With a new arena in Louisville nearing completion and opening soon, I hear plans are being put in place to build a new basketball palace in Lexington right across the street from Rupp, pretty much where the Hyatt Parking lot is.

 

Luxury boxes generate big bucks, and the Lexingtonians will be standing in line to gobble them up. I can't see the Home of the Wildcats being allowed to be upstaged by the new Cardinals arena.

 

Not keeping up the current news as I should, this may be old news to many, but this week was the first I've heard of it. I'd think keeping the Sweet Sixteen in Lexington might be another major contributing factor.

 

Fact or fiction???

I have heard it's still a long way off for a new arena.

I seem to remember hearing that the plans for a new arena should be finalized by the end of 2011.

Edited March 20, 201016 yr by ColonelCrazy

With a new arena in Louisville nearing completion and opening soon, I hear plans are being put in place to build a new basketball palace in Lexington right across the street from Rupp, pretty much where the Hyatt Parking lot is.

 

As if parking wasn't bad enough now, it will be atrocious then.

Here's an article that is a little over a year old, discussing the issue:

 

http://www.kentucky.com/2009/02/20/700069/study-on-new-uk-arenas-temporarily.html

I would prefer to think that they wouldn't be ruled by jealousy that someone would dare to have a better arena, but sadly yes, I think it probably is not long for this world, relatively speaking.

I would question any findings that comes up in the study paid for by London England based IMG/ISG, as they will benefit ($$$$) by running a new arena.

I would prefer to think that they wouldn't be ruled by jealousy that someone would dare to have a better arena, but sadly yes, I think it probably is not long for this world, relatively speaking.

 

I don't think that is the issue, although it may play a factor. Rupp Arena is old & could be much better.

Retrofitting RUPP with luxury boxes and new seating is a much better along with a new video/ score board to replace the "Big Bertha" speaker monstrocity. A new ribbon video/ message board surrounding the arena between the upper and lower levels will be nice too. The net loss of about 2000 seats will be offset 10 fold by booster revenue from the luxury boxes. This can all be done at 1/6 th cost of a new Arena not counting the 2-3 years of construction hassle and limited parking.

The place is an antiquated dump, and ranks about .01 on the fan friendliness scale. UK hoops deserves a lot better.

The place is an antiquated dump, and ranks about .01 on the fan friendliness scale. UK hoops deserves a lot better.

 

Much better, the only thing it had going for it when it opened was that it was big, but it was always a dump from the beginning. Can't see why anybody likes going to that place. It was designed wrong from the beginning, too much straight up and down and more bad seats than good ones. Has anyone been in Tennessee's gym? Does it have better seating and views,even though it is bigger or is it the spitting image of Rupp Arena?

Much better, the only thing it had going for it when it opened was that it was big, but it was always a dump from the beginning. Can't see why anybody likes going to that place. It was designed wrong from the beginning, too much straight up and down and more bad seats than good ones. Has anyone been in Tennessee's gym? Does it have better seating and views,even though it is bigger or is it the spitting image of Rupp Arena?

 

I've never been to Knoxville but I heard it's very nice since they renovated.

Much better, the only thing it had going for it when it opened was that it was big, but it was always a dump from the beginning. Can't see why anybody likes going to that place. It was designed wrong from the beginning, too much straight up and down and more bad seats than good ones. Has anyone been in Tennessee's gym? Does it have better seating and views,even though it is bigger or is it the spitting image of Rupp Arena?

 

 

I was there the first year it opened, hosting the SEC tourney (last of the Eddie Sutton years); then again a couple of times in the Chris Lofton era. I don't recall the ambience being a whole lot different than at Rupp. The only time I climbed to the top was the first time there. I could see that there were basketball players on the court, but not much more than that.

Here's an article that is a little over a year old, discussing the issue:

 

http://www.kentucky.com/2009/02/20/700069/study-on-new-uk-arenas-temporarily.html

 

Thanks for digging that article out. It is very informative.

 

My source for the new arena info was the parking attendent on a side street where I parked my car.

I doubt sincerely that he is on the development committee, but was very convincing.

They need to have on campus arena like Pitino wanted back in the day. Could fund it with donations no problem.