Article on O'Dome Renovation (with conceptual drawings)

[TJtheGator]

Looks awesome!

http://www.gainesville.com/article/2...21129536?tc=cr

[GothamGator]

Hopefully, this will increase the number of seats in the lower level. There is a lot of dead space down there.

[UFG8rGuy3283]

Thanks for posting. Interesting thought. I agree that something needs to be done with the ODome but I also wonder at what expense?

We don't fill the stands as it is and I'm sure the ticket prices will continue to increase once they do the renovations, which will certainly not help attendance.

The basketball fan in me LOVES this. I just hope the dollars and cents make sense.

[ApexNC]

Originally Posted by UFG8rGuy3283

Thanks for posting. Interesting thought. I agree that something needs to be done with the ODome but I also wonder at what expense?

We don't fill the stands as it is and I'm sure the ticket prices will continue to increase once they do the renovations, which will certainly not help attendance.

The basketball fan in me LOVES this. I just hope the dollars and cents make sense.

Yeah, interesting that the bulk of the article was about naming rights instead of discussing the actual renovations. Looking at the picture, it would be weird and sad to pull the fans back so far away from the court. I know they're probably a little too close now, but part of the charm of the O-Dome...and the Swamp for that matter...is how close the fans are to the players.

But luxury boxes are what makes the money. Hopefully it won't raise the price too much for the average fan. Facility upgrades probably won't hurt recruiting either.

[demosthenes]

Originally Posted by GothamGator

Hopefully, this will increase the number of seats in the lower level. There is a lot of dead space down there.

I thought the inefficiency had to do with it being a multi use facility. Based on those images it looks like the indoor track may be going away. How does that work? Have they built another indoor complex I'm not aware of?

[TJtheGator]

They haven't built another indoor complex. But Gymnastics just got a $4 million facility attached to the North side of the O'Dome. The one factor keeping a lot of UF facilities "sub-par" isn't money. It is lack of space on campus around the existing facilities.

[tilly]

No more corner video boards.

[Dreamliner]

WOW! Never saw this coming. It's long overdue as, increasingly, podunk colleges have facilities now that make the Dome look long-in-the-tooth by comparison.

[GatorPlanet]

Sounds great, but I'm trying to figure out how new seats and a hotdog stand cost $50 million.

[Row6]

Keep the bleachers and keep them close to the court. People get too comfy and passive in chair backs.

[gottapanda]

Originally Posted by GatorPlanet

Sounds great, but I'm trying to figure out how new seats and a hotdog stand cost $50 million.

Wait till you try those hotdogs!

[NorthCaptivaGator]

Originally Posted by tilly

No more corner video boards.

- look through the slide show- big video boards up high in the corners

[gatorr4life]

Love it!

[CAGator93]

Sweet. This program deserves a top notch building -- it's time!

[MiracleMax]

It's not a great basketball facility, but I have a great memory of getting my diploma there.

[prideofthesunshine]

This looks very similar to the renovation the Sundome received at USF last year. With all the money put into the Gymnastics studio, you know they aren't doing away with the ODome anytime soon.

I agree with the people concerned about ticket prices and I also wonder about when during the year this would be completed. Volleyball starts in the fall and basketball runs trough the first week of March.

It looks great though, I hope they go through with it!

[BLING]

Originally Posted by GatorPlanet

Sounds great, but I'm trying to figure out how new seats and a hotdog stand cost $50 million.

That's a good question, considering $50 million could actually build a pretty solid facility from the ground up - although if they were to actually DEMOLISH the O'Dome completely that would probably add a significant amount right there - and like others have said there are things that would go to waste (like the $4 million they just spent, or are in the process of spending on expanding the Gymnastics facility... couldn't they have just made that part of THIS complete overhaul???).

I'm guessing if that's the estimate, it must be more than just "new seats and a hotdog stand". They must be proposing what essentially boils down to a total renovation down to the skeleton of the building.

I read that the Sun Dome renovation cost like $35 Million, and from the pictures of their renovations they pretty much gutted that building as well. Still, even if a new arena is not in the cards a substantial renovation like this is much needed and very exciting. Hopefully it comes to pass. Just please dont screw it up in the design phase like some of the other projects at UF. Oh who am I kidding.

[NorthCaptivaGator]

Just put the cameras or the rowdies on the other side, then the place is fine like it is

[RepubliGator84]

Like the concepts. It's time

[BLING]

Originally Posted by prideofthesunshine

I agree with the people concerned about ticket prices and I also wonder about when during the year this would be completed. Volleyball starts in the fall and basketball runs trough the first week of March.

It looks great though, I hope they go through with it!

One would have to think they would not start it until after basketball season even if it were approved immediately, I dont' think they would just start doing it in the middle of the season.

Of course no matter what, a full-on renovation probably means basketball will be playing at a different arena for at least 1 season. Kind of a shame if it's next year's class (Kasey Hill and Chris Walker) - is there even another arena in Gainesville that can accomidate them? Don't want all of our "home" games to be in Jacksonville because the turnoutfor the "cupcake" games might be friends and family only.