Bradley to build $100 million athletic facility

[BradleyBrave]

This is about 20 years overdue, but it's finally happening. Bradley is finally going to build modern on-campus athletic facilities for students AND athletes. The complex will include a modern rec center for students, a 4,500 seat arena for the women's basketball team and volleyball team, a practice facility for the men's team, and a 600 car parking deck. Anyone who's seen BU's pathetic facilities realize just how big of a deal this is to the university. We'll finally look like a DI school.

http://pjstar.com/stories/081906/TRI_BANB2C5K.027.shtml

:braves:

[MSNSaluki]

Great ... Just what we need: Another Valley school with a better parking garage than ours!:yes: Next thing you know, the Bradley posters will be telling the SIU contingent how to take our program to the next level.:innocent:

Just joking ... good work, Bradley!

[outpost]

We'll all be interested in the artist renderings when they are provided to the board. For example, I'm already interested in seeing how the proposed facilities will complement Carver Arena. I'm a biased Shocker fan, but I think we did a great job with Koch and the added facilities.

After reading the story, my impression is that it is still several years away. No concrete plan for paying for it, etc.........

But it's welcome news for the Valley at large. Maybe it will inspire a few other schools in the league to upgrade.

[BradleyBrave]

We'll all be interested in the artist renderings when they are provided to the board. For example, I'm already interested in seeing how the proposed facilities will complement Carver Arena. I'm a biased Shocker fan, but I think we did a great job with Koch and the added facilities.

After reading the story, my impression is that it is still several years away. No concrete plan for paying for it, etc.........

But it's welcome news for the Valley at large. Maybe it will inspire a few other schools in the league to upgrade.

It is a few years away from completion, but there is already a substantial amount of money in the coughers. This year was a record-breaking year as far as fundraising goes, so the money is there to get this thing rolling. BU is planning a major fund-raising drive to compliment last year's money, and I anticipate BU breaking ground on phase 1 of the project next summer.

Again, anyone who's gone to BU or been to their on-campus facilities knows that this is about 2 decades overdue. God Bless the Fieldhouse, but it and Haussler Hall needed to be demolished when Jim Les was still a player.

[REALBird]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I've read on this and other boards, this project amounts to nothing more than a rec center w/ indoor track, parking garage, and a PRACTICE facility for BU's men's program. Building a $100 million dollar bulding for weights, practice, and women's sports seems to be a lot of money. Is there some "hidden" plan to move BU men's hoops back to campus?

I know WBB and VB are going to make this joint their main home, but it really seems to be a waste of dollars IMHO if BU men's hoops aren't riding the wave of success from their Sweet 16. Building a 4,500 seat arena for two teams that would probably only fill half of it if you combine their avg attendance per game seems crazy at best.

Something tells me that WHEN and IF this thing gets built, BU will use this as leverage to get some better dates from the PCC....or use it as a means to schedule some TRUE home games on campus.

I would just hope that when it does finally come to fruition, that they increase the seating by at least another 2-3K in the event they leave PCC.

[iSASO]

Why would BU's mens team play in a 4,500 seat facility or even a 7,500 seat facility? If there's not a compelling need to move men's games on-campus go ahead and spend your $100 mil on volleyball and training/practice facilities.

My main concern would be that you won't be practicing on the same floor you play games on.

[DaShox]

BU is planning a major fund-raising drive to compliment last year's money, and I anticipate BU breaking ground on phase 1 of the project next summer.

Good news for the Braves!

I will not say anything about SIU's phase 1.
I will not say anything about SIU's phase 1.
I will not say anything about SIU's Phase 1
I will not say anything about SIU's Phase 1.

[outpost]

What phase I?

[REALBird]

Why would BU's mens team play in a 4,500 seat facility or even a 7,500 seat facility? If there's not a compelling need to move men's games on-campus go ahead and spend your $100 mil on volleyball and training/practice facilities.

My main concern would be that you won't be practicing on the same floor you play games on.

If you visit the forum for the Peoria Journal Star, or the Bradley fan site you'll hear arguments on both sides. Some believe that BU gets the short end of the stick playing in a public arena where they don't get to practice, where they play second fiddle to the hockey team and concerts, and where the ice rink below the surface has been a cause for concern for some fans.

Building a 7,500 seat on campus arena (ala Gonzaga) would allow them to have options for games in which the Peoria Civic Center has reserved for hockey and Barnum and Bailey Circus.

Also, I don't know what it costs to build facilities in Peoria, but I know B/N just built a new downtown arena U.S Cellular Coliseum (capacity 7,500 I believe) for about $36 million dollars. It includes the Pepsi Ice Center (public rink) which is adjacent to the Coliseum, and the Coliseum was home to arena football, minor league hockey, and concerts. Did I mention the parking deck also was included in this price tag? NIU built the Convocation Center (10,000 seats) which includes several volleyball practice courts, adjacent basketball practice courts, office spaces, etc, for about $36-39 million.

