$35-40 million will buy you…
When it was reported last week that Tech had received a rather sizable donation to help renovate the seating at Alexander Memorial Coliseum, many of you wondered what in the world all that money was going to be spent on.
I did too.
So, I started to do some research.
Virginia’s new hoops palace, the John Paul Jones Arena, cost around $130 million and will seat 15k or so, almost twice as much as the old arena.
So, there’s your benchmark. Now, Dan Radakovich already said they don’t want to turn AMC into a concert venue. Atlanta already has enough of those, and judging by JPJ’s price tag, a new arena won’t be in the works here.
With that information, Wayne Hogan and I were discussing the possibilities Monday afternoon, as a pie in the sky exercise.
Among the things that could be done: the roof could be raised to add more seats, as well as suites (where the big money is). But, AMC is already at 9,191, so do you want more seats?
Replacing all the bench seating with chairback seating would make the game-day experience more enjoyable, but would also reduce the number of seats, something I would think Tech wouldn’t want.
How about suites on the floor, a la Seattle’s Qwest Field, which has suites at one of the endzones. That could be pretty interesting and worth the dollars, seeing the players that up close.
How about suites with glass floors that would hang over the court, giving you an Xs and Os experience watching from above. Of course, it would also give you a crick in your neck.
In short, if you could redesign AMC, what you would do? Draw from your experiences at other arenas, both basketball and football.
Oh, and for all those you say I’m biased, my dad was digging around the house the other day and came across an old shoebox of photos. In that box he found a photo of a very, very young me, holding a football with a, you guessed it, Tech logo on it. Here it is:
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140 comments Add your comment
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
10:20 am
To “Hey Grinch”
Glad I could help you “love how sad this is getting”. BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
10:20 am
Hey Tech Nerd,
You don’t know me brotha so I suggest you shut your mouth or I’ll shut it for you. Come back to me later in the year when you’re crying and my Dawgs are playing in the
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME…
That’s right techies…mark it down. UGA will beat Florida and Tech this year and GO ALL THE WAY!!!
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
10:20 am
To “Hey Grinch”
Come on, now, admit it. You’d rather see that empty arena picture rather than a couple of guys wearing ill fitting hard hats, right?
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
10:22 am
I only like spending time here because you are all so pathetic. Your football team barely beat us on a total fluke game. And it was only because Matt Stafford threw an easy pick 6. Also, our gymnastics team is incredible. Does Tech even have a gymnastics team? Probably not. Nerds…BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
10:23 am
Our women’s basketball team is also amazing…Tech’s women’s team is awful…BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
10:25 am
You know what I love about nerds? They love using numbers instead of words…like I keep telling you how we’re a lock to win the National Championship (just like last year), but all you can say is “45-42.”
Only nerds care about the final score of games…BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Hey Grinch
June 30th, 2009
10:26 am
Also, (just curious) have you not realized yet that Saint Simon’s is a Dawg fan posing as a Tech fan? If you haven’t figured that out yet you ARE as dumb as you seem. He’s been posting that: “45-42 bwahahahaha” comment over and over to get more gulible dawg fans over here talking trash. It seems to have worked on you.
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
10:26 am
Only nerds care about the numbers on the scoreboard after the game is over…REAL fans care about the Dave Matthews cover band after the game…BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Supersize that order, mutt
June 30th, 2009
10:27 am
I guess there might be some kind of sick, twisted arguments for UGAG bloggers to be posting here if the discussion were football (it’s still 45-42 though). But the topic of this blog is basketball (at least a basketball arena), a sport in which Tech has (1) a DECIDED EDGE over the mutts through the years, (2) a real basketball arena, instead of a barn with a stage at one end, and (3) an affiliation with a conference that has always been one of, it not the, best conferences in basketball. Are you mutts so bored waiting for drive-through customers that you can’t find anything better to do than trash a basketball program that, even with a lousy coach like Hewitt, is still infinitely better than anything you have ever had at UGAG, one final-four appearance under Hugh Durham included.
