Virginia Beach Arena (Cancelled)

[757Duke]

It's her same old rant. She's mad that the city would pay for infrastructure around the arena, so it's still too costly in her eyes. 

[BFG]

Glad I didn't read it then lol...

[Harry Strait]

The Mayor says he is anticipating the Arena will break ground by Jan 2015

[vdogg]

I hope this is the case but I don't understand how he can make that determination when they haven't even officially chosen a proposal yet. A lot goes into this, including permitting, community meetings, etc. That target sounds doable if everything flows smoothly ( almost never the case) but otherwise I'd say that date is optimistic.

[HRVT]

I hope this is the case but I don't understand how he can make that determination when they haven't even officially chosen a proposal yet. A lot goes into this, including permitting, community meetings, etc. That target sounds doable if everything flows smoothly ( almost never the case) but otherwise I'd say that date is optimistic.

 

No way no how will the arena break ground in Jan 2015. In fact, IMO, any start date in 2015 would be optimistic. There are just too many logistics to work through, including... ohhhh.. selecting a proposal to move ahead with. Given the controversial nature of the arena as well, I have serious doubts that the NIMBYs are going to simply agree to construction. Many of them don't care if tax dollars are going towards it or not. They just don't want the arena at all. 

 

I frankly can't wait for it to be built. It'd be awesome if we would be lucky enough to eventually land an NBA or NHL team. But at least at first it will be a great new venue for the Admirals and will help us possibly attract the ACC Tournament... or even early round NCAA Tournament games. And even if the area isn't lucky enough to land an ACC Tournament, you still have the AAC, the A-10, and the CUSA that are all solid conferences as well.

[vdogg]

 I frankly can't wait for it to be built. It'd be awesome if we would be lucky enough to eventually land an NBA or NHL team. But at least at first it will be a great new venue for the Admirals.

Norfolk would go to war before they let Va. Beach have the admirals. Ain't no way in hell that's happening, lol. I would much rather focus on bringing new teams to the area, or at the very least, bringing acts and events that can't be brought elsewhere in Hampton Roads. We have too much duplication of services as is. The arena needs to be unique, and not just another sports venue.

[zeppelin14]

Why would the Admirals move from Scope or Norfolk? They can't fill in a 9,000 seat arena so what would make you think they would move to an 18,000 seat arena? And the ACC tournament won't be played here. Greensboro usually gets that gig and if not, it's in an ACC city (Atlanta with Georgia Tech).

 

The NHL won't come to Virginia Beach. I just don't see it as a hockey town. The NBA only has about a 1% chance to come to VB in my opinion. Other larger and/or more established sport cities have better chances such as Kansas City, Pittsburg, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Seattle, Buffalo.....

[VBIllini13]

Why would the Admirals move from Scope or Norfolk? They can't fill in a 9,000 seat arena so what would make you think they would move to an 18,000 seat arena? And the ACC tournament won't be played here. Greensboro usually gets that gig and if not, it's in an ACC city (Atlanta with Georgia Tech).

 

The NHL won't come to Virginia Beach. I just don't see it as a hockey town. The NBA only has about a 1% chance to come to VB in my opinion. Other larger and/or more established sport cities have better chances such as Kansas City, Pittsburg, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Seattle, Buffalo.....

 

I disagree with your reasoning for why the ACC tourney wouldn't come to Virginia Beach.  The Big Ten tournament alternates between Indianapolis and Chicago every other year.  Neither of those cities have a Big Ten school but got the tournament because of their large capacity sporting venues and are easy to access by plane or car.

[zeppelin14]

Okay.... VB is NOT easily accessible by car. It's the world's biggest cul-de-sac.

[HRVT]

Why would the Admirals move from Scope or Norfolk? They can't fill in a 9,000 seat arena so what would make you think they would move to an 18,000 seat arena? And the ACC tournament won't be played here. Greensboro usually gets that gig and if not, it's in an ACC city (Atlanta with Georgia Tech).

 

The NHL won't come to Virginia Beach. I just don't see it as a hockey town. The NBA only has about a 1% chance to come to VB in my opinion. Other larger and/or more established sport cities have better chances such as Kansas City, Pittsburg, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Seattle, Buffalo.....

The Admirals would move because it's a better arena and if given a very good deal (which might be a worthy concession for the arena to make for the sake of a steady tenant). I would imagine that the better arena would lead to better attendance as well. While they don't typically fill their arena, they do occasionally sell out. In fact, I believe they sold out tonight.

