University Town Center

[Jersey Boss]

We will have a program that continues to get worse as long as we have the worst or near worst facility in any league we play in. This team will not improve or be consistently good until it’s in a new building. LNC is the most visible problem and easiest to correct at this point because the larger problem of general program funding isn’t going away. At least a new building should help get more people from OKC to the games.

Regardless. It’s asinine at this point to act like staying in Lloyd noble is even a viable solution unless you just want to completely give up on basketball for the next 20-30 years.

It took 30 years for OU to recognize Billy with a banner. No court naming.Hollis still doesn't have his jersey in the rafters. Either does Buddy.No statues of Wayman, Blake, or Buddy. Have you seen the great display cases?
I submit that OU/Joe C could give a rats azz about hoops. Until OU actually carez to support and back the program it will die no matter where they play. Field a top 20 team for a few years before talk of rewarding the program with a new facility.

It is the height of arrogance for the City of Norman to bail out the state. The State of Oklahoma has the responsibility to secure the funding, not Norman.
The state still has not provided any of the Covid relief funds provided by the Feds. The state needs to fund their own infrastructure.
The state has money for tax cuts. Fund OU properly.

[PhiAlpha]

It took 30 years for OU to recognize Billy with a banner. No court naming.Hollis still doesn't have his jersey in the rafters. Either does Buddy.No statues of Wayman, Blake, or Buddy. Have you seen the great display cases?
I submit that OU/Joe C could give a rats azz about hoops. Until OU actually carez to support and back the program it will die no matter where they play. Field a top 20 team for a few years before talk of rewarding the program with a new facility.

It is the height of arrogance for the City of Norman to bail out the state. The State of Oklahoma has the responsibility to secure the funding, not Norman.
The state still has not provided any of the Covid relief funds provided by the Feds. The state needs to fund their own infrastructure.
The state has money for tax cuts. Fund OU properly.

All that is great in theory but none of it is going to happen. They will not field a top 20 team for more than a random season at a time without better facilities that make us competitive in recruiting and it’s foolish to think otherwise.

Norman isn’t footing the entire bill and OKC has bailed out the state on several occasions so it’s not something out of left field. This is the way or concede that we’re just going to have a joke of a basketball program. The state and donors are not coming to the rescue with an on campus stadium. We will be a mediocre and declining program until a new arena plan is in place. That said, I don’t live in Norman so I don’t give a damn what they choose to spend money on.

[jedicurt]

It’s been all over OU news because of the 36.5 million in funding they recently received for a lot of updates.

yep. "Build Back Better" funding.

[Jersey Boss]

https://kfor.com/news/local/treasury...ecovery-funds/
Please quit with the BS the state needs Norman to finance this arena.
OK county got monies from this for a jail.

[onthestrip]

once again.... THIS!!!!! everyone keeps talking about projects that just won't happen as alternatives. there are two options on the table. build this, or keep playing in a falling apart Lloyd Nobel for the next 20 years. unless some donor wants to put up a couple hundred million for an on campus arena (like what happened for texas), then a new on campus arena isn't an option. this is the only option on the table.

We will have a program that continues to get worse as long as we have the worst or near worst facility in any league we play in. This team will not improve or be consistently good until it’s in a new building. LNC is the most visible problem and easiest to correct at this point because the larger problem of general program funding isn’t going away. At least a new building should help get more people from OKC to the games.

Regardless. It’s asinine at this point to act like staying in Lloyd noble is even a viable solution unless you just want to completely give up on basketball for the next 20-30 years.

Where does this 20 years number come from? Feels like its just pulled out of thin air. Does OU already have the next 19 years of projects planned and are fund raising for them? Is football swallowing all future athletics spending? SEC not bringing in any new monies for a new bball arena? It seems the 20 year talk is just scare tactic. If OU wanted to, and started a capital campaign they could surely get a new bball areana built in much shorter time. Or maybe the money woes are really that bad.

