$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
Corey Black
June 30th, 2009
12:27 pm
They need a new sound system and visuals. Its crazy that we used “The Perfect Option” visuals during our basketball season. The game visuals and sound might as well be high school. In all honesty I would much rather them save that money and get a new arena like UVA in a few years. There isn’t much more you can do to AMC, it feels really old and doesn’t reflect the institution very well… I love the atmosphere there when we are playing well, it gets LOUD. I wouldn’t want many more seats and I think it should stay a similar size, but we need a more modern arena to complement the very modern growth on campus. Anyways, I’ll be there this year no matter what. GO JACKETS!
Full Metal Jacket
June 30th, 2009
12:34 pm
Dwyer doesn’t jump over defenders because he is not afraid to HIT them and knock them on their @$$. I can recall two hits off the top of my head where NOshow took himself out of the game. You should remember them… against UF’s Brandon Spikes and Tennessee’s Eric Berry. Check out Dwyers history… NEVER TOOK HIMSELF OUT OF A GAME AFTER A HIT!!! And for what it’s worth, what happened to NOshow after his jump over A CENTRAL MICHIGAN player??? HE FELL ON HIS @$$. He didn’t get tackled… HE FELL and a couple guys piled on… I reiterate… after his AMAZING leap HIS SORRY @$$ FELL DOWN!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
And, yes, Superize...
June 30th, 2009
12:38 pm
…UGA gymnasts DID participate in the most recent Olympics, and won a silver medal for the U.S. Courtney Kupets, who was recently named the most outstanding female athlete in all of college sports, was that Olympian, and she recently graduated from UGA with a 3.8 GPA, too, as well as the only 4 time All-American in UGA history.
Full Metal Jacket
June 30th, 2009
12:40 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyLIiq1CmMQ
This is how a real running back handles a defender…
macrotech
June 30th, 2009
12:59 pm
Grinch, I was worried about you! You disappeared about the time they busted that group of malcontents that have been mugging Tech students outside of Tech’s campus….Had me worried that we’d lost your ‘voice’ on here (;o)). Your imposter, though, probably a fellow Tech fan, wasn’t even close to your style of writing. They even left out your trademark, “Bwahahaha”. Remember, immitation is the greatest form of flattery! Just a thought…. how’d that preseason #1 ranking work out for the dawgs last year? I believe your answer would have to be, “Bwoo hoo hoo hoo hoo”. You know preseason rankings are a joke. I was surprised you went that direction….I respect that you’re a little rusty….good to have ya back…. GO TECH!!!
big Willie
June 30th, 2009
1:02 pm
Who cares about tech?
Maddog
June 30th, 2009
1:04 pm
To Sam I Am
I guess I must keep repeating myself. Most of the posts under my name were made by one of your brethren. Can you imagine the loser who is a tech fan but posts using a UGA fan’s blog name? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Full Metal Jacket
June 30th, 2009
1:06 pm
To Sam I Am
I guess I must keep repeating myself. Most of the posts under my name were made by one of your brethren. Can you imagine the loser who is a tech fan but posts using a UGA fan’s blog name? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
big willie
June 30th, 2009
1:07 pm
To “Sam I Am”
I guess I must keep repeating myself. Most of the posts under my name were made by one of your brethren. Can you imagine the loser who is a tech fan but posts using a UGA fan’s blog name? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
1:09 pm
To Maddog, Full Metal Jacket, big willie, and Foghorn Leghorn
Sorry to have lifted you names, but since my name was hijacked earlier, thought I’d send out a few decoys so the tech loser who has been posting under my name.
