The Holy Land of Hoops

Good news on the facilities war front for the Big East:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2015/06/02/xavier-launches-25m-cintas-center-overhaul.html?ana=e_cinci_bn_breakingnews&u=nBaExrqRSIS0+8tOrwQRvSDJvwN&t=1433269721

BTW, this is on top of a recent announcement from Xavier that it just landed $100 million in major gifts in the silent phase of a $240 million cap campaign:

http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2015/05/18/exclusive-xavier-breaks-fundraising-record.html

The student rec center noted in this article has nothing to do with the Cintas improvements. As facilities go, a new student rec center is badly needed on Xavier's campus, as the current rec center is very out of date, having been opened in 1973. X will be building a new Taj Mahal rec center on the Xavier University Station property now under development.

I have been to Cintas many times as have most of the X grads who post here and I find nothing out of date or in need of change there. The one thing we would benefit from would be an increase in seating capacity to about 12,000. This however would cost more than 25 MM but even if it could be done at twice the cost it would be worth doing. I have absolutely no doubt we would sell tickets to capacity at 12K just as we do at current capacity.

However the updates mentioned in the article would in no way diminish Cintas. It is one of those arenas in which there are no bad seats and I can truly say I have never had a bad experience there.

robinreed wrote:I have been to Cintas many times as have most of the X grads who post here and I find nothing out of date or in need of change there. The one thing we would benefit from would be an increase in seating capacity to about 12,000. This however would cost more than 25 MM but even if it could be done at twice the cost it would be worth doing. I have absolutely no doubt we would sell tickets to capacity at 12K just as we do at current capacity.

However the updates mentioned in the article would in no way diminish Cintas. It is one of those arenas in which there are no bad seats and I can truly say I have never had a bad experience there.

It was designed by NBBJ, so it had everything going for it when it opened.

But, as the article noted, it opened in 2000. In the relatively short span of 15 years it's technology infrastructure has gotten lapped. Like it or not, WIFI access is important now, so your comment about finding nothing out of date or in need of change falls on deaf ears at this point. Greg also seems to like running the place at 97%+ capacity, so more seats aren't coming any time soon.

These days, the money in arenas is all in the club levels and luxury suites and the related amenities. The regular seats are just there because you may as well have them. Looks like most of these upgrades will go to better servicing (read: extracting money from) the high rollers. Villanova is going to dump $80M into the Pavilion and actually lower the capacity a little bit, but gain 4-6 suites and a club level and likely double the revenue capability of the building.

Letsgonova wrote:These days, the money in arenas is all in the club levels and luxury suites and the related amenities. The regular seats are just there because you may as well have them. Looks like most of these upgrades will go to better servicing (read: extracting money from) the high rollers. Villanova is going to dump $80M into the Pavilion and actually lower the capacity a little bit, but gain 4-6 suites and a club level and likely double the revenue capability of the building.

Exactly. The game is in the amenities now. Love it or hate it, the pro sports effect has trickled down into collegiate athletics on the business side of things.

That's great news about Nova's plan to update the Pavilion. What is so striking is the cost of doing business/construction on the East Coast versus inland. Of course, the Cintas doesn't need a major overhaul, but $80 million! You would think, in the abstract, that throwing in another $20 million or so and you could do a teardown and total rebuild. I guess that would actually mean something like $160 million in the Philly market's case.

robinreed wrote:I have been to Cintas many times as have most of the X grads who post here and I find nothing out of date or in need of change there. The one thing we would benefit from would be an increase in seating capacity to about 12,000. This however would cost more than 25 MM but even if it could be done at twice the cost it would be worth doing. I have absolutely no doubt we would sell tickets to capacity at 12K just as we do at current capacity.

However the updates mentioned in the article would in no way diminish Cintas. It is one of those arenas in which there are no bad seats and I can truly say I have never had a bad experience there.

I am told that the locker and conditioning areas are badly in need of both updating and refurbishing. It makes sense that these are the areas that will be addressed first. As a season ticketholder, and Xavier faculty member, I do not wish to see the seating capacity enlarged from the 10,250+ currently available. But I would like to see improvements in the sound system and if there is more that can be done for the club level and above ticketholders (not me, BTW), I am fine with that as well.

One change I noticed that I am anticipating are cup holders. Sounds stupid, but its a pain in the ass keeping track of a cup beneath your legs etc. Also, wi-fi upgrade is definitely necessary.

Other suggestions, hmm:
- Maybe they could expand the padded seats to the entire lower bowl?
- More food options?

I know it isn't super old or anything, but given its age I still think the Cintas Center comes across very modern. Every time I am able to make it back to Cincinnati for a game there always seems to be another detail that they have improved as well. If it isn't the ribbon boards, then at least it's a wider selection of beers and food. Something always seems to be going on to improve the facility.

Another big thing that other fans may not know is that the Cintas Center is a lot more to the athletes than just where they play. They have a practice gymnasium inside the Cintas, their weight room, locker rooms, and the place that used to be the cafeteria for the entire student body when I was going to school will now be an academic center for student athletes. It is right next to the dorms where at least the underclassmen on the team live as well, so they are pretty much always at the 'Tas.

DudeAnon wrote:One change I noticed that I am anticipating are cup holders. Sounds stupid, but its a pain in the ass keeping track of a cup beneath your legs etc. Also, wi-fi upgrade is definitely necessary.

Other suggestions, hmm:
- Maybe they could expand the padded seats to the entire lower bowl?
- More food options?

I agree about the cups. It's a dumb sounding feature until you get back to your seat and need a place to put your beer, then it's very noticeable if it isn't there. Reminds me of this HIMYM quote too:

Marshall: Maybe New Jersey's not that bad. Stella has a lawn, you could get a riding lawn mower! They sell 'em over there, I saw one with a cup holder! I saw a recliner with a built-in cup holder! I even saw a hammock with a cup holder! You move to New Jersey, you never have to hold a cup again!
Ted: I don't think I have as big a problem with holding cups as you do.

Xudash wrote:

Letsgonova wrote:That's great news about Nova's plan to update the Pavilion. What is so striking is the cost of doing business/construction on the East Coast versus inland. Of course, the Cintas doesn't need a major overhaul, but $80 million! You would think, in the abstract, that throwing in another $20 million or so and you could do a teardown and total rebuild. I guess that would actually mean something like $160 million in the Philly market's case.

Yeah, it's startling how much more things cost here. I think we'd probably be more in the $200M range to get something like Cintas built. The bigger factor, IMO, is that our local municipality would throw their collective bodies in front of a new arena, while we can do interior renovations without interference.