Author Topic: Athletic Facility Masterplan  (Read 10045 times)

sbugold

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Re: Athletic Facility Masterplan
« Reply #45 on: May 20, 2015, 11:04:49 am »
While I whole-heartedly agree that this is all wonderful for recruiting efforts and the long-term athletic profile and branding for SBU, I wish there had been at least some attention to some of the lesser profile sports which deserve recognition and support as well.

For example, the swimming pool was unceremoniously seized from the swimming team some years ago, and from time to time there is mention (including in some of Dr. Stanley's speeches) that it will soon be returned.  Where is it?  Is there a specific plan?

The baseball team has certainly provided some exciting moments over the years, but the University doesn't seem to invest much hype or funding to raise its profile.  Don't you think it would be worth investing some energy and a few bucks to attract fans to Joe Nathan Field and try to brand the team as a Northeast baseball dynasty for the future.  How about some real grandstand seating for starters.

Hockey might be another candidate for some real thought about creating true NCAA rivalries, since the Northeast is a hotbed of hockey interest.

Just sayin'....

Hammertime

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Re: Athletic Facility Masterplan
« Reply #46 on: May 20, 2015, 03:09:48 pm »
I agree gold.. Football Is Heilbron main attraction right now.  I would love to the SB play in the NCAA Div1 hockey.  OMG. That place would pack out at every game... forget it though, I already asked!!!!!

sbufan

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Re: Athletic Facility Masterplan
« Reply #47 on: May 20, 2015, 03:45:44 pm »
Hammer, did you go to the event last night? Anything not mentioned in the article that stood out?

sbufan

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Re: Athletic Facility Masterplan
« Reply #48 on: May 20, 2015, 03:56:14 pm »
While I whole-heartedly agree that this is all wonderful for recruiting efforts and the long-term athletic profile and branding for SBU, I wish there had been at least some attention to some of the lesser profile sports which deserve recognition and support as well.

For example, the swimming pool was unceremoniously seized from the swimming team some years ago, and from time to time there is mention (including in some of Dr. Stanley's speeches) that it will soon be returned.  Where is it?  Is there a specific plan?

The baseball team has certainly provided some exciting moments over the years, but the University doesn't seem to invest much hype or funding to raise its profile.  Don't you think it would be worth investing some energy and a few bucks to attract fans to Joe Nathan Field and try to brand the team as a Northeast baseball dynasty for the future.  How about some real grandstand seating for starters.

Hockey might be another candidate for some real thought about creating true NCAA rivalries, since the Northeast is a hotbed of hockey interest.

Just sayin'....

What's going on with the swimming and diving team is mystery. I believe the plan was to renovate the swimming pool, but from what I can tell, that still hasn't started.

The article looks at the field house through the lens of football, but I actually think the spring sports that start in January are going to benefit the most from it. I don't know what the baseball team currently does when there's snow on Joe Nathan field, but I'm sure it'll be nice to have the field house to run drills in instead. I don't think its a coincidence that our CWS run took place after a historically mild winter..
« Last Edit: May 20, 2015, 03:58:13 pm by sbufan »

Hammertime

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Re: Athletic Facility Masterplan
« Reply #49 on: May 20, 2015, 04:52:55 pm »
Hammer, did you go to the event last night? Anything not mentioned in the article that stood out?
Yes, I went to the Road Show last night.  Nothing earth shattering and nothing we don't already know..I really don't see how SB  plan on getting 100 million through fundraising in 5 years. That goal will not be met unless the state steps in and we know now that's not going to happen. I did ask the board a question about volunteering my time for free with helping SB Athletes any way I can. Several people also were on board with this as well. Not a bad thing considering I am not a SB Alumni.  I did go to John J in the City though! !!
« Last Edit: May 20, 2015, 04:55:35 pm by Hammertime »

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Re: Athletic Facility Masterplan
« Reply #50 on: May 20, 2015, 08:22:14 pm »
posting for those having trouble accessing the sites:





Quote
ATHLETICS UNVEILS NEW $100 MILLION FIVE YEAR PLAN

We have seen the future of Seawolves Athletics, and boy is it shiny.

Renderings of an expanded 20,000 seat LaValle Stadium and accompanying field house emerged this week, highlighting the direction that Shawn Heilbron, now entering his second year as Athletics Director, intends to steer the program.

“This is what the future looks like,” said Heilbron at the inaugural event of Seawolves United, a new athletics fundraising initiative. “The arena, Island Federal Credit Union Arena, is an example of what big time college athletics looks like. This indoor practice facility is what big time college athletics looks like.”

The proposed field house would cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $12 million to $16 million, money that Athletics is hoping to raise quickly through private donations. All told, Seawolves United wants to raise $100 million within five years to finance the major facilities upgrades, and according to Heilbron, the hope is to break ground on the field house as soon as next summer.

Coach Priore stressed the importance of the indoor facility to his program.

“When you go on campus on recruiting visit, unfortunately young adults want to see things that they think they’re going to utilize all the time. When you have an indoor facility like that, where you can walk them in, that the Univeristy of Delaware has, we lose a recruit when we don’t have that opportunity.”

From his very first day on campus last summer, Heilbron has stressed the importance of football to the athletics department and the entire university. Men’s and women’s basketball may be more successful and lacrosse may be Long Island’s biggest export, but football remains the largest draw for fans and, more importantly to the athletics department, donors.

“For us to get to where we want to go, as a big time university, not just the athletics department, football has to be big time,” said Heilbron.

The stadium expansion will likely be incremental, first adding seats near the scoreboard, then building out the rest of the bowl to raise the official capacity to 20,000, big enough to meet the BCS’ capacity requirements. Funding for the intial expansion had initially been allocated in the New York State budget, but it was ultimately vetoed by Governor Cuomo.