I’d love to get that many posts in, but most were pretty lame. Could have definitely done better myself. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
1:23 pm
Enter your comments here
Supersize that order, mutt
June 30th, 2009
1:25 pm
To “And yes, Supersize…”, I stand corrected, at least partially. Kupets (or any other UGAG gymnast) did NOT participate in the most recent Olympics (2008). However Kupets DID participate in the 2004 Olympics in Athens (Greece, not Georgia), and that team DID win a silver medal, with her invaluable help. However, I found the following info about her online, and I quote: “After returning from Athens, Kupets quit elite level gymnastics and traveled across the United States with other gymnasts on an exhibition tour sponsored by retailer T.J. Maxx. In 2005 she joined the gymnastics team at the University of Georgia on full athletic scholarship.” I find the words “quit ELITE gymnastics and … joined the gymnastics team at the University of Georgia…” particularly insightfull. Apparently the UGAG gymnastics team is not considered elite. LOL
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
1:52 pm
To Supersize that order, mutt
I pulled this off the UGA website:
There are many words which could be used to describe the Gym Dogs at the University of Georgia. Without question the one constant word which has earmarked the program is success. 68 gymnasts have earned 267 All-American awards, and Georgia gymnasts have won 33 individual NCAA titles. For 12 of the past 17 years, there has been at least one Gym Dog atop the awards stand as an NCAA individual title winner.
Georgia also owns NCAA championship records for team scores on three of the four apparatus, as well as the best-ever championship team score of 198.575, set at the 1998 NCAA Southeast Regional. Fifty-two gymnasts have been named to the SEC Honor Roll, and 48 have been selected as National Scholar Athletes. In addition, five have earned prestigious NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarships, most recently Kinsey Rowe in 2004.
Twenty-five years, nine NCAA Championships, 16 SEC Championships, 33 individual titles, 68 All-Americans and an absolute plethora of rabid gymnastics fans later, it appears that the Gym Dogs have…well more than accomplished the lofty goals which Yoculan set for her program in 1984.
So UGA is not an elite gymnastics program? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
THWG
June 30th, 2009
2:02 pm
Hey Grinch you smartass. I seem to remember your beloved NOSHOW being body slammed by Brad Jefferson. Dwyer is a better back than Noshow ever will be. He couldn’t hold Dwyers jock.
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
2:04 pm
To THWG
I know he couldn’t hold Dwyer’s jock. He couldn’t get it out of your hands. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Supersize that order, mutt
June 30th, 2009
2:04 pm
Grinch, according to the standards set by Olympics-level gymnastics, no, UGA is NOT an elite program. Successful and well-regarded in the college ranks does not apparently qualify for international elite status. I’m not being catty here; those are the facts. Men’s collegiate gymnastics is considered a stepping stone to international competition (e.g., the University of Iowa), but women’s collegiate gymnastics is not. Of course, the main reason for that is that most female gymnasts have passed their prime by the time they reach college age, whereas male gymnasts are just reaching their’s. Kudos to the gym dawgs for their success, but does anybody outside of Athens, GA (and of course, the other colleges they compete against) really care?
TG
June 30th, 2009
2:46 pm
I can’t imagine that it would be economically viable to raise the roof on AMC. The cost on that has to be prohibitive. I am pretty sure that is why they sank the floor last time trying to get a few more seats instead of raising the roof. I have to believe this renovation is for chairbacks, a limited number of suits and a general upgrading of the rest rooms, concessions etc. around the seats. I would also look for a few things to be added to the new practice facility as well (classrooms, tape rooms etc.) I just hope they did look at building a new 12K facility instead of these series of renovations every 10 years but will wait to see what comes.
Actually, Superize...
June 30th, 2009
2:56 pm
…thanks for correcting me re: Ms. Kupets’ Olympic participation. One thing, though, she did win an individual bronze on the uneven bars in the 2004 Olympics (at least that is what her Wikipedia description says, as well as the UGA website)), not just a team silver.
RAMBLE ON!!!
June 30th, 2009
3:10 pm
Interesting that UVA would name their arena after our Bass Player, but we did rock Dazed and Confused pretty good last time we played there. That was a long time ago, but better late than never.
I think our arena is just fine, hopefully that gift has 7 million set aside for a specific purpose.
Now y'all are seriously talking sh*t about gymnastics?
June 30th, 2009
3:12 pm
This blog gets sadder every day.