[Jersey Boss]

Where does this 20 years number come from? Feels like its just pulled out of thin air. Does OU already have the next 19 years of projects planned and are fund raising for them? Is football swallowing all future athletics spending? SEC not bringing in any new monies for a new bball arena? It seems the 20 year talk is just scare tactic. If OU wanted to, and started a capital campaign they could surely get a new bball areana built in much shorter time. Or maybe the money woes are really that bad.

Probably the same source threatening to move the team out of town(Harroz).

[BG918]

Where does this 20 years number come from? Feels like its just pulled out of thin air. Does OU already have the next 19 years of projects planned and are fund raising for them? Is football swallowing all future athletics spending? SEC not bringing in any new monies for a new bball arena? It seems the 20 year talk is just scare tactic. If OU wanted to, and started a capital campaign they could surely get a new bball areana built in much shorter time. Or maybe the money woes are really that bad.

Wasn't one of the primary reasons OU left the Big 12 was for significantly more money in the SEC? I too find it suspect that OU doing a capital campaign for a new arena isn't being discussed as an alternate option. I would think OU would want to have the arena on-campus for not just basketball/gymnastics but for other events like graduations and speakers. Make it the centerpiece of East Campus south of Sarkeys with new engineering and advanced sciences buildings and additional student housing north of Callaway House (east of Trout).

Also, the UNP site does not allow for future rail access unlike East Campus where a future OU rail stop would be located within a couple blocks of the arena. People in Edmond, OKC and Moore could ride the train from their park-n-rides and then just a 5 min walk to the games. And a 5 min walk to dozens of bars and restaurants in Campus Corner before/after games.

[jedicurt]

the tecumseh station would be just as close to the new arena in UNP as the one on OU would be, if the new arena was built on the currently lloyd noble site...

[citywokchinesefood]

the tecumseh station would be just as close to the new arena in UNP as the one on OU would be, if the new arena was built on the currently lloyd noble site...

This is an inconvenient truth that doesn't fit the narrative shut up. /s

[David]

Seems like there's a far different question of walkability between those two options. I do a pretty good amount of urban walking but I would not particularly want to do a hypothetical hike along Tecumseh and then down 24th Ave.

[CaptDave]

However, as BG918 stated, the East Campus location he was talking about is about two blocks away. In the ideal world he is talking about, that would be the best location for a new arena. This whole UNP arena smells of taking the easy way out rather than doing the harder thing for the better long term outcome. So there's that.

[jedicurt]

Seems like there's a far different question of walkability between those two options. I do a pretty good amount of urban walking but I would not particularly want to do a hypothetical hike along Tecumseh and then down 24th Ave.

walkability can be improved. it's not just stuck at where it always is now.

[jedicurt]

However, as BG918 stated, the East Campus location he was talking about is about two blocks away. In the ideal world he is talking about, that would be the best location for a new arena. This whole UNP arena smells of taking the easy way out rather than doing the harder thing for the better long term outcome. So there's that.

yes, the option that is not now, nor has it been in the past proposed. i mean we can talk about the ideal world all day long, but that isn't how projects actually work

[bison34]

However, as BG918 stated, the East Campus location he was talking about is about two blocks away. In the ideal world he is talking about, that would be the best location for a new arena. This whole UNP arena smells of taking the easy way out rather than doing the harder thing for the better long term outcome. So there's that.

Hahahahaha, colleges aren't working with their own money. It's someone else's (either the taxpayers or donor money). So therefore, they have to be good stewards of it. If they get a deal, they take it. Especially in a state that doesn't necessarily support higher education facilities developments.

So if someone is willing to build an arena with a lot pf their money, and almost no college money, they almost have to take it.

[Laramie]

You build your program with recruits. Those recruits are impressed by the facilities where they will play.

Agree with PhiAlpha,

We will have a program that continues to get worse as long as we have the worst or near worst facility in any league we play in. This team will not improve or be consistently good until it’s in a new building.

