Article on O'Dome Renovation (with conceptual drawings)

[WESGATORS]

Originally Posted by Row6

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

Agree with this. Too many stadiums have nice and comfortable looking seating down low (think Alabama's and Georgia's stadium) those places never get crazy. When the O'DOME is rocking, it can't be beat (or at least not by many). Student's should have seats completely removed so you can put more of 'em down there. The angle should not be modified.

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS

[Jackson]

SO HAPPY THEY ARE FINALLY DOING THIS! Video boards overhead in the center will be much better. Losing the indoor track will be great. adding seats to the corners where the current boards are will be great and add about 1K seats IMO. Adding the clubs seats and lounges will rock as well. They also need to add at least one more elevator and at least a men's and women's bathroom on the top level. Even it they are smaller.

[gatorcal]

Originally Posted by ufgator4ever

Lipstick on a pig. But naming rights sounds great; I'm all for selling out.

It all depends on what you consider selling out. If it's naming after anyone who gives enough money then we crossed that bridge a long time ago. The majority of our facilities are already named after boosters who gave specific donations.
Football - BHG and Heavener
Baseball - McKethan
Softball - Pressly
Lacrosse - Dizney
Soccer - Pressly
Tennis - Ring
Band - Steinbrenner

If this is the plan then I don't have a problem with it. However, if they plan on calling it the Pizza Hut Center or something along those lines then I would definitely be against it.

[Bradass]

Originally Posted by Row6

They didn't use to, with some exceptions. This is a relatively modern trend. In the past things were more often named after people with accomplishments. Now, it's an "eat at joe's stadium" world.

How many universities have done that with their athletic facilities though? Yes all the pro teams do it, but there's very few in college football that succumbed to that, and that's because their universities and donors don't have the money and resources that UF does. Louisville, UCF...that's about all I can think of off the top of my head.

[Distant Gator]

Are we losing the indoor track or will the seats retract? I'd hate to see us lose the indoor track- especially with our strong track teams.

[demosthenes]

Originally Posted by Distant Gator

Are we losing the indoor track or will the seats retract? I'd hate to see us lose the indoor track- especially with our strong track teams.

In the images I saw it appears the seats will be permanent. Not sure what the contingency would be for indoor track.

[Swampmaster]

hopefully, they rearrange seating and put students on the other side from the TV cameras for more juice during the games.

[LeesGator]

I'm torn on this. On one hand you need to upgrade the facilities to keep up with recruiting. It helps Billy sell the program. On the other hand, places like Duke have done some upgrades, but the arena is essentially the same....I'm not claiming we are Duke, but you get the point.

I've been to a handful of bball arenas around the SEC, and the O'dome has charm, but it's crap when you compare it to some of the others.

[Row6]

Originally Posted by WESGATORS

Agree with this. Too many stadiums have nice and comfortable looking seating down low (think Alabama's and Georgia's stadium) those places never get crazy. When the O'DOME is rocking, it can't be beat (or at least not by many). Student's should have seats completely removed so you can put more of 'em down there. The angle should not be modified.

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS

We seem in a minority.

It's a freaking BB gym, not a palace! Do recruits really care about court-side chair backs and paneled food courts? The action is on the court. Why do we?

[LeesGator]

Originally Posted by Row6

We seem in a minority.

It's a freaking BB gym, not a palace! Do recruits really care about court-side chair backs and paneled food courts? The action is on the court. Why do we?

You don't think recruits care about facilities? You don't think that there is a percentage of fans out there that don't care about upgraded facilities? Billy mentioned a few years back that we needed to upgrade our facilities INCLUDING the O'dome. It makes it easier for Billy to recruit if we have top notch facilities.

[Row6]

Originally Posted by LeesGator

You don't think recruits care about facilities? You don't think that there is a percentage of fans out there that don't care about upgraded facilities? Billy mentioned a few years back that we needed to upgrade our facilities INCLUDING the O'dome. It makes it easier for Billy to recruit if we have top notch facilities.

1 How does Duke survive?

2 I find it hard to believe that recruits care about the seats (hopefully they can't see them), the refreshment stands, or boxes. No matter what we do, the Dome is still the Dome.

