What do you think of Stegeman Coliseum?
UPDATE: Here’s a link to the story on the changes coming to Stegeman.
I’m writing a story for Saturday’s paper on the $12 million makeover that Stegeman Coliseum will get before next basketball and gymnastics season -– wider, brighter concourses; soaring glass exterior walls; more restrooms and concessions stands; a modern look for a 47-year-old building.
So let me ask you a few questions if you don’t mind:
From what you’ve heard, what do you think of the planned changes?
What do you like, or not like, about Stegeman today?
Do you agree, or disagree, with the decision to spend $12 million on renovations rather than, say, $100 million on a new arena?
Or are you just concerned about the team on the floor?
Thanks for your input.
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166 comments Add your comment
Michael Scharff
February 19th, 2010
9:17 am
Volsrule, thanks for the kind words.
I think that the playing area is nice. We have all the modern amenities with tv screens and scoreboards. I’m not real fond of the seating, as I’m 6′3″, and there is very little leg room for tall persons such as myself. I do not like the concourses, the concession stands, or the restrooms. I am hoping for many changes for the better in the upgrade.
CatsFly
February 19th, 2010
9:21 am
I don’t understand. UGa fans are always touting “size”, and point to “high school” FB stadiums in the ACC. Unless BB doesn’t matter at UGa, in order to maintain consistency on this “size” issue, UGa needs to build it big, or, they will continue to play in a “high school” gym.
robodawg
February 19th, 2010
9:23 am
Stegeman ain’t so bad. It’s visual appearance at the end of south campus is iconic. I like the modernizations they’re planning — the larger concourses and roofline-to-ground glass exterior will add a lot. When there’s excitement around the team, the place rocks.
Talk of a new arena is premature until the program’s at a point that we can fill it in both the good years (which we need more consistently) and the struggling years (which every program in the nation not named Duke and coached by Coach K is going to encounter). The Tubby years were exciting and we could have filled a larger facility, but then Tubby left and look what happened. It was a temporary highpoint, not an enduring state of the program.
UglyOld Dog
February 19th, 2010
9:27 am
It’s a dump…..better to figure out how to pay for a new arena not a upgrade to the Barn…Build It And They Will Come!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cmill
February 19th, 2010
9:30 am
seating needs to be adjusted, seats on the enclosed end of the horseshoe are to far away from the court.
Cmill
February 19th, 2010
9:30 am
*too far away
PMC
February 19th, 2010
9:31 am
It makes sense to renovate in the short term. Honestly as good as they are in sports like Gymnastics they should be putting money into making it perfect for those types of events too. This is a much needed renovation years too late really but It should help make it a more viable arena. It is in a terrific spot on campus. I think this is a good idea even if it is lipstick on a pig.
coachx
February 19th, 2010
9:33 am
1980……………Those front 5 rows do not belong to UT and UK fans. Those are tickets for the coaches family, big time boosters, the AD / Damon Evans and family, Vince Dooley and family, etc. They simply don’t show up for many games to fill those seats.
3-17 HAHAHAHA!
February 19th, 2010
9:33 am
the coliseum is crap, just like the basketball program. they deserve each other!
Mark Fox
February 19th, 2010
9:34 am
You won’t need it because I’ll be haulin ice outta here the first time a real BB program dials my number.
Otis my man
February 19th, 2010
9:35 am
are you a fluffer for those russian skaters???
coachx
February 19th, 2010
9:35 am
PMC,
You are correct.
The enclosed end of the arena has awful seats that are way too far from the court. That side could be demolished and brought closer into the court while at the same time widening the concourse. The seats over there are awful.
AltamahaDawg
February 19th, 2010
9:35 am
This next renovation is going to put the “no money of significance” at over 50 Million spaning the past few years.
NC5
February 19th, 2010
9:38 am
Stegeman is a beautiful building with historic significance, historically. And it’s a great place to watch basketball. It’s a shame that it’s become fashionable to knock it. While some might havelegitimate criticisms, the majority of complainers are just whining because someone else told thm to. I think people are going to be stunned by how much difference the renovations will make. I for one would hate to see Stegeman get demolished only to be replaced by something that fits with the boring, unimaginative brick monster that suits the current “vision” of our campus planners. We should be proud of the architectural diversity of our campus and embrace the past and future opportunities to build statements of their times. And that definitely includes those soaring concrete arches (which aren’t so scary until you get near the top and have to climb around the railing).