How does one build a rec center, parking garage, and a 4,500 seat arena AND have the price tag cover $100 million dollars for women's basketball and volleyball which if you combine attendance for both sports may have averaged between 1000-1500 a game. You're still going to have about 3000 empty seats. Me just thinks thats a lot of money for women's sports and a practice facility.

[redbirdtim]

600 car parking garage would probably cost 15-20 mil. of that. I can't really account for the other stuff.

Gold faucets? Expensive chairs?

[Fraydog]

What phase I?

I think DaShox is deftly referring to our Saluki Way plan, the first phase of which includes

- A new football stadium
- Massive Arena renovations (thanks for the ideas Shockers)
- A new building for student affairs and enrollment management functions
- A new, larger parking garage :clap:

And for those who say it can't be done, that is what was said about our new Student Health Center, our new training and academic facility which IMO is the best in the Valley (we'll have to see how Bradley's comes out but I think we got a great amount of value for a $4 million dollar addition which made our weight facilties the best in the MVC), the new Wall and Grand Apartments to open in a month, the library renovations, the recently upcoming new Transportation Center, and renovations of the Communications and Agricultural buildings up coming.

Phase two is already set to include new general classroom and architecture/art and design bulidings, and replacements to liberal arts and business buildings, as well as additional apartment facilities, and massive renovations to the Rec Center and Student Center could also be included in future renovations.

[bcg]

Something tells me that WHEN and IF this thing gets built, BU will use this as leverage to get some better dates from the PCC....or use it as a means to schedule some TRUE home games on campus.

It's an all or none contract with the PCC. The PCC is halfway done with their $55 million renovation, so it should look nice.

The 4,500 seat arena would fill up when the local high school teams play there. I'm assuming that many more hs games would be scheduled there. Manual vs Central would sellout the old Fieldhouse.

Economically, this couldn't have happened at a better time in Peoria.

[brocks]

If you visit the forum for the Peoria Journal Star, or the Bradley fan site you'll hear arguments on both sides. Some believe that BU gets the short end of the stick playing in a public arena where they don't get to practice, where they play second fiddle to the hockey team and concerts, and where the ice rink below the surface has been a cause for concern for some fans.

Building a 7,500 seat on campus arena (ala Gonzaga) would allow them to have options for games in which the Peoria Civic Center has reserved for hockey and Barnum and Bailey Circus.

Also, I don't know what it costs to build facilities in Peoria, but I know B/N just built a new downtown arena U.S Cellular Coliseum (capacity 7,500 I believe) for about $36 million dollars. It includes the Pepsi Ice Center (public rink) which is adjacent to the Coliseum, and the Coliseum was home to arena football, minor league hockey, and concerts. Did I mention the parking deck also was included in this price tag? NIU built the Convocation Center (10,000 seats) which includes several volleyball practice courts, adjacent basketball practice courts, office spaces, etc, for about $36-39 million.

How does one build a rec center, parking garage, and a 4,500 seat arena AND have the price tag cover $100 million dollars for women's basketball and volleyball which if you combine attendance for both sports may have averaged between 1000-1500 a game. You're still going to have about 3000 empty seats. Me just thinks thats a lot of money for women's sports and a practice facility.

I have not yet seen the blueprints/mock-ups, but those who have indicate that the expense results from the scope and quality of the facility. It apparently looks less like a "rec center" and more like an olympic training facility. BU is also spending lavishly to address aesthetics, making this athletic facility look like a high-end Ivy-League-type building. The poster who mentioned gold faucets may not be too far off.

[user1]

...B/N just built a new downtown arena U.S Cellular Coliseum (capacity 7,500 I believe) for about $36 million dollars. ...


They built it maybe for $36 mil, but what would the cost have been if they didn't already own the land, and had to go out and purchase countless individually owned parcels at top market dollar?
Then again, with 7,500 seats, they wouldn't even come close to filling the need when BU plays ISU and draws well over 11,000.

Trust me, an 11,000 seat arena on campus for BU mens basketball would have pushed past $100 million. And they likely would NOT have been able to make up some of that $$ from concerts, ice shows, and hockey, since those events would all use Carver Arena in downtown Peoria.

[MU88]

McGuire Center on MU's campus, with a 4500 seat arena (for women's bball and volleyball) and a practice facility for the men's team cost $31 million. New rec center at Central Washington (about 9600 stduents) cost $59 million. So, you would have to expect Bradley's to cost at least $40 million, but probably more. Parking structures depend on the number of space. 550 spots would cost around $8-$10 million.

Based on these numbers, and if any other projects are included, $100 million sounds about right.

[MU88]

Double post

[redbirdtim]

I think Illinois State may compete for the trophy for best weights facilities now. We just finished the largest strength and conditioning center in the Valley.

[WSU Shocker]

Great news! Congratulations BU!

:braves:

[bcg]

The journal star today has some drawings and layouts of the proposed arena, men's basketball practice facility and rec center.

http://www.pjstar.com/