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Rumors abound about the possibility of a new arena. I'd personally love to see it. As someone who has been to every arena in the league, I have to be blunt and say it. SKC is the worst in the league.
With that being said, which of these locations do you think is best for a new arena?
The post office location would be ideal as it would still be in the entertainment/sports district. That and the Post Office could really benefit from selling that property to the state, and moving operations to the cheaper location in Metry.
If you Jimmer it, they will come.
Interesting angle. That could be a winner. I always thought a river front arena would be spectacular but if there is too much red tape and expenses involved, I have no problem rolling with your idea.Originally Posted by UNO Gracias
A riverfront arena would significantly reduce parking space near the arena. And the games are indoors, so the view outside the arena is a moot point.
Yeah, the parking would be an issue but there are lots of arenas built near water or with good views because so much of them are dominated by glass so people can see while walking the concourses or from the outdoor decks that get built in some of them.
It's not even a matter of "if". They need to have a new arena to stay here long-term and they are going to negotiate for one pretty soon. Too many cheap seats in the current one.
But they can't even begin to negotiate one until this franchise generates more interest by winning.
Near the convention center on Tchoup, with an extended riverfront streetcar going directly to it.
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Metairie. Right next to the practice facility. Tear down zephyrs field. It’s got plenty of parking too.
The land near the VA is a better spot than people realize. Access from east and west via interstate or Claiborne Ave. You're right off Canal St, which gives streetcar access for tourists in town and easy access by car from any part of town. More than enough room to build parking as well. And you avoid the congestion of downtown.
Renovated Municipal Auditorium, please
This would go against the trend of building new arenas in city centers.
If we are getting a new arena(Which we do... SKA is an ugly black eye. Benson needs to get that rebranding and pay that stupid ransom for the Jazz name. Do it right.
Friends, I am not trying to be negative, but the chances of the Pelicans getting a new arena are no better than the chances of the Pelicans winning the NBA this year without Zion returning. Note the recent difficulties the Saints had with the Legislature and Bond Commission over Superdome renovations. Is there public support for a new arena? Where will the money come from? I don't know of a single person who does not go to Pelican games because of dissatisfaction with the arena and would go if the team played in a new arena. And unfortunately, the Pelicans do not play in a growing and economically ascendant metropolitan area.
Clippers new arena being built in Inglewood not downtown LA. Private dollars not Public dollars too! Imagine that!
https://www.nba.com/news/clippers-br...a-in-inglewood
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I vote loyola, but it sounds like the Tchoupitoulas tract is definitely the most likely.
Correct but the Clippers are the exception to the rule. Their goal is to get AWAY from their rivals so building 11 miles away in Inglewood sort of makes sense. The Clippers and the Nets stand out since they are the 2nd class citizens in NY and LA, the only 2 metro areas with 2 NBA teams. Everyone else is either downtown or within 4 miles of downtown. The only non-downtown teams in the NBA aside from the Clippers are the Sixers (4 miles south of downtown Philly, connected by underground subway train), the Bulls (2 miles west of downtown Chicago), the Spurs (3 miles east of downtown San Antonio) and the Warriors who are in Mission Bay, about as close to downtown SF without actually being in the part that is considered downtown.
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It's not negative it's just uninformed. A new arena will absolutely be built. Renovating the arena is a non-starter, but it can still be used for some time for concerts and many other events. Discussions are on the backburner until the Dome is finished, but it's a near certainty that it will be built, with a mix of public and private funding as usual. Obviously state funding is a challenge but just like this last deal (which was very favorable to the state), it's possible if it makes sense. I would say 70% likelihood it's on that riverfront plot, but a lot can change. I still hope it can be on Loyola adjacent to the new tailgating park, but it's super early.
I also wouldn't go so far to call the SKC the worst in the NBA. It's built well with good sight lines no matter where you sit.
MSG was renovated to be fancy, but it's still an old and wide building. The upper deck spans outward so you are FAR away from the action. Which is why they have mini screens up there.
On the flip their cheap seats are still spacious whereas you're a sardine in the SKC. That thing will have to be replaced to remain viable in this market.
I try my best at giving SKC the benefit of the doubt but with Oracle arena, Bradley Center in Milwaukee and Arco Arena all having been replaced in the last 5 years, SKC stands alone at the bottom.
Paycom Center in OKC is close to the bottom of the rung as well.
I had Phoenix at the bottom but they just recently did a major $200 million plus renovation as opposed to an $80 million patchwork job so I'm guessing it moved up a few notches. Admittedly, that's the one post renovation arena that I haven't been to so when I say that I've seen all of them, I was referring to my 3 visits to the former America West Arena/USAirways Center/Whatever resort they named it after. You could make a case for that old place being worse than SKC.
Minnesota's Target Center is rolling in the mud with SKC as well. When you look at pictures of Milwaukee's old Bradley Center, it's almost a carbon copy of SKC. I actually think that they used the same design team. Minnesota is very similar to both. The problem that all of those arenas have in common with SKC and Paycom Center is that they were all built with hockey in mind. They are strange in that they are NBA only buildings but built to NHL specifications so it's kind of the worst of both worlds. Lousy sightlines but with no NHL team. I guess you can say that SKC makes up for it due to such a small layout despite the upper deck being wide from endzone to endzone due to having hockey specifications but still, there are other issues that drop it to the bottom.
MSG is a good example but at least they have an NHL team so they can justify the wide bowl for NBA games. That being said, there are plans to possibly replace it. I'll try to find the article at some point.
San Antonio and Orlando get low grades due to having hockey specifications but no NHL team. They were built with the NBA and minor league hockey in mind so you get bad sightlines there as well. I guess I don't drop Orlando to low because there are so many other elements to that arena that make it top notch.
Last edited by Century City; 12-30-2021 at 11:47 AM.
You can also make an exception to Jefferson Parish. 5 minutes away if even that . Population is one of highest in state. More than Orleans
https://www.louisiana-demographics.c..._by_population
I hope you're right and we see it happen sooner rather than later. I have to think that SKC will be gone though. In a small market where there will most likely be some amount of public investment, I doubt they'll want to oversaturate the concert market by having 2 arenas. In order to maximize the ROI for whatever public dollars get put into the project, they're most likely going to want as many events as possible at the new crib.
Sure, you could, but there's no reason to.
Okay how about Gentilly then? Tear down the UNO Lakefront Arena and put the new arena here. Great parking and much needed revitalization for the area.Look I get the Lakefront arena was one of the greatest concert venues in the 1990’s but now it is an eyesore only hosting a couple of concerts and graduations. Tear it down and build a new 17,000 Lakefront Arena for the Pelicans.
More arena talk here
https://www.nola.com/sports/pelicans...8896e036a.html
I'd vote to locate it on the open lots next to the convention center and pair its construction with a redevelopment of the old Market Street Power Plant nearby.
Plans to redevelop the Market Street property have been kicked around for more than a decade. A new arena would be a natural catalyst to transform the entire area into a river front development with a mix of retail, residential and entertainment, one with built in access from the French Quarter and downtown via the river front street car line as well as easy access to the West Bank and Metairie via the nearby I-10 spur and the Crescent City Connection.
My hope would be it would be a basketball-specific arena designed for a smaller market team with cutting edge tech and design. I think the state/city could be involved through tax abatements and other breaks, but the bulk of the funding should be from the Pelicans and private developers, who would retain ownership of the property.
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