will probably take 2-3 years, with 2+ years for construction. The Tigers will likely be calling the current Ritter home for another 5+ seasons.

I guessing/hoping that the donation being announced Friday is from the Ritter family so that the new facility will be "Ritter III".

If I was the one to hit the lottery, I would do this the easy way and pay for it myself. However, as much as I like the Ritter and how suited that name is for RIT. If I had my druthers, the rink would be named in honor of Dan Barrows. Some of you younger fans probably have no idea, but those of us that have been around a while know what Dan meant to the hockey community in Rochester.

I'm posting this here with hope that someone with a little better connections than I have can start a populist movement to make it so.

 

[TigerFan86-87]

Re: RIT 2010-11: What do Tigers dream of?

I don't care when it is built. I only care about the project moving ahead and built correct. I do not want anything like PaeTec Park. A beautiful stadium designed scaled back and now it is crap. This needs to be perfect.

The PaeTec / Marina Auto stadium problems will not occur here. Those were all due to political crap and owners'/developers' financial mis-dealings.

 

[Rochester]

Re: RIT 2010-11: What do Tigers dream of?

If I was the one to hit the lottery, I would do this the easy way and pay for it myself. However, as much as I like the Ritter and how suited that name is for RIT. If I had my druthers, the rink would be named in honor of Dan Barrows. Some of you younger fans probably have no idea, but those of us that have been around a while know what Dan meant to the hockey community in Rochester.

I'm posting this here with hope that someone with a little better connections than I have can start a populist movement to make it so.

I would rather have it corporate sponsored for more money for the program.

Have a nice big plaque for Dan in the grand ticket area!

 

[LtPowers]

Re: RIT 2010-11: What do Tigers dream of?

Some of you younger fans probably have no idea, but those of us that have been around a while know what Dan meant to the hockey community in Rochester.

Perhaps you should explain, then. I know he was heavily involved in Section V hockey as well as a huge fan of the Tigers, but was there more?

Some folks may not know that Frank Ritter was one of the founders of the Mechanics Institute, and his grandson, F. Ritter Shumway, was at one time the President of the U.S. Figure Skating Association. Shumway donated money to RIT to build an on-campus ice rink when the Henrietta campus was being built, with two requirements: that it be named after his grandfather, and that it be available for use by the Genesee Figure Skating Club. Ritter and Shumway are two towering figures in Rochester's and RIT's histories.

Of course, the Ritter isn't going anywhere, new arena or not. So F. Ritter Shumway's donation and dedication will live on, and there's no reason to carry his grandfather's name over to the new arena. But the two of them are exactly the kind of person I'd like to see honored by the new arena's name, if at all possible.


Powers &8^]

 

[TigerFan86-87]

Re: RIT 2010-11: What do Tigers dream of?

The Field house serves that purpose very well. http://www.gotickets.com/venues/ny/gordon_field_house.php claims that 8,000 fit into the field house for a concert. I doubt that a new hockey arena set to hold 6k for games would be able to accommodate anything slightly larger than a trivial improvement in seating capacity. The Clark Gym also doubles as a concert hall for smaller acts. RIT does not need any more concert space.

For a concert space you need serious sound deadening. If you've been in the field house you may notice that there almost no echo and minimal reverberation. While the new hockey arena should have some acoustic deadening, I don't think we want it that dry.

That holds 8,000?? Wow. I did not realize that. I've never been in there for an event (only walked through to get to the gym), but now that I think about it, it is rather large.
It must be SO much better to hear a concert in there than in Ritter. I know they've made significant changes to it in the last 20 years, but it used to be an absolutely awful concert venue. Back in my undergrad days (dating myself alert), I saw Cheap Trick in there ($5 -can't beat that) and the sound was atrocious. I couldn't understand a single thing they were singing except for "I Want You To Want Me" and "The Flame". And even with those, it took a good 30 seconds into the songs before I could actually confirm which songs they were.

 

[TigerFan86-87]

Re: RIT 2010-11: What do Tigers dream of?

I would rather have it corporate sponsored for more money for the program.

We may not have a choice on that one. If they're only up to $25 million, need $30 million, and have a corporate backer that's willing to foot the remaining $5 million for naming rights... Guess what.

 

[MattS]

Re: RIT 2010-11: What do Tigers dream of?

I couldn't give two ****s what they name the new rink as long as there is a new rink. I care much more about not making the arena too large and that the feeling of the fans being on top of the action stays. There is nothing worse than a half empty arena and the few fans that are there are a mile away from the action. That just kills the atmosphere and could in the long run hurt the program more than it helps.

 

[dpm105]

Re: RIT 2010-11: What do Tigers dream of?

8,000 is not the capacity of the field house for a standard concert configuration. During Brick City Homecoming, we were able to sell about 5,000 tickets for Craig Ferguson and Al Pacino.

 

[nerdofthunder]

Re: RIT 2010-11: What do Tigers dream of?

Was that in the full length configuration, or the half length configuration?