Big time basketball? Definitely not!
February 19th, 2010
9:43 am
if Fox proves to be any good, he’ll be gone in 2 years before the cow palace is renovated anyway
McDawg
February 19th, 2010
9:44 am
not a bad place to watch a basketball game but i always thought it was too dark particularly if you were watching on TV-have not been there in awhile
Jeff
February 19th, 2010
9:46 am
If you’ve seen the pictures of what it will look like it will completely change the look which is why I think it gets such a bad rap. The inside seats (well I haven’t sat in the horseshoe section since I was in school) are perfectly fine. The roof itself is unique and personally with the modern glass facade it will be slick. After the renovation it will have gone from awkward and dated to retro cool.
To me just another smart decision by Damon Evans. Please no sterile, character-less new facility especially when we don’t need the seats/capacity just an upgrade/facelift especially to the dated concourses. The roof is the best part and would be a shame to lose but I suppose many Atlantans don’t care too much for history — bulldoze it like BellSouth almost did to the Fox for a parking lot!
Remarkable
February 19th, 2010
9:50 am
Burn it down and start over!
GA DAWG
February 19th, 2010
9:51 am
Apply the money to the football program.
Russ
February 19th, 2010
9:52 am
Burn it to the ground. Burn Mother Burn
SEC FAN
February 19th, 2010
9:56 am
Its the smallest, dinkiest stadium in the sec. What a joke just like UGA basketball. This high school stadium is befitting UGA basketball.
dawgrific
February 19th, 2010
10:01 am
I agree with the renovation, especially right now. I would agree that improved lighting would help a great deal, as it always has seemed SO dark in there. I am just not a big fan of a demolition unless it is absolutely necessary. Now, if we think it would make a BIG difference in recruiting, then perhaps a new buliding is the better route. Duke’s famous facility is supposedly “dumpish” but the fan base and up-close seating give it the personality to make up for any lack of “newness.”
dawgrific
February 19th, 2010
10:02 am
Nice intelligent commentary SEC FAN-Go back to your gator articles db!
Big Al
February 19th, 2010
10:04 am
Renovation sounds fine. Why don’t we put up some hedges around it?
JD
February 19th, 2010
10:06 am
I would like a VIP area that plays dope House music
Sanford Drive
February 19th, 2010
10:07 am
It’s so ugly on the outside that it leads you to believe it’s equally as crappy on the inside, which isn’t the case.
jeffrey d
February 19th, 2010
10:07 am
I’ve always loved Stegeman – I’ve been to many basketball games and I graduated there. I think it’s a nice facility, and this renovation will make it even better. And whether it was intentional or not, it also sends the message that UGA Basketball is on a new frontier.
Big Al – I LOVE that hedges idea
Nuscrypt
February 19th, 2010
10:09 am
I think the renovations will help recruit players and fans over the next few years while Coach Fox builds a consistent winner (which he will do). The reason we will need to commit to building a new arena is to keep another team from stealing him away like Kentucky did with Tubby. I say build an arena downtown that can be used for other events like concerts or to maybe bring in a minor league hockey/basketball team. It wouldn’t even have to be municipal arena. The athletic department can easily raise the money to build it and then earn the extra revenue from renting it out for other events. Then you can either keep the Stegosaurus around for other non-revenue sports and student use or demolish it and build the football indoor practice facility on that site.
Kevin "Big Sexy" Nash
February 19th, 2010
10:10 am
If theyre gonna do a reno, why not on the interior? The place is horrid inside and is no help in getting recruits.
IM going to powerbomb somebody over this decision.
94dawg
February 19th, 2010
10:13 am
Blow it up!
xl.dawg
February 19th, 2010
10:13 am
Renovations will be great. In this day and age 12 million is better spent than 100 million. Winning cures all ills. Coach Fox is already turning the program around. A few more Georgia players on the team and just like football keep the best in the State and the Championships will come.
