re: PMAC question

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think you could do something with the existing PMAC for a lot less than the cost of a full demo. There is a ton of open room in the front of the PMAC. Tear down the curved walkways and build a 5-6 story structure that would tie into the existing arena. Tear out all of the concourse on that side of the court and make it more of a plaza with fewer seating, full suites, club level, food court, etc. The ground level on the PMAC side could be all new locker rooms, training, offices, etc. The top level facing Tiger stadium would be dual purpose and could possibly feed into TS via a walkway, and give access into any future NEZ renovations.

Lower level street side would give you the option to convert North Campus drive into pedestrian only and create a walking mall from the traffic circle at the top of the hill all the way to Nicholson. With retail and entertainment, and possibly even a hotel, and or game weekend lodging it could pay for itself in a short amount of time.

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that sounds like an assload of work to keep an outdated 50-year-old building

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1. Kim Mulkey says, hello.
2. LSU won the natty last year
3. The PMAC is SOLD OUT
4. LSU tips off Mon Nov 6 ranked #1
5. LSU has the # 1 recruiting class
6. Kim Mulkey says, hello again.

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So...you are kind of proving my point that the opulence of the arena has little bearing on the ability of the program to succeed.

If LSU had money to burn and spending money to build a new arena would not effect anything else related to the school and other sports programs (i.e. less funds available to either) then, by all means, build a new area. But in no way does LSU NEED a new arena to be successful.

Fans aren't staying home because the PMAC is "old". They are staying home because the (men's) program is losing. If the men won a NC the PMAC would be sold out and even more rocking for their games.

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I think you could do something with the existing PMAC for a lot less than the cost of a full demo. There is a ton of open room in the front of the PMAC.

- Tear down the curved walkways

- Build a 5-6 story structure to tie into the existing arena.

- Tear out all of the concourse on that side of the court

- make it more of a plaza with fewer seating, full suites, club level, food court...

-The ground level on the PMAC side could be all new locker rooms, training, offices...

- The top level facing Tiger stadium would be dual purpose & could possibly feed into TS via walkway, and give access into any future NEZ renovations.

- The Lower level street side would give you the option to convert North Campus drive into pedestrian only and create a walking mall from the traffic circle by the top of the hill all the way to Nicholson.

- Add retail and entertainment, possibly even a hotel, and/or game weekend lodging. It could pay for itself in a short amount of time.

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You nailed it.

I think it does not matter to Woody or any of the coaches that would use the facility, whether it is a new bldg or renovated as you so well described.
The location of the current PMAC couldn't be in a better spot. As a season ticket holder of Football and Women's BBall, I love your idea.

The one thing I am sure of: Something will be done

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that sounds like an assload of work to keep an outdated 50-year-old building

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The 50 yr old building would no longer be outdated in the project as described. It also gets you a cash cow, entirely new building with a ton more square footage than you could get built in a new arena alone for a fraction of the cost. In addition, this could be accomplished without having to rent an arena for the 2-3 years it would take to demolish and build one from the ground up. Not to mention playing downtown would kill the program for those years. Where do the two programs practice? Workout? Train? It would also likely require demolishing the just completed basketball practice facility between the PMAC and fieldhouse.

A multi-purpose, mixed use athletics/commercial/residential building at that location would be the center point of that area of campus. And while it would be great to get all of that in an entirely new facility, there just isn't the funds to accomplish all of that.

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egit question: what is so terribly wrong with it that it needs to be demolished and rebuilt?

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Nothing. It just needs an update. The MAIN problem is no body can agree on what that update should be.

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The honest answer is it’s perfectly fine. Field good teams and it’ll be filled.

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I think we need to start from scratch. We need an arena like Auburn or Duke with the student section on top of the court.