Thanks Grinch for bringing all these people down to your dumbass level.
Maddog
June 30th, 2009
3:29 pm
To: Now y’all are seriously talking sh*t about gymnastics?
Speaking of dumbasses, did you read all the blogs? Are you even capable of reading all of them? Doubt it. Have someone help you. I didn’t initiate the conversation about gymnastics. I merely responded to someone trivializing the UGA gymnastics program. Go kick back, pop a PBR and scratch your crotch for a while. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
THWG
June 30th, 2009
3:30 pm
To Now y’all are seriously talking sh*t about gymnastics?
Speaking of dumbasses, did you read all the blogs? Are you even capable of reading all of them? Doubt it. Have someone help you. I didn’t initiate the conversation about gymnastics. I merely responded to someone trivializing the UGA gymnastics program. Go kick back, pop a PBR and scratch your crotch for a while. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
RAMBLE ON!!!
June 30th, 2009
3:31 pm
Now y’all are seriously talking sh*t about gymnastics?
Speaking of dumbasses, did you read all the blogs? Are you even capable of reading all of them? Doubt it. Have someone help you. I didn’t initiate the conversation about gymnastics. I merely responded to someone trivializing the UGA gymnastics program. Go kick back, pop a PBR and scratch your crotch for a while. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
The Grinch
June 30th, 2009
3:31 pm
To Now y’all are seriously talking sh*t about gymnastics?
Just look at all the people who agree with me. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
realityyech
June 30th, 2009
4:04 pm
any more rampages in athens today???
im coming for you
superDawg
June 30th, 2009
5:52 pm
NEWS FLASH,I WAS JUST SURFING THE OFFICIAL GT WEB SITE AND FOUND SOMETHING OF INTEREST.GT’S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS ARE AS CO-CHAMPIONS EXCEPT FOR ONE GO FIGURE.
Supersize that order, mutt
June 30th, 2009
5:57 pm
So? So were several championships won by USC, Bama, and a few others. They are all still valid chamipionships.
superDawg
June 30th, 2009
6:01 pm
If you use gt’s formula to determine NC’S UGA has 5 count’em 5.NUFF SAID GO DAWGS!
Supersize that order, mutt
June 30th, 2009
6:13 pm
And if you use that formula, Tech has 6….COUNT ‘EM. Of those that UGAG claims, one was with a 8-1-2 record and named by only one VERY OBSCURE poll, while OSU was 10-0 and Texas was 9-1-1. One of Tech’s shared championships had an undefeated (12-0) Tech team sharing with a 9-0 Mich State team that didn’t even go to a bowl (1952), as well as an 11-0-1 Tech team sharing with, among others, a 10-1 Tenn team (1951). GO FIGURE
Supersize that order, mutt
June 30th, 2009
6:15 pm
superDawg, I assume you used the same resource I did. If not, check it out at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Division_I_FBS_National_Football_Championship
SugarHillDawg
June 30th, 2009
9:28 pm
Obviously, I’m a UGA grad, so my observations regarding basketball are based on what I’ve seen on TV, not what I witnessed at Stegman. (I graduated in 1975, so as bad as BB is at UGA now, it is light years ahead of what it was was in the early ’70s!) First, get the kids behind the visiting bench in big numbers! (Duke’s Cameron Indoor is about the same size as Alexander, but it sure looks and sounds like a tougher place to play.) Then, take what ever steps that are necessary to make the game day experience special. (Some parking nearby would be nice. Maybe a parking deck that doesn’t end up like a stack of pancakes.) Third – thank your luck stars Paul Hewitt hasn’t abandonded The Flats! I still think he’s more of a Bobby Cremins than a Chan Gailey. CPH will take you guys to the promised land one day, assuming he’s not run out of town. Don’t forget, Tech’s in the ACC. I believe the ACC’s about even with the Big East in football (nothing to brag about) AND basketball. Tech’s league doesn’t make the job easy!