 

As for the ACC Tournament, the ACC was actually VERY interested in holding the tournament in Va Beach should they build an arena (as revealed last year). They ACC is not entrenched in Greensboro. In fact they're playing the 2016 tournament in DC. The 2009 and 2012 ACCTs were played in Atlanta. 2008 in Charlotte. 2007 in Tampa and 2005 in Washington DC. In other words, in the last 10 years, half the ACC Tournaments were played outside of Greensboro. The NCAA tournaments? Why wouldn't they be interested in Virginia Beach. Heck, they played in Richmond in 1990 and in 1996 in the dump that is Richmond Coliseum.

 

As far as pro teams, I agree that those aren't likely and the arena can't be built under the assumption of a pro team's potential interest.

Edited March 9, 2014 by HRVT

[VBIllini13]

Okay.... VB is NOT easily accessible by car. It's the world's biggest cul-de-sac.

 

But it is very accessible by plane, especially with Mayor Sessoms considering offering incentives for airlines to have more direct flights out of ORF.  I would not consider Greensboro very accessible for an ACC team like Florida State or Syracuse even though it's on I-85.

The Admirals would move because it's a better arena and if given a very good deal (which might be a worthy concession for the arena to make for the sake of a steady tenant). I would imagine that the better arena would lead to better attendance as well. While they don't typically fill their arena, they do occasionally sell out. In fact, I believe they sold out tonight.

 

As for the ACC Tournament, the ACC was actually VERY interested in holding the tournament in Va Beach should they build an arena (as revealed last year). They ACC is not entrenched in Greensboro. In fact they're playing the 2016 tournament in DC. The 2009 and 2012 ACCTs were played in Atlanta. 2008 in Charlotte. 2007 in Tampa and 2005 in Washington DC. In other words, in the last 10 years, half the ACC Tournaments were played outside of Greensboro. The NCAA tournaments? Why wouldn't they be interested in Virginia Beach. Heck, they played in Richmond in 1990 and in 1996 in the dump that is Richmond Coliseum.

 

As far as pro teams, I agree that those aren't likely and the arena can't be built under the assumption of a pro team's potential interest.

 

I agree with the second half of your post, but I honestly do not think the Admirals would want to move out of Norfolk.  There would really need to be an excellent deal on rent to get them out of Scope.  I could very well be wrong though.

[HRVT]

But it is very accessible by plane, especially with Mayor Sessoms considering offering incentives for airlines to have more direct flights out of ORF.  I would not consider Greensboro very accessible for an ACC team like Florida State or Syracuse even though it's on I-85.

 

I agree with the second half of your post, but I honestly do not think the Admirals would want to move out of Norfolk.  There would really need to be an excellent deal on rent to get them out of Scope.  I could very well be wrong though.

I could be wrong too. But it just seems weird to me for them to be building this arena without ANY steady long term clients lined up. Which is why I would have to believe at least the Admirals would be on board. The facilities overall would be a LOT better too (locker rooms, etc). We'll wait and see on that one. I want the Admirals to stay in Norfolk but Norfolk needs to do something with Scope (aka, demolition/rebuild). The current remodel they have proposed is a lot of lipstick on a pig IMO.

 

As for NCAA Tournaments though, I can't wait for those. I don't care if I don't care about the teams. There's just something about March Madness. And there's always my brackets to cheer for. I can watch one of my Elite 8 picks go down in person. 

[BFG]

Apparently the Associated Press knows something we don't, because the efforts to build an arena have become national news. Nothing really new here, but I thought it was interesting that the story takes on the angle of trying to lure a team, and that it's being so widely reported...

 

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/va-beach-mulls-arena-lure-nba-nhl-23391528

[zeppelin14]

That first sentence irritated me.... the Virginia Beach Metropolitan area? Norfolk is the main city. The article should have said the Norfolk/Virginia Beach Metropolitan area.

Edited April 22, 2014 by zeppelin14

[mistermetaj]

That first sentence irritated me.... the Virginia Beach Metropolitan area? Norfolk is the main city. The article should have said the Norfolk/Virginia Beach Metropolitan area.

Virginia Beach is larger in both land and population, more affluent, and is the city the stadium is being proposed. It is also the most recognizable name in the metro area. A lack of urbanity does not remove it from the mantle as "main city" in the Hampton Roads region.