Sluggo
February 19th, 2010
10:14 am
Spending millions of dollars on new arenas for colleges is a complete waste of money. Stegeman actually has some vintage ’70’s character. It’s not just a bunch of new brick and mortar. Keep it.
jarvis
February 19th, 2010
10:15 am
I can remember being a Sophmore and walking up the exterior facade of The Steg up onto the roof.
Good times.
robby
February 19th, 2010
10:18 am
let the team earn a new facility…the football dogs are ALL-TIME TOP 15…they have earned the best in facilities through the years…
besides i like the steg…the renovations make sense and will improve fan experience…
gosh spring is so nice in athens…tennis, baseball, gym meets, lots of beer, coeds, and flowers…masters golf down the road…ugh…
if we somehow added perennial ncaa tourney madness to that i might go back for another degree!
go dawgs! and lets get cmr a BCS thing…then let him coach and teach till hes tired of it…im so ready start really punching fla in the face again…
quaildawg
February 19th, 2010
10:20 am
Fiscally resposible to renovate. Interior (speaking of floor area, seats,lighting, etc) work has made a vast improvement. I think the plans will enhance the arena and would rival any “new” arena plans that might be proposed. The only drawback I see with Stegman is parking, even with the two decks nearby.
gym dawg
February 19th, 2010
10:21 am
A 70 year old woman with a facelift is still a 70 year old woman. A new arena will not be built until the men’s team wins, gains highly sought out recruits, increases attendance, and gets financial deals. It doesn’t matter what the women do cause they do bring in the revenue.
gym dawg
February 19th, 2010
10:24 am
Sorry, Georgia women DO NOT bring in enough revenue.
GT
February 19th, 2010
10:24 am
I think your real problem is middle of the week travel to Athens. A bulk of Georgia’s support is not from Athens or anywhere close. Works for football because the Dawg nation have made this their fall second home, leaving on Friday and camping out in the parking lots. Basketball just doesn’t work that way, you got to like the sport for starts, you really can’t get drunk and pile trash in the camping areas and all the other body functions that they love to do up there, I mean what’s the point. The sad thing is this state has great basketball and a lot of players have to go out of state to find a serious place to play, Tech can only take so many.
Why do some of you...
February 19th, 2010
10:37 am
…keep saying to put more money in the FB program. They already get everything they need, and more, just like UF, UT, AL, etc, but look where that has gotten them – middle of the pack in the SEC. Financially speaking, that is not a good investment outcome, so additional new funds are not warranted!
jakelynn
February 19th, 2010
10:37 am
i would like to see a new arena!
DirtyDawg
February 19th, 2010
10:41 am
I’m with those that feel that the Georgia Coliseum – more recently known as ‘Stegeman’ Coliseum – should be preserved. The renovations, from what I gather, will address many of the more recent complaints – lack of adequate concourse, concession and restroom areas…plus it will update the exterior. Sure, when it was first built it was a multi-event facility with a stage at one end and corrals outside for horse shows and the like…and it worked very well. As for being a barn, me-thinks you’re confusing it with the old Woodruff Hall – now that was a barn – where games were known to have been called, or at least delayed because of rain.
And while we’re at it, why all the dumpin’ on Stegeman? What about that round thing that Tech plays in? Why’s nobody all up in arms about that one? Stegeman’s newer (’64 vs. ‘56)…Stegeman seats more (10K plus vs. 9K plus)…Stegeman has some architectural character, Alexander looks just like one of those flying-saucer-shaped strip clubs that were popular back then – at least in Tampa. Tech did some renovations a decade or so ago – big deal, they dug out the basement, added some seats and slapped on some more ‘yaller’ paint…why they didn’t paint that metal roof yaller, I dont’ know. So answer me that please…why not tear down that place – I mean, couldn’t all those architects come up with something original? Of course, they’d have no reason to continue to use the ‘nickname’ they have for it – doubt if it’d still be confused with a ‘big tit’.
So, fix Stegeman…win games…recruit more top-ranked players…pack the stands…win more games…but keep it and make it a tough place for visitors to come to.
Mark Richt's Suntan...
February 19th, 2010
10:49 am
UGA has a basketball arena? Since when?
