WSU basketball facility upgrades?

[PeteTheChop]

We've all seen how a remodeled Martin Stadium, a dazzling FOB and a state of the art IPF (coming soon) have impacted the fortunes of Cougar Football.

When CEK retires in the next few years, what should be at the top of the priorities list in order to attract an elite replacement for Cougar Hoops?

• Upgraded Beasley Coliseum with premium seating?
• New Basketball Operations Building with bells and whistles for recruiting purposes?
  
• Enhanced and expanded basketball-only practice facility?

Where should Dr. Schultz and Mr. Chun start once the fundraising has begun?

 

[SaveFerris]

Basketball Ops but unfortunately it looks a ways a way pending a huge donation but that’s the current priority IMO. I assume it could also house volleyball if done right.

IMO again Beasley is fine and the hoops practice “facility is signage, paint, and a scoreboard from the looks of the Moos show from quite a few years ago.

 

[ttowncoug]

I think basketball operations could be a Beasley addition. At the corner of Fairway and Orchard that there is space that could house a 2 story attached building.

 

[Observer11]

I think basketball operations could be a Beasley addition. At the corner of Fairway and Orchard that there is space that could house a 2 story attached building.

Relocate the track to somewhere out in the wheatfields - combo a design/build incorporating new luxury suites and/or seating on the north side of Martin and tag a b-ball/volleyball practice facility in the spot where the track used to be.

Probably a 10 year window to get that done. 2 years to get rid of Ernie, another 2 to 3 years to determine whether the next b-ball coaching hire is worth it, get the finances in order and then go about capital projects like this with revenues and forecasts lined up properly vs. annual debt service.

 

[7ICoug]

I might be dead by the time all of that has passed.

 

[Observer11]

I might be dead by the time all of that has passed.

It's ok - I may have an aneurysm watching 1 1/2 more years of Ernie ball.

 

[Loyal Coug]

Relocate the track to somewhere out in the wheatfields - combo a design/build incorporating new luxury suites and/or seating on the north side of Martin and tag a b-ball/volleyball practice facility in the spot where the track used to be.

Probably a 10 year window to get that done. 2 years to get rid of Ernie, another 2 to 3 years to determine whether the next b-ball coaching hire is worth it, get the finances in order and then go about capital projects like this with revenues and forecasts lined up properly vs. annual debt service.

Not sure what Volleyball is missing - they seem to be doing just fine. And they have their own private court (Bohler).

I don't want to get into a big fight on this topic - but what is missing that couldn't be put (or perhaps already is) in Bohler/Smith/New Gym? The football team and coaches used to live there, they were what - 1/4 of the entire Athletic dept? They are gone. In a year the Baseball team will be gone. There has got to be a heckuva lot of empty space in Bohler, etc, right? At one time the Bohler addition weightroom was considered to be state of the art. Well the equipment may need replacing, but there should be plenty of space there with 100 Football players gone.

 

[Observer11]

Not sure what Volleyball is missing - they seem to be doing just fine. And they have their own private court (Bohler).

I don't want to get into a big fight on this topic - but what is missing that couldn't be put (or perhaps already is) in Bohler/Smith/New Gym? The football team and coaches used to live there, they were what - 1/4 of the entire Athletic dept? They are gone. In a year the Baseball team will be gone. There has got to be a heckuva lot of empty space in Bohler, etc, right? At one time the Bohler addition weightroom was considered to be state of the art. Well the equipment may need replacing, but there should be plenty of space there with 100 Football players gone.

Probably correct you could re-purpose some of the Bohler addition/weight room area. Not sure how the FOB space is utilized now - whether all athletes can use that weight are or if it is strictly football. Which would assume the other athletes use the here-to-fore state of the art Bohler portion.

Regardless, my guess is we're still 4 years out on having any kind of serious discussion on upgrading basketball facilities. Need to suffer through more Ernie payments in the meantime.

 

[jourdand]

Add the new student rec center and the Stephenson down under rec center and you fee up more space since general population students have other options

 

[COUGinNCW]

Turn Beasley into an IPF for football. Move basketball to Bohler.

 

[Observer11]

Turn Beasley into an IPF for football. Move basketball to Bohler.

For the short-term, that actually sounds halfway decent.

Then I would advocate for an eventual replacement home for mens' basketball to follow along the lines of a McCarthy Center or a moderate facility as is being planned at Idaho (more seating obviously but same concept).

http://www.opsisarch.com/blog/project/university-of-idaho-arena/

 

[ElComanche]

That will never happen. the outlandish views are almost comical as people try to fit coug basketball into their linear thinking patterns.

 

[Loyal Coug]

For the short-term, that actually sounds halfway decent.

Then I would advocate for an eventual replacement home for mens' basketball to follow along the lines of a McCarthy Center or a moderate facility as is being planned at Idaho (more seating obviously but same concept).

http://www.opsisarch.com/blog/project/university-of-idaho-arena/

Keep in mind that Idaho does not and never has had a Beasley coliseum equivalent. The Kibbee Dome was their Coliseum. "The Cowan Spectrum!". And this Idaho thing is only going to seat 4,000. That's thinking big. Although the way UI enrollment is going (down), that may house the whole student body pretty soon.

 

[7ICoug]

along the lines of a McCarthy Center or a moderate facility as is being planned at Idaho (more seating obviously but same concept).

http://www.opsisarch.com/blog/project/university-of-idaho-arena/

McCarthy Center is a total piece of crap. Bohler as it is today is better. Seats are awful, Aluminum things bounce when people walk down the aisle. Lights in your eyes.

 

[SaveFerris]

Not sure what Volleyball is missing - they seem to be doing just fine. And they have their own private court (Bohler).