3 I love Billy but he's done OK with the funky facilities he's got and despite the other thread here, he had a gym known as one of the toughest place to play in the SEC if not the country. More expensive tickets aren't going to help with attendance. I know some of that is the bad economy, but paying more for the improvements (to go along with Billy's salary) aren't going to help fill solve that.

[rounds]

Players care about full, wild assed, noisy, knowledgeable crowds.

[LeesGator]

Originally Posted by Row6

1 How does Duke survive?

2 I find it hard to believe that recruits care about the seats (hopefully they can't see them), the refreshment stands, or boxes. No matter what we do, the Dome is still the Dome.

3 I love Billy but he's done OK with the funky facilities he's got and despite the other thread here, he had a gym known as one of the toughest place to play in the SEC if not the country. More expensive tickets aren't going to help with attendance. I know some of that is the bad economy, but paying more for the improvements (to go along with Billy's salary) aren't going to help fill solve that.

1. Because they are Duke. However, even Duke has spent big money to upgrade Cameron, as recently as 2010.

2. Well, believe it. Recruits do care about facilities. It is not the #1 thing they care about, but better facilities certainly can make a difference.

3. We made one upgrade to the dome a few years back and if Billy thinks we need to do more, then we should. Need to think about what is going on around us from a competitive landscape. Also need to think about the future. You talk as if we should still be playing in old Alligator Alley.

[gatorev12]

Originally Posted by Distant Gator

Are we losing the indoor track or will the seats retract? I'd hate to see us lose the indoor track- especially with our strong track teams.

A concern of mine as well--we've been very competitive at indoor track and the O'Dome has one of the country's best indoor track surfaces (not just homerism--its been listed as such in publications).

Throw in the fact the men's indoor track team has won the last 3 national championships in a row...so it's not like we should take that fact for granted.

Losing the indoor track without replacing it would be a HUGE disservice to the University.

I'm not against renovating the O'Dome by any means--but not at the expense of jeopardizing a winning track program.

[bgator85]

I think an indoor track would be put somewhere else, most likely in a new indoor track/football practice facility.

[grant1]

If they have eduacational activities in there, they should get state funds as f$u did for thier dickhead campbell renovations a few years ago.

[Distant Gator]

Originally Posted by bgator85

I think an indoor track would be put somewhere else, most likely in a new indoor track/football practice facility.

No joke- Clemson did this. They raised money for a new facility and sold it as a dual-purpose indoor track/ football practice facility.

But now it's just an indoor track. I don't think football uses it.

But we could do both- and name it after Jeff Demps LOL.

[bgator85]

Originally Posted by Distant Gator

No joke- Clemson did this. They raised money for a new facility and sold it as a dual-purpose indoor track/ football practice facility.

But now it's just an indoor track. I don't think football uses it.

But we could do both- and name it after Jeff Demps LOL.

UK did something similar.

[Row6]

Originally Posted by LeesGator

1. Because they are Duke. However, even Duke has spent big money to upgrade Cameron, as recently as 2010.

2. Well, believe it. Recruits do care about facilities. It is not the #1 thing they care about, but better facilities certainly can make a difference.

3. We made one upgrade to the dome a few years back and if Billy thinks we need to do more, then we should. Need to think about what is going on around us from a competitive landscape. Also need to think about the future. You talk as if we should still be playing in old Alligator Alley.

Define what better facilities recruits care about. Chairbacks at courtside so grandpa can nap? Boxes so Daddy Warbucks can get drunk? Nicer refreshment stands? We're not talking about the Dome getting bigger, or cooler looking.

As to Billy, he's a very well paid employee and not likely to buck expansionary plans of the powers that be. Even if he does in his heart think this is a good plan, as a long time paying customer I reserve the right to ask for good reasons justifying it. Recruits doesn't cut it. Got any others?

[Gator_Tom66]

Great move and long over due. I like comfortable seats, they have never stopped me from standing and yelling. The money will mostly be from donations and it will help with recruiting. As a long time paying customer I applaud the move.