Heilbron also alluded to other, smaller (and cheaper) changes that fans will begin to notice this fall. Perhaps the most notable will be the introduction of Seawolves Town, a designated tailgating area in the La Valle Stadium parking lot where fans can set up tents and grills before home games.

Monday’s event wasn’t all about football. Men’s basketball Head Coach Steve Pikiell and Women’s basketball Head Coach Caroline McCombs were also on hand to schmooze with the dozens of supporters and alumni in attendance and answer questions, and Heilbron was quick to remind everyone that his goals for athletics include far more than just success on the gridiron.

“One of the goals of our plan is, we want to go to the postseason in five sports a year,” he said. And our goal is to advance beyond the first round in each of those.” Another goal: to bring home at least one national team title within the next five years.

“We’re going to do it,” he said through a knowing smile.

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Re: Athletic Facility Masterplan
« Reply #51 on: May 20, 2015, 08:23:12 pm »
btw has anyone heard of brook.land before??? how is it thats its been open for over a year and no one's posted a link nor heard of this site???
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Seawolf97

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Re: Athletic Facility Masterplan
« Reply #52 on: May 20, 2015, 09:30:21 pm »
 I was at Danfords also last  night  and I had a great  time .  I  think the whole plan is to make us to look very good  to an FBS  Conference. Our AD in his talk  said he is very happy staying in the CAA and AE  for a longtime but in his next breath mentioned if the ACC comes a calling we go.  These facilities  and spending a 100 million are not  for a CAA Team or  AE team .  This is big time money to make us look attractive to a major conference for FBS  football which is now King .  Is it doable?  I think it is remember he managed the Wooden Foundation at UCLA which is their mainstay for UCLA athletics. so why not us .   The next 5 years should be very interesting and nothing  should surprise us in a positive  sense.  We have to give him credit for being bold this is a major change in direction .

sbufan

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Re: Athletic Facility Masterplan
« Reply #53 on: May 20, 2015, 10:13:18 pm »
I was at Danfords also last  night  and I had a great  time .  I  think the whole plan is to make us to look very good  to an FBS  Conference. Our AD in his talk  said he is very happy staying in the CAA and AE  for a longtime but in his next breath mentioned if the ACC comes a calling we go.  These facilities  and spending a 100 million are not  for a CAA Team or  AE team .  This is big time money to make us look attractive to a major conference for FBS  football which is now King .  Is it doable?  I think it is remember he managed the Wooden Foundation at UCLA which is their mainstay for UCLA athletics. so why not us .   The next 5 years should be very interesting and nothing  should surprise us in a positive  sense.  We have to give him credit for being bold this is a major change in direction .

Thanks, 97. It's exciting times.

sbufan

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Re: Athletic Facility Masterplan
« Reply #54 on: May 20, 2015, 11:03:50 pm »
btw has anyone heard of brook.land before??? how is it thats its been open for over a year and no one's posted a link nor heard of this site???

I think it was called What's a Seawolf (or I'm a Seawolf), but recently changed names to Brook.Land and rebranded. Either way Adam Peck is doing a terrific job with it.

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Re: Athletic Facility Masterplan
« Reply #55 on: May 21, 2015, 09:05:58 am »
oh ok yes good thanks.

also, here's a problem we've been talking about that confronts heilbron's ambitious plan- yes we have a student body of 20k, half of which lives on campus.

but the larger problem is that football games happen (mostly) on weekends.

anyone want to guess what % stay on campus for the weekend?

suddenly, then, it becomes much more difficult to fill 20k seats.  or even 8216.

unless we are planning on more of the local community coming?  queue up the traffic issues, but quadruple them.

same discussion on same problem here: http://sbufan.createaforum.com/around-stony-brook/making-sb-better-idea-thread/msg10362/#msg10362
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sbugold

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Re: Athletic Facility Masterplan
« Reply #56 on: May 21, 2015, 12:42:12 pm »
Assuming that the goal of putting nearly 20,000 in the seats for the majority of games ( a real stretch, I think), there's one additional issue that must be addressed, which is conspicuous by its absence in the plan--PARKING!!!.

It seems to me that a reasonable portion of either the Gym Rd. lot or stadium lot would have to be converted into a stacked garage-type facility, don't you think?

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Re: Athletic Facility Masterplan
« Reply #57 on: May 21, 2015, 03:16:58 pm »
yeah its a good point too.

again if you have 75% of seats go to students, likely not a problem.  its not like people are taking the train en masse.

I truly hope that Heilbron is reading this!  but I also know that there is no way they've omitted these issues.  i'd just love to hear how they are going to fill it.
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sbufan

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Re: Athletic Facility Masterplan
« Reply #58 on: May 21, 2015, 03:39:56 pm »
I would think a decent portion of the proposed funding is for these infrastructure improvements to make getting to and leaving a 20k person event possible. 80 million dollars seems like too much to just be adding 12k seats to Lavalle. On twitter they've announced that a new website will up soon (http://www.seawolvesunited.com/) for proposed 5 year plan. Hopefully some of the details will be better laid out there. I'm sure Heilbron and the department are aware of these issues.


Seawolf97

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Re: Athletic Facility Masterplan
« Reply #59 on: May 21, 2015, 05:09:44 pm »
The  student issue was discussed Tuesday night  with no real solution .  Our Admin is aware of the problem and also of the weather issue as games go into November and the temps drop or snow happens.  They are working hard to rally  the students and the local communities  to fill those 20k seats they plan.  This to me is critical since there is nothing worse than an empty stadium  on game day .  I'm sure they are open to any ideas.  We will have a new tailgating area in front of the stadium so that might help.   But attendance is critical  if this is to work  especially late in the season when we play our CAA home games.