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re: Proposal in BR to build large new Arena to replace both River Center and PMAC

Posted on 2/27/24 at 8:59 am to
Posted by CatfishJohn
Member since Jun 2020
13516 posts
Posted on 2/27/24 at 8:59 am to
quote:

Did they tear down places like Fenway park in Boston The coliseum in LA? Tiger Stadium in BR? Improve it, don’t throw it away.


Did you just compare the PMAC to Fenway Park and The Coliseum?

Posted by dewster
Chicago
Member since Aug 2006
25378 posts
Posted on 2/27/24 at 8:59 am to
quote:

This has nothing to do with the PMAC, which will more than likely stay in the same place just renovated or rebuilt.



It sounds like they want something a bit bigger and more flexible than the PMAC. I don't think they can fit something much larger right there without moving the track stadium.

I'm all for that though. The Track stadium is pretty nice, but it has some weird angles from the stands depending on what they are doing. A new track stadium could fix a lot of those issues.
Posted by CatfishJohn
Member since Jun 2020
13516 posts
Posted on 2/27/24 at 9:03 am to
quote:

without moving the track stadium.


I think this is where it ends up and they move track to the golf course.

At least I hope so.
Posted by dewster
Chicago
Member since Aug 2006
25378 posts
Posted on 2/27/24 at 9:04 am to
quote:

Someone is eventually going to catch on to the fact that no matter what they build in this town, it will eventually be ruined.


Arenas in most towns have a 30-40 year lifespan before they are completely obsolete. Both the PMAC and the Centroplex are around 50 years old. They've far outlived their useful life already despite being neglected.

It's been pretty obvious for at least 10 years that the city of Baton Rouge and LSU have been at least casually considering bigger, nicer replacements for both of those facilities. I'd hope that once they build this new Arena that they'd demolish both the PMAC and the River Center arena.

What I would hate to see is an aging, decaying mess with no real purpose like the old Mid South Coliseum or the Astro Dome.
This post was edited on 2/27/24 at 9:09 am
Posted by dewster
Chicago
Member since Aug 2006
25378 posts
Posted on 2/27/24 at 9:07 am to
quote:

I think this is where it ends up and they move track to the golf course.



That could work. They'd have more space out by the Softball field or around the golf course to build out the track stadium properly. The basketball teams would need a temporary home during construction though.

And there is already retail space and parking right along Nicholson near Tiger Stadium for the new arena - they could easily add a hotel or two around there. Or another parking deck if they needed one.
This post was edited on 2/27/24 at 9:12 am
Posted by statman34
Member since Feb 2011
2957 posts
Posted on 2/27/24 at 9:13 am to
This has worked well in Lincoln, NE. It gets all the top events in the country and is bigger than most NBA arenas. It could work here as well and there is a severe lack in concerts and other big time venue attractions.
Posted by whoa
New Orleans
Member since Sep 2017
4604 posts
Posted on 2/27/24 at 9:14 am to
The new arena is rumored to be built on Nicholson between campus & downtown.

Track Stadium & natatorium will be moved down Nicholson near Alex Box.

PMAC will eventually be either renovated or rebuilt in/near the same spot.

Once the new arena is built, it will hold concerts, sporting events, shows, etc. that the River Center currently holds. The River Center will be converted to a convention style center.
Posted by Barrister
Member since Jul 2012
4627 posts
Posted on 2/27/24 at 9:31 am to
NOW we finally know why LSU let the golf course go to hell....I have been saying forever, they let it go to hell so the revenue would drop to nothing and when this project came along they could show an unprofitable use of the land.