^ ^ ^ that's how you attract recruits--a top notch facility.

[FighttheGoodFight]

You build your program with recruits. Those recruits are impressed by the facilities where they will play.

Agree with PhiAlpha,

^ ^ ^ that's how you attract recruits--a top notch facility.

Or you could use 200 million to pay NIL deals. Seems like the new way to recruit.

[PhiAlpha]

However, as BG918 stated, the East Campus location he was talking about is about two blocks away. In the ideal world he is talking about, that would be the best location for a new arena. This whole UNP arena smells of taking the easy way out rather than doing the harder thing for the better long term outcome. So there's that.

Man I would agree with this if they weren't already having issues getting funding for the Pressbox and other improvements to Memorial Stadium as well as the football facilities they're trying to build. They want those projects knocked out way more than they want a new basketball arena and they still aren't fully funded.

[PhiAlpha]

Or you could use 200 million to pay NIL deals. Seems like the new way to recruit.

OU is offering more money than they ever have and are outbidding other teams for players right now but are still losing out on most of them. Plenty of NIL money is on the table and they still can't recruit. There are certainly other issues at play but facilities are a major one.

[BG918]

However, as BG918 stated, the East Campus location he was talking about is about two blocks away. In the ideal world he is talking about, that would be the best location for a new arena. This whole UNP arena smells of taking the easy way out rather than doing the harder thing for the better long term outcome. So there's that.

Exactly, the location I'm talking about is at Brooks & Jenkins (NE or SE corner - all land owned by OU). Which is 2 blocks from the future commuter rail station. And adjacent to existing OU athletic facilities.

[FighttheGoodFight]

OU is offering more money than they ever have and are outbidding other teams for players right now but are still losing out on most of them. Plenty of NIL money is on the table and they still can't recruit. There are certainly other issues at play but facilities are a major one.

Really? I'd love to see the NIL numbers for bball or even football if you know where they are? I couldn't find anything online about OU Basketball NIL money for players.

[BoulderSooner]

Really? I'd love to see the NIL numbers for bball or even football if you know where they are? I couldn't find anything online about OU Basketball NIL money for players.

OU football NIL is very competitive with all but about 5 schools ..

OU basketball NIL was in the bottom 1/4 of the big 12 .. and is still not very good at all ..

[jedicurt]

Exactly, the location I'm talking about is at Brooks & Jenkins (NE or SE corner - all land owned by OU). Which is 2 blocks from the future commuter rail station. And adjacent to existing OU athletic facilities.

and is a site that has never been proposed for a basketball arena except by people on this board. so why are we talking about it? again, if people want an on campus arena so much, and at this location. then pony up $100+ million to donate to the university to start that project. It's how Texas got their new arena.

[BoulderSooner]

OU football NIL is very competitive with all but about 5 schools ..

OU basketball NIL was in the bottom 1/4 of the big 12 .. and is still not very good at all ..

OU lost a transfer today to st johns .. (a UNT kid who has a sister on the OU womens team ) because of NIL >.

they are getting ready to lose an edmond get from Vatech to Ole miss because of NIL ..

[BG918]

and is a site that has never been proposed for a basketball arena except by people on this board. so why are we talking about it? again, if people want an on campus arena so much, and at this location. then pony up $100+ million to donate to the university to start that project. It's how Texas got their new arena.

Or you have Norman realize a central location for the arena that brings in millions in tax revenue from events, not to mention the increases sales tax from nearby Campus Corner, is worth "ponying up" some funds for OU to build it along with private donations.

[jedicurt]

Or you have Norman realize a central location for the arena that brings in millions in tax revenue from events, not to mention the increases sales tax from nearby Campus Corner, is worth "ponying up" some funds for OU to build it along with private donations.

but those private donations have to exist... and they don't exist for an on campus arena.... how many times do we have to go around on this. Your ideal scenario isn't an option on the table, because there is no donations for it...