How much $ does it take to buy a quality home game?

[ManAboutTown]

It's an intriguing idea, no doubt. Unique as far as I know.

[HoustonCajun]

My idea would take some money but I think would benefit both men's and women's basketball.
If I had the money I would build an arena that had two courts with suites in between the two courts and lockers underneath the stands. Women's arena would set between 2 & 3 thousand. Men's arena would hold between 5 & 7 thousand. I do not think basketball arenas are getting bigger. Make a demand for tickets.

The big advantage of the two arenas would be that both teams would be able to practice in their own arena. Also teams could warm up while the other one was playing. Games could still be spaced apart to allow fans to walk from one arena to the other but they would no longer be stuck in a locker room.

As for where it would go, I would put it across from Bourgeois Hall. Any overflow parking could still park at Cajun Field.

Sorry for the crude drawing but it was the best I could do right now.

Ever been to the Air Force Academy? The have a Fieldhouse with a basketball arena, a hockey arena, and an indoor T&F facility with a football practice field, all under one roof. Very impressive and similar to what you are proposing. You can actually walk between the basketball and hockey arenas with concessions and merchandise stands and events in both facility going on simultaneously.

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY

The Cadet Field House is considered to be one
of the premier sports structures in the country.
The three-in-one building was completed in the
spring of 1968. It was designed for intercollegiate
competition and practice in track, basketball, and ice
hockey. Approximately one-half of the building is a
multipurpose area containing a one-sixth mile, sixlane
tartan surface track with a synthetic turf surfaced
infield, approximately the size of a standard football
field. The netted area is approximately the size of a
baseball infield and is an ideal practice area for the
varsity baseball and lacrosse teams. The multipurpose
area is used for indoor track and field meets,
inclement weather practice sessions for all outdoor
varsity sports, instructional golf classes, aerobics
conditioning and fitness testing.
Clune Arena has a seating capacity of 5,858, while the
Cadet Ice Arena seats 2,470. Clune Arena is also used
for basketball, wrestling and boxing events.

[HoustonCajun]

Ever been to the Air Force Academy? The have a Fieldhouse with a basketball arena, a hockey arena, and an indoor T&F facility with a football practice field, all under one roof. Very impressive and similar to what you are proposing. You can actually walk between the basketball and hockey arenas with concessions and merchandise stands and events in both facility going on simultaneously.

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY

The Cadet Field House is considered to be one
of the premier sports structures in the country.
The three-in-one building was completed in the
spring of 1968. It was designed for intercollegiate
competition and practice in track, basketball, and ice
hockey. Approximately one-half of the building is a
multipurpose area containing a one-sixth mile, sixlane
tartan surface track with a synthetic turf surfaced
infield, approximately the size of a standard football
field. The netted area is approximately the size of a
baseball infield and is an ideal practice area for the
varsity baseball and lacrosse teams. The multipurpose
area is used for indoor track and field meets,
inclement weather practice sessions for all outdoor
varsity sports, instructional golf classes, aerobics
conditioning and fitness testing.
Clune Arena has a seating capacity of 5,858, while the
Cadet Ice Arena seats 2,470. Clune Arena is also used
for basketball, wrestling and boxing events.

Here are some pictures I found:

[MelRock]

Thanks for the pictures. I think it could would make for a great facility, but I am bias because it was my idea. If ever won the lottery I would build the arena. Aw to dream, might as well dream big.

[CajunNation]

Well I would do whatever was cheaper. Renovate Blackham or build Shipley Arena.

In starting from scratch, I imagine the first step would be digging a hole. Then, couldn't we sell all of that dirt? Also, leasing of suites would offset the price as well. I think this could be done in a reasonable time frame once we complete the Master Plan as much as we can.

[BirdofParadise]

Renovating Blackham would be a lot cheaper, probably. But even a renovation wouldn't do for what we need today.

$70-75 million to do it right.

[VObserver]

Renovating Blackham would be a lot cheaper, probably. But even a renovation wouldn't do for what we need today.

$70-75 million to do it right.

McCleod Center, University of Northern Iowa, Cap: 6650, Built in 2008 for $25,000,000. We don't need more than that.

Oh, and Jay, UNI has recently been a 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament coming from the Missouri Valley Conference, without winning the Tournament. I am calling BS on the "Mid-Majors can't get an at large any more".

Their OOC Schedule this year:

Truman State (Exhibition) Cedar Falls, Iowa W 70-50 Details
11/14/2015 Colorado State Cedar Falls, Iowa L 78-84 Box Score Details
11/17/2015 Stephen F. Austin Cedar Falls, Iowa W 70-60 Box Score Details
11/21/2015 North Carolina Cedar Falls, Iowa W 71-67 Box Score Details
11/25/2015 Dubuque Cedar Falls, Iowa W 83-63 Box Score Details
11/28/2015 North Dakota Grand Forks, N.D. W 97-51 Box Score Details
11/30/2015 North Texas Cedar Falls, Iowa W 93-70 Box Score Details
12/5/2015 Richmond Richmond, Va. L 67-82 Box Score Details
12/8/2015 George Mason Fairfax, Va. W 73-65 Box Score Details
12/12/2015 New Mexico Albuquerque, N.M. L 57-76 Box Score Details
12/19/2015 Iowa State Des Moines, Iowa W 81-79 Box Score Details
12/23/2015 Hawaii (Diamond Head Classic) Honolulu, Hawaii L 52-68 Box Score Details
12/23/2015 Washington State (Diamond Head Classic) Honolulu, Hawaii W 63-59 Box Score Details
12/25/2015 BYU (Diamond Head Classic) Honolulu, Hawaii L 76-84 Box Score Details

[CajunNation]

McCleod Center, University of Northern Iowa, Cap: 6650, Built in 2008 for $25,000,000. We don't need more than that.

Agreed.

Look at renovating Blackham. The structure is sound. To make it the best basketball facility possible would not take Herculian efforts.

Drop the floor. Dig it out low enough to where the seating is as clost to the floor as possible.

Put chairbacks in place of benches.

Build in suites along the top.

Completely redo bathrooms, concessions, and locker rooms.

I'm sure there are other things to do, but you get the idea. No way a renovation would cost as much as Northern Iowas facility.

[CajunJack55]

What Troy just built would be perfect for us as well.

[CajunNation]

Oh, and Jay, UNI has recently been a 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament coming from the Missouri Valley Conference, without winning the Tournament. I am calling BS on the "Mid-Majors can't get an at large any more".

The thing that UNI, Wichita, and the rest of the MVC schools have going for them is their conference RPI. The MVC has the model for raising your conference RPI. The SBC presidents AND basketball coaches refuse to commit to those changes.