#RenovateBlackham

[ManAboutTown]

I was in your camp till we hosted McNeese in 2005, loaned them our practice uniforms and Blackham rocked like the Cajundome has never rocked.

It was awesome.

He's consistently on the wrong side of history. These people don't understand that fans pay for an experience. Shared energy and nostalgia is WHY you put up with crowds and inconveniences. Like you said, the CD has never "rocked" like Blackham, which is one of the biggest reasons why the place is empty.

It all goes back to the simple point: Some people want the Cajuns to WIN and be wildly successful in front of a passionate fanbase. And some people, want to kick back in a sparsely attended, nice arena, where they can yuck it up with their 3 friends, sit next to the coach and feel important. Way too many in the latter group.

I'll happily squish into a smaller venue to be a consistent winner with a real home court advantage.

[ManAboutTown]

I can tell you this. Admin has never had meetings to discuss going Indy. Within the the last couple of years, they HAVE had meetings to discuss renovating Blackham.

Whoa. Really?? I honestly did not know that.

[cjr3888]

He's consistently on the wrong side of history. These people don't understand that fans pay for an experience. Shared energy and nostalgia is WHY you put up with crowds and inconveniences. Like you said, the CD has never "rocked" like Blackham, which is one of the biggest reasons why the place is empty.

It all goes back to the simple point: Some people want the Cajuns to WIN and be wildly successful in front of a passionate fanbase. And some people, want to kick back in a sparsely attended, nice arena, where they can yuck it up with their 3 friends, sit next to the coach and feel important. Way too many in the latter group.

I'll happily squish into a smaller venue to be a consistent winner with a real home court advantage.

Hey jack@--, you don't even know me. So keep any of your thoughts of me in your head unless I specifically talk to you.

[ManAboutTown]

Hey jack@--, you don't even know me. So keep any of your thoughts of me in your head unless I specifically talk to you.

Settle down, coach. If you didn't want to be included in the conversation, you should have kept your thoughts to yourself.

[cjr3888]

Settle down, coach. If you didn't want to be included in the conversation, you should have kept your thoughts to yourself.

Like I said, no problem if I'm talking to you directly. But if you're going to hide behind your bi-polar online aliases, don't mention me otherwise.

[CajunNation]

Whoa. Really?? I honestly did not know that.

I don't know where the mindset is today, but they did kick the tires on that in the not too distant past.

[no1cajunfan]

Do not renovate Blackham. One thing people are forgetting is parking. If it rains, everyone is parked in a pasture and many cars will get stuck. The Cajundome is a premier arena. Going back to Blackham would really be USLing it.

Tear the damn eyesore down and put the new Performing arts center there. Other than one rodeo a year what is it used for anyway?

[Turbine]

Tear the damn eyesore down and put the new Performing arts center there. Other than one rodeo a year what is it used for anyway?

Festival des Fleurs de Louisiane

[ZoomZoom]

When I hit the powerball, I'm coming back to this post.

If we’re blessed to hit the big lottery I’d like to cover the shortage for CF and get it done with ONE caveat…autonomy for RCAF.

[ZoomZoom]

Tear the damn eyesore down and put the new Performing arts center there. Other than one rodeo a year what is it used for anyway?

That’s why I asked what the foundation made. ALWAYS follow the money.

[zeppelincajun]

I won’t argue with those who say renovating Blackham is a pipedream. This does not change the fact that our business as usual model is not working. It also doesn’t change the fact that our “little brother” is living our pipedream one hour down the road. There is huge waste involved in operating a “premier arena” for less than 25% capacity time and time again. This waste is passed along to our fans in the way of fees and concessions prices they can’t afford or are unwilling to pay. I’ll continue to support this university and athletic department. Believing in UL’s success feels like the pipedream to me right now though.

[CajunEXPRESS]

but, but, but we had product on the field in CF for three straight years and . . .

We won a lot of games, but the product wasn’t really fun to watch. Lots of close low scoring games to be sure. Fans want big play offense.

[cajun_lannister]

Whoa. Really?? I honestly did not know that.

Probably getting Blackham to code and fix, the structural issues would cost just as much as leveling it and building from scratch. I do agree a 4k-person arena built with basketball in mind would be fantastic.

[CajunNation]

Probably getting Blackham to code and fix, the structural issues would cost just as much as leveling it and building from scratch. I do agree a 4k-person arena built with basketball in mind would be fantastic.

We have got to fix CF first, but a new Blackham should be moved to the very top of the future planning.

It would be very nice if this could be partnered with construction of a new Ag building somewhere around Scott. Because, to make Blackham THE toughest venue in the country, would require dropping the floor and extending seating all the way down to it.

Opposing teams would CRUMBLE under the pressure.

[ManAboutTown]

We have got to fix CF first, but a new Blackham should be moved to the very top of the future planning.

It would be very nice if this could be partnered with construction of a new Ag building somewhere around Scott. Because, to make Blackham THE toughest venue in the country, would require dropping the floor and extending seating all the way down to it.

Opposing teams would CRUMBLE under the pressure.

When Purvis was the mayor of Scott, there was a plan in place to run a frontage road along the northside of I-10 and build an Ag building about a half mile from the Scott/Cankton exit. Not sure whatever happened to that.

To Zepplin's point about it being a pipe dream: Just because it won't happen doesn't mean it shouldn't. We agree on all points that you made. People have no idea how much money we're losing on that facility and that ticket arrangement. It's absurd. A private business would have restructured 10 years ago.

To Lanny's point about the cost: with today's material prices, probably close. Some program (can't remember) in the last couple years built a new facility for right around $18 million and it was bare bones as it gets. I think $12-14 million gets us exactly what we need in Blackham.