Arena Renderings (Albuquerque, Rio Rancho: how much, live, cost)

[abqsunport]

Rob, you make good points. Something is always better than nothing. However, I am just going to post my letter to the editor for how I stand (which pretty much agrees with Bradly):

Albuquerque Journal
Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Letters to the Editor



Two city projects and the governor's proposed tax refund have readers wondering about our fiscal priorities
Bigger Is Better When It Comes to Downtown Arena
I AM VERY concerned with the way the current Downtown arena is going. Albuquerque is a booming city, and we must only help Albuquerque grow responsibly; when cities don't grow, they die.
However, the proposed arena is not helping grow the city in a positive way. A 12,000-seat arena will neither get any new concerts or teams that we couldn't already get, nor will it increase economic prosperity in this city. A 12,000-seat venue isn't for Albuquerque today or tomorrow; rather, 12,000 seats is for an Albuquerque 30 years ago.
Albuquerque is in desperate need of a sufficient venue to get major concerts and decent sports teams — both Brian Urlacher with his arena football and the WNBA are waiting. Albuquerque needs to be looking for an arena more around 20,000 seats rather than 12,000. The proposed hotel sounds like a fantastic idea because Downtown could really use some more high-scale rooms. Albuquerque needs to step up its game if it wants to start looking bigger than much smaller Amarillo or Lubbock.
The Albuquerque-Santa Fe combined statistical area, not official, is 1,023,752; Albuquerque's metropolitan statistical area is roughly 850,000. Here is a list that provides ample support to my argument that Albuquerque needs a much bigger arena than what is currently proposed: Des Moines, Iowa, has an MSA population of 546,599 and an arena size of 16,980; Omaha, Neb., 829,890 and 18,300; Tulsa, Okla., 905,755 and 18,041; Oklahoma City, 1,192,989 and 19,711, and Memphis, Tenn., 1,280,533 and 21,000.
Needless to say, with the recent growth, Albuquerque not only needs, but deserves, a bigger arena than the current proposal. There is no better place to put a venue like this than Downtown, where all the major conventions are, where all the new urban development is, and within easy access of public transportation.
Albuquerque is only going to get bigger, so the time to build is right now. ... You can't get Fortune 500 companies unless there are ample amenities. For that matter, you can't get many major companies to set up shop without some sort of decent concert and sporting scene. We aren't only building for today, but more importantly for decades down the road.
The argument about the surrounding pueblo casino amphitheaters and venues doesn't make much sense. If a concert requires 16,000 seats, you can't put 4,000 in Isleta and 12,000 in the Downtown arena. If a sports team needs 18,000 seats, you can't put some here and some there. Albuquerque is lacking a large venue. The Pit is great at what it does — hosting the UNM basketball programs. However what makes it an exciting NCAA arena limits its chances for concerts and other sporting events. Albuquerque needs a new venue; a Downtown arena is the only proposal that makes sense. ...

[desert sun]

abqsunport--good post and I agree, ABQ needs to get rid of their small town mentality, afterall we are a city.

[the_mudman]

Originally Posted by abqsunport

Rob, you make good points. Something is always better than nothing. However, I am just going to post my letter to the editor for how I stand (which pretty much agrees with Bradly):

Great forward-looking letter! It would be great to get U2 in Albuquerque... they haven't played in NM since 1987. On recent tours, they always hit the four corner states and Texas, but NEVER New Mexico.

[bradly]

I stand for an arena in Albuquerque but I WOULD BUILD FOR THE FUTURE NOT THE PRESENT!


I would rather see this in Albuquerque, becuase i know for one Albuquerque is a big sports city, disagree or not look at how many people are lobo fans are in this city 1 out of every 4 according to a study taken we rank #2 behind austin. Honestly think about the future and lets build for it. People would actually belive in this city and we would be at the top, some people just dont understand.. becuase they are old fashioned and need to wake up because its almost 2009.

WE NEED THIS! 25,000



NOT THIS! 11,000



If you build they will come! thats a fact.. We would have a great fan base, people just find it hard to belive.

[Rob Martinez]

Fair enough, people.

The only problem I see is that no one who has the wherewithall to build an arena agrees with you.

Has Mayor Chavez, the city council, Hunt Construction, Garfield Traub, or the group that did the study said, "The arena needs to be bigger. It needs to be at least 16,000 seats."? The answer is no.

I can just as easily state "Albuquerque can support an NFL team. We need to build a 75,000 seat stadium in downtown." That is an argument of emotion and desire, that I cannot back up with any facts or study to show our city could or would support such a venture. It SOUNDS cool, but is not realistic.

I don't know why Des Moines, Omaha, and Tulsa can build bigger arenas. Maybe some of you should look into that, post your findings here and give them to the mayor.

The only way I see it happening is if the Lobos are brought on board as tenants. Other than that, there are few if ANY events that Albuqerque would host that would regularly bring in 15,000 - 20,000 people.

I also think the poor showing at the Star Center is playing a part in all this. But I could be wrong.

Again, I'd LOVE to see a bigger arena, I just don't think it will happen because a few of us want it. I also don't think this 12,500 seat arena will happen, so you folks will probably get what you want: no arena, no sports, no concerts. In other words, the status quo.

[Rob Martinez]

Originally Posted by abqsunport

Rob, you make good points. Something is always better than nothing. However, I am just going to post my letter to the editor for how I stand (which pretty much agrees with Bradly):

Again, that is a great letter with valid points. But Albuquerque has NEVER been able to do what other cities do. I am not sure why.

Maybe someone can find some solid reasons why Des Moinse and Omaha can build bigger arenas.

[finmqa1]

Originally Posted by Rob Martinez

Again, that is a great letter with valid points. But Albuquerque has NEVER been able to do what other cities do. I am not sure why.

Maybe someone can find some solid reasons why Des Moinse and Omaha can build bigger arenas.

My guess is that these two cities have something that developers think is crucial that ABQ does not. They have numerous Fortune 500 companies headquartered in their cities, and others with a very large corporate presence their. These cities have been able to do so much more because of the income that lies within their metros and the coporate dollars thrown their way. Take for example how we used to have a Nationwide Tour event here (formerly the Nike Tour) but we lost it because there wasn't enough corporate support. Both of these cities, along with Boise, and Tulsa have proven they have the companies to support such activities within their respective cities. I too would love an 18-20,000 seat arena here, but the current plan works for me in the interim. I hope they design and build an arena that could be expanded as the capacity is warranted.

[Rob Martinez]

That would be cool. That is what Omaha did.

Build a 12,500 seat arena, that can add some seats at one end in a few years when needed, to increase capacity to 15,000.

I'd go for that.

[abqsunport]

I agree, if they left room for major capacity increases (like the ability to double) and for massive parking increases I would be onboard.

[Rob Martinez]

I've never heard of an arena that can be doubled in size, unless you tear the roof off and put another arena on top, which is not likely or feasible.

I believe Omaha's arena had 15,000 seats and a mezzanine was built on one the the ends, increasing capacty to about 17,500.

If our arena seats 12,500, maybe later we could close off the upper level bowl to increase capacity to 15,000. Maybe.