#RenovateBlackham

[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.

[Turbine]

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.

Crazy as it sounds, Blackham built in 1949, is in better shape than Cajun Field, built in 1971

[RaginDave]

Crazy as it sounds, Blackham built in 1949, is in better shape than Cajun Field, built in 1971

but in worse shape than the CD that was built in 1985.

[fanof71]

Freedom Hall in Louisville is like Blackham in that it was home to University of Louisville Basketball as well as many regional and national horse shows. While Freedom Hall is still multi-use, U of L now plays in the KFC-Yum Center...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_Hall

[Turbine]

but in worse shape than the CD that was built in 1985.

Yes, 100% true, but only after millions in renovation$ were poured into the CajunDome.

[Cajun Monkee]

You may be correct but many of the people who have fond memories of Blackham are dead. I don't think there will be any money spent on a empty dump like Blackham when they have the Cajun Dome within a mile that sits empty most of the time. Kind of hard to justify that. On the other hand , if you want to write a check......be my guest.

Early in the thread, MAT said he spoke to engineers that estimated it would take $10-12 million to renovate Blackham, which (he said) was also the cost of the Cajundome renovation.

If memory serves me correct, the Cajundome renovation was actually over $20 million.

And that was really just internal re-arranging; nothing structural.

But renovating Blackham would seem to involve a much greater effort. I would imagine a building built in 1950 would pretty much require a complete gutting of the facility, and would cost considerably more than $10 million.

I'm pretty sure you're an engineer. Care to make a guess on what the cost might be?