Johnny's at Hilton Coliseum to expand and be renovated

[ImJustKCClone]

Dec, Jan, Feb when it's below freezing? Doubtful. People aren't going to exit the north doors to walk around outside to the south parking lots.

Of course I'm a person who'll sit in Hilton for 30 minutes after a game 'cause it simply has never made sense to me to run outside and freeze waiting to 1500 cars to file out of the parking lots. Hilton is nice and toasty warm.

That's us. Most of the time we stay & chat with our seatmates until the security people get impatient with us.

 

[HGPuck]

Dec, Jan, Feb when it's below freezing? Doubtful. People aren't going to exit the north doors to walk around outside to the south parking lots.

Of course I'm a person who'll sit in Hilton for 30 minutes after a game 'cause it simply has never made sense to me to run outside and freeze waiting to 1500 cars to file out of the parking lots. Hilton is nice and toasty warm.

On the other end of the spectrum I know I would leave out of the West or North exits if I sat in that portion of Hilton, but I prefer being outside in the cold to being in a crowd. While as you point out it wouldn't be everyone, I would have to think at least a couple hundred more would leave out the North or West doors.

As an aside, how nice has the weather been for games this year. I can't think of one yet where I had to wear a hat and gloves from the car to the arena. Not the norm, but sure has been nice.

 

[roundball]

Those of you arguing against my comments are fixated on money, money, and more money, and are not hearing anything about compromise and balance.

First, welcome to college athletics since basically the beginning of college athletics.

I'd also say that giving season ticket holders the opportunity to renew their tickets before the general public, at a price that's a mere fraction of the market value of those tickets, is a more than halfway compromise for those loyal fans you've been talking about.

 

[ricochet]

Those of you arguing against my comments are fixated on money, money, and more money, and are not hearing anything about compromise and balance. So tell us again, why is it such a bad idea to expand sideways or outward?

When I first heard about this last fall they said inward is the only easy way to do it. Going outward interferes with the loading ramp and sideways takes out exterior exits.

 

[CapnCy]

They want Johnny's to overlook the court/inside of hilton, probably think it will add to the experience while also increasing capacity for Johnny's. I think it could be pretty cool, and am interested to see the design (might also cause problems and not be worth it)

Yep...and more Johnny's memberships=$$$$$....and that added perk allows folks to be a part of the action (seeing actual game) vs televisions. Where would the statue go? Would be kind of cool if it overlooked the court on the concourse!

 

[ImJustKCClone]

When I first heard about this last fall they said inward is the only easy way to do it. Going outward interferes with the loading ramp and sideways takes out exterior exits.

Thank you! That's all I was questioning at this point. I couldn't see a major downside to going sideways.

 

[HGPuck]

Yep...and more Johnny's memberships=$$$$$....and that added perk allows folks to be a part of the action (seeing actual game) vs televisions. Where would the statue go? Would be kind of cool if it overlooked the court on the concourse!

Yeah I would think if they do end up expanding inward they would have a glass wall between Johnny's and the inner concourse unless there are some load bearing issues (and even if that was a problem they would likely just use glass panes between metal beams). My pick for location for the Johnny statute would be on the inner concourse in front of the wall that encloses the staircase to the balcony on either side. But I could also see it left at its current location and be in the middle of Johnny's.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

Yeah I would think if they do end up expanding inward they would have a glass wall between Johnny's and the inner concourse unless there are some load bearing issues (and even if that was a problem they would likely just use glass panes between metal beams). My pick for location for the Johnny statute would be on the inner concourse in front of the wall that encloses the staircase to the balcony on either side. But I could also see it left at its current location and be in the middle of Johnny's.

Definitely NOT in favor of that. Johnny belongs to everyone.

 

[HGPuck]

Definitely NOT in favor of that. Johnny belongs to everyone.

I agree, but could see them leaving it in its current location because of traffic flow issues on the inner concourse and the expense of moving it.

 

[cyclone87]

Congestion by the south doors could be improved with 2 simple steps:
1) at the 4 minute mark, roll the dang food carts as far away as possible from the south doors
2) enforce a rule so folks coming from the east side have to go north to get west, not south. Maybe everyone north of the student section has to go the long way around. The students are all going north anyway.

The congestion is not AT the south doors, by the time you reach the doors you wonder what the heck was the problem because there's plenty of space. It's about 20-60 feet west of there (maybe east too), as the carts take up a third of the width, and the east-side salmon spawning upstream take up another 15%.


As far as Johnny's, maybe the goal is to expand to open it to more folks, but JP might also want it to have some kind of face into the arena, so more pub for Johnny Orr and the ISU brand in general when it's seen during broadcasts.

Yep, this is likely part of it as well.

 

[ribsnwhiskey]

The Johnny statue should be relocated to center court.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

The Johnny statue should be relocated to center court.

Might make it just a teensy bit difficult to play the game, dontcha think?

 

[cyclone87]

I hope they keep the statue at the entrance for everyone to see as well.

 

[RubyClone]

I agree, but could see them leaving it in its current location because of traffic flow issues on the inner concourse and the expense of moving it.

Georges' next summer workout.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

Georges' next summer workout.

thumbs up for the moving it part, not the expense part.

 

[ribsnwhiskey]

Might make it just a teensy bit difficult to play the game, dontcha think?

Teams will just have to learn to play around him.

 

[cyclone87]

There is also an egress study currently being done for Hilton, I'm guessing to look at ways to improve exiting the facility.

 

[theshadow]

So what was the room/stairs to the north of the concession? Back of house? meaning access to the ceiling works?

That's a maintenance/mechanical room. It opens to the inner concourse.

 

[keepngoal]

Curiously; what does it cost to have access to Johnny's? How many have access to it now and how many "fit" in there?

 

[clonedude]

I've always thought they should turn Johnny's into a bar and grill, and on days when there isn't a game, it would be open to the public just like any restaurant. But on gamedays, it would still be reserved for only the "members".

As much as JP is always looking for more ways to make money, I figured that would be one way to do it?