Let's work to build a NEW COLISEUM

[jtstang]

Interesting ... but let's all try and stay on point of the subject. This is not a "what is wrong with Moody" post. Let's try and renovate or build a new coliseum.

Why? The 1,500 in attendance we average for hoops does not warrant a new facility. Moody is fine at those levels of attendance.

[Ponymon]

As I discussed on the recruiting thread, give Matt Williams (Max Williams kid) a scholarship and you might have a good head start to financing the new arena! Afterall, Max did write a check for $1 million when Bob Hitch showed up to his office just looking for a small donation. However, Copeland needs to do a lot of groveling considering how he was, reportedly, treated by the university during the recruiting scandal! Considering that Max is a former basketball player and an O&G millionaire, there might be a chance of raising substantial funds from this source, if we can get back into his good graces!

[Johnny Rock]

The fact that SMU has failed to upgrade its basketball facilities is a glaring example of SMU's lack of commitment to Division 1-A sports. It is very difficult for Tubbs or any coach for that matter to recruit a kid to a school with substandard and/or outdated facilities when compared to its competition. SMU has historically been awful at the revenue sports for a reason. It is no accident SMU has put a substandard product on the field and courts for the last ten years. Until SMU makes drastic changes, it will always be playing for 6th or 7th place in its conference every year. If we drop down to Division 1-AA or Division II we could actually compete with our competition and possibly have winning seasons. Think about it. SMU cannot keep going down the road they are on. The NCAA will eventually force them out if changes are not made.

[jtstang]

The fact that SMU has failed to upgrade its basketball facilities is a glaring example of SMU's lack of commitment to Division 1-A sports. It is very difficult for Tubbs or any coach for that matter to recruit a kid to a school with substandard and/or outdated facilities when compared to its competition. SMU has historically been awful at the revenue sports for a reason.

We tried fixing our problems in another revenue sport with a new football stadium, and it is a failed experiment. Search elsewhere for the source of the problems, apparently the facilities are not it.

[Diehard Pony]

Diehard, trust me, concessions aren't my number 1 concern either. BUT, they seem like something that could be fixed TODAY. SMU has not a lot of casual fans and needs to do all it can to keep them there. Sure winning seems the best option there, but families can should still be able to come to our games and have a great time, even if we lose. That sounds bad, but it just pisses me to think that every facet of SMU basketball is turning people away, from the play on the court all the way down to the big lines for expensive cokes. Does that make a little more sense?

Yes, MS, in that context it does.

[Pony_Fan]

I don't know how donations work or anything about the endowment...but how did they raise $500 million or whatever - there are probably 15 new bldgs since I graduated. Please enlighten me where all this money came from.

And for Ford Stadium.... how much did Ford donate vs the rest?

PF, the buildings came from SMU's $500 Capital Campaign which was theoretically going to include a major renovation of Moody with suites, diamondvision, the whole bit. Unfortunately Moody was too far down on the list. The plans still exist. The monies came from foundations, major individual donors, and corporations. It was a major coup by Gerald Turner but I hate there wasn't enough left for Moody. Gerald T. has stated Moody is still on the list, but I think someone is going to have to step up.

As to Ford, Gerald J. gave $20M; the Hunts $11M, and down from there. About a half dozen people / families paid for the vast majority of it.

I emailed Turner and this is what I rec'd.

Our endowment is basically restricted, meaning it goes for the purposes the donor specified. Older endowments often have large funds that came to the university unrestricted. However, beginning in the 1960's, most donors began restricting their gifts to achieve a specific purpose. We will need to find one or a few major donors to get this Moody expansion underway so that smaller gifts can complete it. However, we don't not have that person at the present time, but we are working on it.

[abezontar]

Does his double negative mean that they actually do have the the big donor lined up?

I emailed Turner and this is what I rec'd.

Our endowment is basically restricted, meaning it goes for the purposes the donor specified. Older endowments often have large funds that came to the university unrestricted. However, beginning in the 1960's, most donors began restricting their gifts to achieve a specific purpose. We will need to find one or a few major donors to get this Moody expansion underway so that smaller gifts can complete it. However, we don't not have that person at the present time, but we are working on it.

[/b]

[jtstang]

Please tell me our illustrious president did not use a double negative in his response.

[Pony_Fan]

It looks that way but we can let him slide b/c it's an email. I am sure the "don't not" was meant as "don't have"

[jtstang]

It looks that way but we can let him slide b/c it's an email. I am sure the "don't not" was meant as "don't have"

So what he really meant was "don't have have that person...." Okay, I know this is all just from a typo, and I make them all the time, but it is pretty funny coming from the SMU prez, considering the purported academic standards of SMU.

[BrianTinBigD]

Let's tear it down and start from scratch. We need to build a new arena, with new facilities, and modern amenities. Nothing is stopping us from making the seating as intimate and the noise level as loud as it is today.

Look just south of campus and you will see Reunion Arena that is 25 years old and is now considered a dinosaur. Moody is an even earlier form of life that will hopefully be extinct sooner rather than later.

[DiamondM75]

Let's tear it down and start from scratch. We need to build a new arena, with new facilities, and modern amenities. Nothing is stopping us from making the seating as intimate and the noise level as loud as it is today.

Look just south of campus and you will see Reunion Arena that is 25 years old and is now considered a dinosaur. Moody is an even earlier form of life that will hopefully be extinct sooner rather than later.

Should we count you in for the first $20 million? I will let Turner know your checkbook is open.

[BrianTinBigD]

Uh yeah, the checks in the mail

My point is that we can put lipstick on a pig all day long, but it is still a pig.

No matter what we do to Moody it will still have the same problems that it has today. They just won't be for another 5 to 8 years. It is really no different than the city of Dallas wasting $15 million on the Cotton Bowl.

We have 2 choices. We can spend money to cover up the problem and make it someone else's problem in 10 to 15 years or we can get to work on actually building a replacement that will last us another 50 years. I vote for #2 even though I will probably not be spending $20 million of my hard earned dollars on it.

I would envision a 6,000 seat arena that has practice courts below the main arena, lots of bathrooms, real concession stands, and be really close to the action and noisy. Throw in a few video boards and enough space in the concourse to walk and I think we have what we are looking for. What will this all cost? Beats me! Anyone want to take a guess?

[couch 'em]

All we have to do to the current Moody to accomplish all you have stated is expand it outward. Push the walls out in all directions and you have room for walkways, concessions, practice court, and just add in some video inside.