And honestly - - I am not even upset about it. Just do it and get it over with
Posted by LSUminati
Member since Jan 2017
3378 posts
Posted on 2/27/24 at 9:38 am to
Was cautiously optimistic this thread would be met with some excitement, but I forgot how absolutely miserable and negative some fricks are on here. You could suggest an idea in any variation, and they would find a way to bitch and moan about it and let you know why it will fail.
Posted by doubleb
Baton Rouge
Member since Aug 2006
36087 posts
Posted on 2/27/24 at 9:40 am to
They stated it would go on LSU property.
Posted by Brosef Stalin
Member since Dec 2011
39229 posts
Posted on 2/27/24 at 9:46 am to
Still gonna be hard to compete for big events with New Orleans so close
Posted by kingbob
Sorrento, LA
Member since Nov 2010
67144 posts
Posted on 2/27/24 at 9:48 am to
Baton Rouge competed just fine up until the early 90’s.
Posted by TDsngumbo
Alpha Silverfox
Member since Oct 2011
41664 posts
Posted on 2/27/24 at 9:49 am to
quote:

The new arena is rumored to be built on Nicholson between campus & downtown.

quote:

PMAC will eventually be either renovated or rebuilt in/near the same spot.

What? That’s not my understanding. What am I missing?

Also, nobody wants to go closer to downtown for an LSU basketball game.
Posted by teke184
Zachary, LA
Member since Jan 2007
96058 posts
Posted on 2/27/24 at 9:51 am to
Replacing two usable venues with one huge venue is not necessarily a good idea.

1. Parking may be an issue. River center parking sucks, LSU parking sucks, but putting both in the same place has the potential to be a major issue.


2. Scheduling becomes a problem when you replace both venues with one large venue, as there may be issues with booking all of basketball season and various other LSU sports as well as all the other events taking place in the main River Center as opposed to the side rooms


3. Rent on the new building will probably be a lot higher than either current facility, which will either drive ticket prices further up or keep some events from being scheduled.




I could see replacing one of these facilities if there is a good plan to do so, but I think building a new multipurpose facility is going to be a problem one way or another.
Posted by Tree_Fall
Member since Mar 2021
489 posts
Posted on 2/27/24 at 10:07 am to
A land-use problem that LSU faces is that the closer to the River you get, the less suitable the land becomes for development. The Vet School next to the levee has a history of groundwater problems(boils). Big heavy buildings and heavy-traffic roads there are bad ideas.

It's rumored that there is also contaminated land requiring remediation between Nicholson and the River. This is reasonable due to the active longtime rail there serving the chemical plants. An unfortunate bit of RR history is that chemical tank cars were often emptied out along rural sections of track.

Just more challenges to fitting in a new arena and Tigerland-like bar area.
Posted by SantaFe
Baton Rouge
Member since Apr 2019
6594 posts
Posted on 2/27/24 at 10:09 am to
Keep the new PMAC center and the new River Center projects separate.

Relocate the new River Center south of BRECs' Equestrian center out on Duncan's Point. Plenty of space for parking and new hotels.

Tear down the present River Center, it is a poor location with poor parking and no room for new growth. Also it smells like old piss. Side note: the Centroplex was built on the original location of the Baton Rouge Coca- Cola bottling plant.
Turn that place into a park for Friday night local bands and such.
Posted by GreenRockTiger
vortex to the whirlpool of despair
Member since Jun 2020
41915 posts
Posted on 2/27/24 at 10:10 am to
quote:

Turn that place into a park for Friday night local bands and such
so you mean expand Repentance park?
Posted by fofuh4
btr
Member since Aug 2022
91 posts
Posted on 2/27/24 at 10:16 am to
waste of time, it would still be an undersized venue with a smaller population group to pull from. Bigger acts can have bigger shows in laf/ nola and make more. maybe worry about the Parochial schools that leech off the Public school assets..
Posted by bdavids09
Member since Jun 2017
636 posts
Posted on 2/27/24 at 10:26 am to
quote:

Did they tear down places like Fenway park in Boston The coliseum in LA? Tiger Stadium in BR? Improve it, don’t throw it away.

But they did tear down the old Yankee stadium with something nicer and nobody misses the old one.
Posted by whoa
New Orleans
Member since Sep 2017
4604 posts
Posted on 2/27/24 at 10:31 am to
You’re missing the fact that this is just a new arena. It’s not replacing the PMAC or the River Center.

It makes sense honestly. Having 4 different sports teams use one facility (3 of those being during the same season) is a tough turnaround. It’s not uncommon for the PMAC to host 3 sporting events back to back to back. LSU can’t justify building a standalone arena solely for let’s say’s Volleyball & Gymnastics so they need some kind of assurance that the new venue would also be able to host other events and not compete with the River Center.
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