I don't want to get into a big fight on this topic - but what is missing that couldn't be put (or perhaps already is) in Bohler/Smith/New Gym? The football team and coaches used to live there, they were what - 1/4 of the entire Athletic dept? They are gone. In a year the Baseball team will be gone. There has got to be a heckuva lot of empty space in Bohler, etc, right? At one time the Bohler addition weightroom was considered to be state of the art. Well the equipment may need replacing, but there should be plenty of space there with 100 Football players gone.

Volleyball is one of our best and most consistent programs so I wouldn't exclude them out of hand or any other program for that matter. However, I really don't know the demand or how other programs house volleyball but it just seems logical to include them in plans for a "BOB". For basketball specifically a lot of this comes down to recruiting. We already are challenged by location, we don't charter flights, and increasingly more programs with an easier path to the Tournament are building facilities. I still feel Pullman is the biggest challenge but the other "stuff" doesn't make it easier to attract a quality coach.

Bohler/Smith/New Gym as is? Refurbished? They were old when I was in school 30 years ago. I don't remember how old Smith Gym is for instance but I found the pool opened in 1936. What's the typical useful life for this kind of facility? I personally don't want any of those building torn down but facilities don't last forever and need to be replaced.

 

[Observer11]

McCarthy Center is a total piece of crap. Bohler as it is today is better. Seats are awful, Aluminum things bounce when people walk down the aisle. Lights in your eyes.

Yes - structurally I don't like the lower bowl in McCarthy at all. the upper sections aren't quite so bouncy as I recall. It's been a few years since I've been in there.

I'm talking more in terms of seating capacity. Beasley circa 1972 was great when it was the only show in town - but save for maybe 10 years, the place is generally about half full. Maybe split the difference between McCarthy's 6K and Beasley and settle in around 8 or 9K.

 

[Observer11]

Keep in mind that Idaho does not and never has had a Beasley coliseum equivalent. The Kibbee Dome was their Coliseum. "The Cowan Spectrum!". And this Idaho thing is only going to seat 4,000. That's thinking big. Although the way UI enrollment is going (down), that may house the whole student body pretty soon.

If I had to bet my gonads, I'd speculate that attendance EVERYWHERE is going to be heading downwards.

Crushing student debt and more affordable online access.

 

[FnuLnu]

If I had to bet my gonads, I'd speculate that attendance EVERYWHERE is going to be heading downwards.

Crushing student debt and more affordable online access.

For college hoops some of the additional reasons include items that sent minor league baseball into a decline from the 1950s to 90s:
Too many games on TV
Too much player movement (roster churn).

Minor league baseball ended their decline by emphasizing "game day experience". (A PCL AAA franchise in Spokane would be a gold mine, btw)
Icey winter roads, shorter games makes it tough to make a "game day experience" worth the drive if game is on TV. (And yes, unwatchable matador defenses displayed by both Ernie & Bone)

 

[COUGinNCW]

For college hoops some of the additional reasons include items that sent minor league baseball into a decline from the 1950s to 90s:
Too many games on TV
Too much player movement (roster churn).

Minor league baseball ended their decline by emphasizing "game day experience". (A PCL AAA franchise in Spokane would be a gold mine, btw)
Icey winter roads, shorter games makes it tough to make a "game day experience" worth the drive if game is on TV. (And yes, unwatchable matador defenses displayed by both Ernie & Bone)

I remember going to April AAAGames in Spokane as a kid. 46 degrees and light rain. Me and the other 250 people there froze our asses off.

 

[Loyal Coug]

Volleyball is one of our best and most consistent programs so I wouldn't exclude them out of hand or any other program for that matter. However, I really don't know the demand or how other programs house volleyball but it just seems logical to include them in plans for a "BOB". For basketball specifically a lot of this comes down to recruiting. We already are challenged by location, we don't charter flights, and increasingly more programs with an easier path to the Tournament are building facilities. I still feel Pullman is the biggest challenge but the other "stuff" doesn't make it easier to attract a quality coach.

Bohler/Smith/New Gym as is? Refurbished? They were old when I was in school 30 years ago. I don't remember how old Smith Gym is for instance but I found the pool opened in 1936. What's the typical useful life for this kind of facility? I personally don't want any of those building torn down but facilities don't last forever and need to be replaced.

Yeah let's tear down all of those "old" buildings and build new. WSU has been around since 1890. All those 100 year old buildings need to go. That's what the rest of the country does. Eastern schools? They have plowed down all of their old buildings. There are no bricks or ivy to be found anywhere in the US except in Pullman.

 

[SaveFerris]

Yeah let's tear down all of those "old" buildings and build new. WSU has been around since 1890. All those 100 year old buildings need to go. That's what the rest of the country does. Eastern schools? They have plowed down all of their old buildings. There are no bricks or ivy to be found anywhere in the US except in Pullman.

To hopefully clear up my comment I am not saying any building should be torn down unless there is some cost prohibitive safety issue. Bohler and Smith for that matter are landmarks that should be maintained. Doesn't mean either one supports what's needed to upgrade facilities for the hoops teams. The current "practice facility" isn't comparable to other facilities we compete against.

You grabbed on to part of my final sentence and concluded I want to tear down building. Not so.

 

[Loyal Coug]

To hopefully clear up my comment I am not saying any building should be torn down unless there is some cost prohibitive safety issue. Bohler and Smith for that matter are landmarks that should be maintained. Doesn't mean either one supports what's needed to upgrade facilities for the hoops teams. The current "practice facility" isn't comparable to other facilities we compete against.

You grabbed on to part of my final sentence and concluded I want to tear down building. Not so.

Who me? I cherry picked a line and twisted it into something else? Naw - I would never do that.