Mark Richt's haircut...
February 19th, 2010
10:51 am
Fans/Schools with no history or tradition tear down buildings/ stadiums/ arenas and build new ones.. Quit begging for a new arena and build some tradition at the one you have.
Can You Dig It
February 19th, 2010
10:51 am
I can’t believe that anybody thinks this is a hot topic for discussion. First of all I’ve never seeing a building win a basketball game. Usually if the team on the floor is doing their job every night and winning more often than losing against good competition the attendance usually takes care of itself. Georgia has done a poor job over the years in attracting a top coach and keeping him around. We should have given Tubby everything he wanted to keep him at Georgia…but as always we caved in and let Kentucky buy him away and look where we are now. Michael Adams should be fired for pushing for the hiring of Jim Harrick. Harrick was a great floor coach but a shady guy with too much (you play with fish you end up smelling like fish)…..Everybody but Adams saw it coming and he’s supposed to be leading UGA? Georgia ought to be ashamed that they have not to this point been successful in basketball, if Florida can we certainly can.I think Mark Fox was a good hire. Its clear that he can coach (he’s three times better than Tech’s coach) what he needs is players. He needs to get good players from any where he can. Right now the good players shy away from Georgia because there’s not enough “bling” in the program for them. When you watch the current team play one thing is very clear…they are well coached but have absolutely no consistant guard play. Who on that team can consistantly shoot and make it from the outside? Who can create shots? You can’t win in the SEC or anywhere without good guard play.Georgias got a great front line but they are not going to be able to win games for you everynight and opposing coaches know it. ……Has anyone been to Duke to watch a game. Their basketball building looks like it was built 50 years ago…but they fill it up every night because their teams are well coached and ALWAYS have good guard play. They use their old building as a sixth man…they make it an intimadating place to play for their competition….I say fix up Stegeman..go get some good players..win games consistantly…keep Fox around for as long as possible and the attendance will take care of itself and eventually so will building a new building.Can You Dig It!
BobDog
February 19th, 2010
10:56 am
The Steg is plenty big. Georgia Tech has an old facility that was nicely renovated- and they recruit quite well. I have seen the plans. We have a structure that is structurally sound and with this work, will be really nice and up to date.
Take a look at the plans on pp. 20 and 21 at this site:
http://www.onlineathens.com/multimedia/pdfs/092508other_facilities.pdf
DirtyDawg
February 19th, 2010
11:14 am
Thanks for the link bobdog, I hadn’t really seen it all. Looks like it would convert Stegeman into something truly special. Can’t imagine why anyone would have a problem with it.
By the way, ‘can you dig it’, Cameron Indoor Stadium doesn’t look like it was built 50 years ago…it should be so lucky. Because it was built in 1940. Oh yes, it also only seats a little over 9,000 – more than a thousand less than Stegeman. Of course they fill the place up – a lot – we have a problem with that. It’s a whole lot easier to watch the games on TV than to drive over and back – particularly during the week.
mgdawg
February 19th, 2010
11:16 am
I think it is a good idea to spend a little right now. Although UGA athletics has money, we are in a recession right now, there is no need to go out and just spend because you have it.
NotSoPettyPetulia:
I know in sanford there are the same number of male and female restrooms and they are the same size. The reason there are more urinals then stalls in the women’s restrooms is urinals take up less room. Use a little bit of your brain before you type nonsense.
ryan
February 19th, 2010
11:16 am
People it has nothing to with the building you have to win to get good recruits i mean look at GT arena it not that great. Also Mem.Tenn arena they don’t have the best arena but the still the best recruits . Yes i admit that UGA needs a new arena but we need one right now.
Tom
February 19th, 2010
11:20 am
No need to spend a bunch of money. UGA has always been more of a football school. Stegeman is old, but the basketball team has never been that great anyway. A facelift is much needed, then take it from there.
ATHDawg
February 19th, 2010
11:28 am
Well put 1980 Dawg!…the student section is hardly noticed when you’re watching a game on tv. I’m a student at UGA and the idea of having the student section extended to the first 5 or 6 rows behind the bench (sort of like Duke)would be really awesome if it ever happens!!!