[Norva757]

Norfolk is way more urban than vabeach and closer to ORF....also closer to the pennisula

[Norva757]

The only thing oceanfront has is more hotels....now if light rail goes to the airport and extends to the oceanfront then putting it there would be good....building the stadium @ the oceanfront could expedite light rail down there

[urbanlife]

The only thing oceanfront has is more hotels....now if light rail goes to the airport and extends to the oceanfront then putting it there would be good....building the stadium @ the oceanfront could expedite light rail down there

Actually you would think that would be what VB would be pushing for, a light rail line from the airport to the oceanfront.   Then throw in a streetcar line on Atlantic, and that is something I could see working there.

 

VB shouldn't be looking at other forms of transportation, they should be jumping on board with light rail, but going at it in the best way it helps VB.  A line to the airport, a line to NOB, and connecting to the Norfolk line to make it look like they are playing nice with Norfolk.

[BFG]

http://insidebiz.com/news/city-posts-presentation-beach-arena-proposals-council-hear-report-tuesday

 

City Council to hear the two arena proposals tomorrow, or at least the findings from a recent study. Of note from the article...

 

 

In other comparisons, the W.M. Jordan plan estimates having 147 events drawing roughly 830,000 people annually, while the USM plan projects 135 events attracting 684,000 annually. W.M Jordan would seek an American Hockey League team as its anchor tenant; USM will target an arena football team.

I'm guessing the Admirals would move to the Beach, which I'm not sure makes a lot of sense. Wouldn't mind seeing an arena football team though.

Edited May 12, 2014 by BFG

[HRVT]

http://insidebiz.com/news/city-posts-presentation-beach-arena-proposals-council-hear-report-tuesday

 

City Council to hear the two arena proposals tomorrow, or at least the findings from a recent study. Of note from the article...

 

 

I'm guessing the Admirals would move to the Beach, which I'm not sure makes a lot of sense. Wouldn't mind seeing an arena football team though.

 

Gotta think that's what that means. This area certainly doesn't need two AHL teams. The area barely supports the one. That said, the Scope is an outdated venue and Norfolk's plan to refurbish it is pretty bad and showing a new shiny arena may be attractive to the Admirals. There are actually plenty of teams in the AHL that play in big shiny arenas. In fact, Scope is probably in the bottom half of the AHL as far as arenas go.

[urbanvb]

Virginia Beach council decided to go with USM's proposal. 

 

http://hamptonroads.com/2014/05/va-beach-council-picks-privately-funded-arena-plan

Edited May 14, 2014 by urbanvb

[mistermetaj]

Virginia Beach council decided to go with USM's proposal. 

 

http://hamptonroads.com/2014/05/va-beach-council-picks-privately-funded-arena-plan

A bigger arena, a more reputable company for attracting clientel, and none of the work or risk associated with event income.

If the city can afford the infrastructure, this is going to be a major catalyst for the region.

[BFG]

As much as I would've loved to see Bruce Thompson get on board, this was the smarter option. I looked over USM's City Council presentation and read the PDF file...a lot of good stuff in there. They've built some really nice arenas for a decent price. I think the best comparison (price wise) would be Pinnacle Bank Arena, which is now used by the Univ. of Nebraska's basketball teams. Its seating capacity is a few thousand less (15,000+), but it was also built for under $200M and looks great. I'm highly intrigued by the concept of an arena being built for far less than the average venue goes for. Even with the infrastructure costs that VB would have to incur, a price tag of $250M is still very reasonable in 2014.

 

 

I've said it before, but VB could really become a textbook example of how to build a city. I know there's still another step in the process, but I like the potential behind this.

Edited May 14, 2014 by BFG

[vboceanfront]

This proposal seemed to be the more agreeable one in terms of money and experience from the team.

 

I'm wondering if there is going to be any movement to redevelop the 17th Street Corridor from Birdneck down to the beach in tandem with this. Right now it is pretty junky in a lot of places. Staring out from this brand new arena at the AutoZone, Janitorial Supply and Sex shop doesn't seem like a positive view of the area. 

 

Part of what makes the Verizon Center in DC so nice is the neighborhood around it in my opinion. At any rate, this is promising news. 

[vdogg]

Here's a link to some fairly polished renderings of the chosen proposal. Looks fantastic.

 

http://www.esgco.com/virginia-beach-arena/

This is gonna look fantastic from the freeway too. It'll really give the beach a bit of that "you've arrived" feel. Much better than staring at the back of that convention center (I will never understand why they decided to place the ugly end facing the freeway ).