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
10:27 am
To the Grinch imposter…..YAWN. I’m still waiting for you to post something clever or something even remotely close to what I’d say. How sad you must be. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
10:28 am
We’re gonna BLACK OUT the game versus you nerds this year, and you will be even more scared of out dark uniforms than Alabama was last year…BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
10:29 am
To Supersize that order, Mutt
You left out that your basketball team failed to meet the minimum apr, thus embarrassing the trade school, the entire ACC that you apparently adore, and cost you two scholarships. By the way, has Favors made the grade yet. Riggghhhtt, I’m sure he’ll be a “helluva ENGINEER”?? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
10:29 am
Also to the Grinch imposter…your pathetic school will never be ranked preseason #1 like the DAWGS were last year…BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Supersize that order, mutt
June 30th, 2009
10:30 am
By the way, Grinch, since you brought up women’s gymnastics, how many of those women gymnasts in Athens have ever competed in an Olympics, or even a National Gymnastics chamipionship (NOT the NCAA one)? I think the answer there would be a big ZERO. Women’s college gymnastics is just a dumping ground for Olympics wannabes.
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
10:30 am
My butt is sore from the Corey Smith show last night…BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
10:30 am
To Hey Grinch
Nice try about Saint Simons. Here’s something for you, try posting under just one name. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! What a tool.
Supersize that order, mutt
June 30th, 2009
10:31 am
Grinch, what two scholarships did Tech lose? Sorry, I haven’t read anything about that.
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
10:31 am
We may not have any Olympic gymnasts, but at least we have amateur ones…your pathetic school can’t even field a gymnastics team…BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
10:32 am
Paul Johnson is terrified of the BLACK OUT that is coming this year…your calculators won’t save you nerds…BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
10:33 am
Supersize that order, Mutt
Man, you are one dumb yellow jacket. Someone has obviously “borrowed” my name and is making multiple posts. I have never bragged on a football or basketball blog about how good our women’s gymnastics team is. However, they are great. I’m sure most tech male students would love to have just one woman on campus who looked like a UGA gymnast. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
LSUTiger
June 30th, 2009
10:33 am
They should fire their coach Hewitt and fill in that arena with a bulldozer. They should tear down that ugly football stadium while they are at it. Those classless fans do not deserve a sports team.
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
10:35 am
To The Grinch Imposter:
Quit pretending to be me, poser…of course I take pride in the women’s gymnastics team…you would too if you even had one at your school…BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Supersize that order, mutt
June 30th, 2009
10:35 am
I’m sure you have been to about as many gymnastics meets as you have basketball games. You are just a bandwagon fan who thinks he’s top dog, when he’s no better than a fleabag. Who gives a flying f***k whether we have a gymnastics team or not, when having one doesn’t mean crap? Hey, I think somebody is waiting for you to take their order now. Be a good boy and go earn a living.
Doug Roberson
June 30th, 2009
10:35 am
Guys, please stop the sniping. You’ve said the same things about each other again and again. Can we get back to the topic of how to renovate AMC?
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
10:35 am
Supersize that order, Mutt
Don’t know about the 2 lost scholarships? Then you must have been living in a cave for the past 6 weeks. Stop following the Michael Jackson saga and ask one of your yellow jacket brethren to bring you up to speed. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
10:36 am
Those Corey Smith shows really put a pounding on the old starfish…BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
10:37 am
Hey Doug,
Make this imposter quit posting under my name…I think the best way to renovate the stadium would be to move it to Athens…BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Corey Smith
June 30th, 2009
10:38 am
Hey Doug,
Go snipe your butt…let every dawg have his day…
Teal
June 30th, 2009
10:41 am
Hey Grinch,
Give it a rest.
http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/53/l_5112fe512d8845389cd0fef542125050.jpg
Supersize that order, mutt
June 30th, 2009
10:42 am
Actually, Grinch, I have been trekking in Asia for part of the last 6 weeks. Doug, fill me in. Has Tech lost any basketball scholarships? And this is, for once, a serious question?
Incidentally, a couple of years ago, when Hewitt was still popular, I believe he stated that he wanted to move the student section to create more of a Cameron-type environment. Whatever happened to that idea? Assuming we can get back on some kind of winning track, I think having the students circle the court like that would be a great idea. I agree too that something should be done about the “corporate seats” which are half empty even for important games. If the owners of those seats are not going to show or give the tickets to someone (and they know that in advance), then come up with some kind of scheme to reallocate them before game-time.
Doug Roberson
June 30th, 2009
10:47 am
Tech self-penalized itself two scholarships last year as a result of not reaching the APR minimum. They should be good to go this year, assuming they make the APR.
I believe that all but one of the corporate suites have been sold for this year.
And Tech has a swimming pool. Built during the Olympics, other side of campus from Bobby Dodd. Really nice.
Brian
June 30th, 2009
10:47 am
Grinch, I guess 57-42 doesn’t mean much to you. Yes, the mutts lost in women’s basketball this year.
