OK I am green on these types of things,one because I am not in or around Louisville but very little,,I agree with Zoo. Why not take an existing building and modify it to suit the needs for a new arena? It,to me, just dosent make a lot of sense to take millions that could go to better the city for the good and also for ALL people there,to build a new building that really isnt needed. Tear down and build bigger,reminds me of a scripture in the Bible where a man built a bigger barn and when he got it finished he died,,,,,

quote:

Originally posted by Angel:
OK I am green on these types of things,one because I am not in or around Louisville but very little,,I agree with Zoo. Why not take an existing building and modify it to suit the needs for a new arena? It,to me, just dosent make a lot of sense to take millions that could go to better the city for the good and also for ALL people there,to build a new building that really isnt needed. Tear down and build bigger,reminds me of a scripture in the Bible where a man built a bigger barn and when he got it finished he died,,,,,

I hear ya.

quote:

Originally posted by Angel:
OK I am green on these types of things,one because I am not in or around Louisville but very little,,I agree with Zoo. Why not take an existing building and modify it to suit the needs for a new arena? It,to me, just dosent make a lot of sense to take millions that could go to better the city for the good and also for ALL people there,to build a new building that really isnt needed. Tear down and build bigger,reminds me of a scripture in the Bible where a man built a bigger barn and when he got it finished he died,,,,,

It's not about building bigger, Angel. It's all about having an arena that will serve Louisville's needs well for sports, concerts, and conventions for the forseeable future. Your suggestion of altering an existing building to suit the needs of a new arena is ludicrous and impractical. Consideration was given, at one point, to modifying Freedom Hall and the idea was rejected as too costly and not well suited to Louisville's needs.

You also under this delusion, like many others, that we could 'save' the money to be spent on a new arena and spend it somewhere else. This is simply not the case. The funding for the arena will come largely from bonds issued by the state of Kentucky. If Louisville does not build a new arena or builds a cheaper arena, those bonds will not be issued or the amount reduced. There's no magical pot of money that can be used for homeless, schools, elderly, etc if only we cut back or eliminate the arena. The bonds will only be issued for arena financing.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by French Toast:

It's not about building bigger, Angel. It's all about having an arena that will serve Louisville's needs well for sports, concerts, and conventions for the forseeable future. Your suggestion of altering an existing building to suit the needs of a new arena is ludicrous and impractical. Consideration was given, at one point, to modifying Freedom Hall and the idea was rejected as too costly and not well suited to Louisville's needs.

[QUOTE]

Not trying to be argumentative here.... (now there is a shocker), but what needs are we trying to meet? And why is it that Freedom Hall cannot meet those needs?
It has been years since I have been to a U of L basketball game, but are the games frequently sold out so that we need more seats?

ZOO: I think there would be many advantages to a new arena, especially if it is located downtown. As a new home for the University of Louisville, it would provide additional revenues for U of L from the executive suites. Nearby downtown restaurants and bars would benefit from people who would make a night of it by patronizing local establishments both before and after U of L games. The new arena would be modern enough and large enough to attract major acts that currently bypass the vintage Freedom Hall. The arena could also serve as supplemental floor space for conventions in need of more space. The new arena would be capable of hosting college and professional tournaments.

Perhaps most of all, building this arena would make a bold statement about Louisville's vision for the future. Freedom Hall was a fine venue in its day but it is grossly obsolete today. Having a presidential / vice-presidential debate or a major sport tournament hosted there would provide invaluable positive publicity for our city. It would serve as an unquestionable notice to the rest of the U.S. that Louisville is no longer a has-been town. We've been saddled down with this 'Mayberry' mentality for far too long. Our choice, I think, is to move ahead or fall further behind.