welcmetopauljohnsonera
June 30th, 2009
10:54 pm
sorry doug that you have to put up with the b.s. posters…..who knows if any of these people would even act this way in public…..there’s something about anonymity that pulls out some numbskulls.
as far as how i would like to see AMC renovated….i think a total destruction is in order.
they’re should be a large bowl around the floor with seats right on the action. behind the baskets would be student seating and in the middle high-end luxury boxes with seats in front and a box underneath the regular seating.
i would compare the levels above the box to the student seating now. i would rotate the levels around the court and slide luxury boxes underneath the sides of the courts.
basically i would change the levels around the court and put boxes in the middle portion of the arena and have the ends behind the baskes go straight to the floor(as the sides do now).
GO JACKETS!!!
WHY DO MUTTS BARK? CAUSE BEES STING
July 1st, 2009
9:00 am
GEORGIA TECH HAS 4 FOOTBALL NATIONAL TITLES
UGAY HAS 1 NATIONAL FOOTBALL TITLE
PAUL JOHNSON 1-0 VS MARK(NUTUP)RICHT 0-1
WHY DO MUTTS BARK? CAUSE BEES STING
July 1st, 2009
9:10 am
WHAT DO THESE SEC COACHES HAVE THAT MARK RICHT DOES`NT
1.STEVE SPURRIER
2.LES MILES
3.URBAN MEYER
4.NICK SABAN
5.PAUL JOHNSON DII
THEY HAVE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS AND TROPHIES,WHICH MARK RICHT HAS NONE!
The Dude
July 1st, 2009
9:51 am
Knock down the end-court walls. Hang a center-court scoreboard. Add a few more boxes to pay the bills.
Below is probably the main reason most Tech-folk are not the least bit bothered by the “nerd” stigmatism “dawg” fans so hastily bestow upon them.
From Wiki:
Some measure of nerdiness is widely considered desirable, because it suggests a person who is intelligent, respectful, interesting, and able to earn a large salary. This evolution has dovetailed with waning emphasis on the social awkwardness of nerds, with more attention placed on their intelligence and academic enthusiasm.
Too Easy
July 1st, 2009
10:48 am
Paul Johnson is not an SEC coach, Mutts Bark. You can’t even answer your own question.
GT
July 1st, 2009
11:03 am
Do the video thing like they have in Chapel Hill. Have messages from alumni, watch the team head out of the lockeroom with the crowd going nuts.
Jim
July 2nd, 2009
3:40 pm
There is probably only $27 -$32 million of that money available for renovation. Radakovich is a smart guy so I’m sure $8 million of that donation has been set aside to buy out Hewitt at the the first reasonable opportunity. That would do more to put people in the seats and invigorate the fan base than if they spent $200 million on the building.
Jimmy
July 2nd, 2009
7:50 pm
Fund more terrorists!!
gt2009
July 9th, 2009
3:16 pm
Ok, the while walls are from the Olympic renovations when they dug up the floor and lowered the court for better sight lines. I don’t really think it did what they wanted, only added a few spots where the court is distorted by the white walls, not to mention that it’s uglier that way. Removing them would make a total redo of all the seats, and that as well as the roof would cost more then an entire new stadium.
As for the moving of the students for more a Cameron type feel, this was done, b4 hewit the AA moved the students to behind the press and no where near the players. Hewitt got the AA to move them to the end Zones and also got the AA to give a larger allowtment to the students. He also got rid of the empty expensive seats that were where the swarm is now on the floor, adding basically like 200 more capacity in the process. Not to mention that they also made it a lot more exciting since prior there was nothign but old fuddy duddies in those seats.
as for what to spend money on, AMC is really nice the way it is. A center score board and new sound are needed. I would also like them to add more sky boxes to essentially kick out the media and the vips and put students in those areas for a better experience. In CIS the media are in the hot boxes so far from the action and that is the way it should be. They don’t add to the game, they don’t make any noise as there supposed to be unbiased so, get them off the court, and put students behind the players!!! Oh and I like the idea of hot water in the bathrooms, also anoying when it’s bitter cold and the water is icey to wash your hands.