Sam I Am
June 30th, 2009
10:48 am
Grinch, what’s all this about the DIrector’s Cup. UGAG has never won it, and only place second for it once. It looks to me like Stanford sort of owns it. As far as Tech not winning it, I’m sure we never will, since the only schools that could possibly win it or large universities which offer a diversity of athletic programs. Georgia Tech is NOT a university, it is an institute of higher education in the limited fields of techonolgy, math, and science.
Buzz
June 30th, 2009
10:50 am
1) Find a way to move the students closer to the court to bring a more exciting atmosphere (although winning would surely help!) I.e. NC State or Duke
2) Upgrade the sound system.
3) Install an updated scoreboard in the center of the arena as long as it does not block sight lines or look like a scoreboard from a DII campus.
4) Consider seat back chairs for the entire arena. If it reduces seating by 500 then raise ticket prices by 5% to make up the difference.
Supersize that order, mutt
June 30th, 2009
10:51 am
Doug, you say Tech penalized ourselves LAST YEAR?? Do you mean the 2008 recruiting class was minus two scholarships? Or by last year do you mean the most recently completed recruiting class (2009), with Favors, et al? I assume you mean 2008. I guess that MIGHT account for last year’s lousy record….at least it would be yet another excuse.
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
10:52 am
To Brian and Sam I Am
BWAHAHAHAHA!! You bought it hook, line, and sinker. Some real loser has decided to copy me post name and you guys are getting ticked and are responding to one of your own.
I must say I’m surprised. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. That being the case, I’m flattered. I’ve gotten under someone’s skin so bad that they are littering this blog. And to think, yellow jacket fans are outraged and responding to one of their own. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Tech Fan
June 30th, 2009
10:54 am
No, the topic is now, encuraging GTAA to find “better representation” from the AJC.
Sam I Am
June 30th, 2009
10:54 am
Grinch, I think you should take a look at the game last Thansgiving weekend. I believe there were two running backs on the field better than Noshow Moreno, and neither of them were wearing red. Do the names Dwer and Jones mean anything to you? They should, you a**hole.
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
10:54 am
This is really annoying…you’re impostering me and then you have the nerve to act like I’m the imposter? You are a pathetic loser…no wonder your lousy team could only beat us by 3 points in a total fluke…BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Sam I Am
June 30th, 2009
10:55 am
Well, Grinch, the mutts have never won the Director’s cup either. So what’s your excuse?
Doug Roberson
June 30th, 2009
10:57 am
Yes, Tech penalized itself last season by withholding two scholarships. They have the full compliment this season, 2009-10.
GT76
June 30th, 2009
11:08 am
First, please quit calling Alexander Memorial “AMC”. You did not call Cameron Indoor Stadium “CIS”. These silly acronyms are well….silly.
Second, if you are going to do a major renovation (raise roof) you might as well tear it down and start from scratch. I don’t think a major renovation is needed and I don’t think a 12,000 seat venue will sell out that often.
And Scene!
June 30th, 2009
11:09 am
Ok Guys….can we give it a rest?
This boring UGA/Tech crap is getting super lame and boring.
We get it…everyone loves their team and hates the other…
Not much more to say than that…
GTinNC
June 30th, 2009
11:14 am
1) Get rid of the white walls behind the baskets and add seats
2) Reduce the size of the “Press Section” by 75% and add seats
3) Upgrade the sound and lighting
4) Add suites in the upper level
5) Hire a good Xs & Os assistant coach or fire and buy-out Hewitt
wes
June 30th, 2009
11:35 am
1. Raise the roof
2. this would allow us to add more chairbacks
3. add the suites for the more quiet/richer alumni.
Can this be done for 15-30 million$$$$ ?
I doubt it.
Rob
June 30th, 2009
11:39 am
Getting rid of Hewitt should be the first priority.
Sam I Am
June 30th, 2009
11:54 am
Actually, Grinch, since Stanford has won the Director’s Cup every year since 1994, I would say it’s a pretty meaningless award. Has Stanford won any football or basketball championships during that time? Director’s Cups are won by schools with a bunch or meaningless minor-sports championships…sort of like women’s gymnastics.
TECHSUX
June 30th, 2009
11:56 am
38-3! LSU just scored again! BWAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!
BLAZER
June 30th, 2009
12:06 pm
DWYER RAN BY PLAYERS.
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
12:26 pm
Will you guys please stop picking on me? If not, why?