Huntington Arena in line for $5 Million update (Wheeling, Thomas: condo, house)

[CTMountaineer]

Originally Posted by tbailey1138

Believe it or not, there was some planning put into this decision. The arena is a big draw for downtown and to fix it up will only add to how well it attracts events and ticket buyers. Bringing ice back to the arena also adds several new options as well. More shows means that the arena makes more money and then also draws more people downtown for shopping, dining, etc. There has been a big push on fixing what already exists in downtown Huntington to help it fit in with Pullman Square, which is newer.

The Cabell Co. commision asked for an extension on the Jan 31 deadline because they want to ensure that the funds can be put toward the Huntington airport. The airport is experiencing tremendous growth and helps the area economically and makes it more attractive. Huntington spreads into Wayne County though and the airport is actually in Wayne Co. The Cabell commission merely wants to ensure that the money can be spent in another county without losing it.

The Huntington arena does see big shows on a frequent basis. Jeff Dunham and Daughtry were here recently and Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin and Tim McGraw (sold out BTW) are performing there next month. Toby Mac and Skillet, big names in Christian music, will be here in April.

Silk, for concerts in the Coliseum, you have to take out at least 1/4 of the seats as no one can sit behind the stage. Also, it doesn't really host frequent concerts other than fallfest and whatever the fest they have in the spring is, which are both WVU sanctioned events.

The Coliseum typically has one or two really big concerts per year. Other big names generally play multiple appearances in the Clay Theater or the Warner downtown. Remember too, Morgantown is relatively close to Pittsburgh so many really big time folks perform in venues there with folks from North Central going there to see them. But, you can get good seating for around 10,000 people for a concert in the Coliseum's stationary seats (seats behind the stage wouldn't generally be useful), and thousands more on the floor... same as in other similar venues in the state.

They don't make extensive use of it for those purposes because they want to protect the outstanding gym floor, preferring multiple performances at the Clay Concert Theater instead.

[Chriscross309]

I know this is a little off topic, but Haddad Riverfront Park is building a new stage with canopy

This could be a great place for a big event on a summer evening!!!

[Chriscross309]

I know this is a little off topic, but this is the proposed Haddad Riverfront Park canopy with stage

It will attract great outdoor events and concerts for the downtown area of Charleston

[tbailey1138]

That is another area Huntington is working on as well, the Riverfront. The city has partnered with the Core of Engineers and is currently in the process of a $150,000 master plan for the Riverfront. The are talking about a pedestrian bridge to link the riverfront to Pullman Square, adding a removable flood wall between 10th St and 12th St, and adding specialty areas like a skate park, spray ground, athletic courts, etc. There has also been talk of adding condos at the riverfront as well which would be nice. Can't wait to see the plan and the final results. Hopefully the riverfront will be totally revamped in about 2 years.

Stakeholders discuss plan for riverfront park - The Herald Dispatch

[CTMountaineer]

Waterfront communities are well advised to develop those areas. Wheeling has benefitted from that (one of the few positive things that has happened there). As you know, Morgantown's waterfront is well developed and it has worked wonderfully there. There is no reason to believe it wouldn't help Huntington too.

[tbailey1138]

Huntington has had a Riverfront park for more than 30 years. That's where they do Rib Fest, X-Fest, the summer symphony series and other events so it is well used. It just needs some upgrades to fit in better with the newer things downtown and to stay up with the times so to speak. It was done in phases and feels like it so that's another thing they are trying to fix. They are also trying to help it fit in with the new biking/walking/jogging trails that they are putting along the river. Lots of different projects are being worked on to help things flow better.

[aceface905]

Originally Posted by tbailey1138

I read a mention of the MU club hockey team in an article but can't locate it now. There is mention of an MU hockey team at the Huntington Hockey Project but I'm not sure if these are just people looking into it or if anything official is being done.

That's my page actually--someone made a comment saying they were wanting to set up a new club team, but nobody got in touch with me to follow up (I wanted to give them a bigger/better plug). I was talking with a friend the other day, though, who told me that Marshall now has a club roller-hockey team playing at the Fieldhouse--if I can get a hold of someone with that outfit I'll give them a writeup

[GottaHerdOn]

Originally Posted by tbailey1138

Huntington has had a Riverfront park for more than 30 years. That's where they do Rib Fest, X-Fest, the summer symphony series and other events so it is well used. It just needs some upgrades to fit in better with the newer things downtown and to stay up with the times so to speak. It was done in phases and feels like it so that's another thing they are trying to fix. They are also trying to help it fit in with the new biking/walking/jogging trails that they are putting along the river. Lots of different projects are being worked on to help things flow better.

I feel like the floodwall isolates the park from the city. I heard a rumor they were either talking about redoing the wall or painting them or doing something to try to integrate and have better flow between Harris Riverfront Park and downtown. Heard anything about that Tim?

[tbailey1138]

Yeah, there are a few things going on with the floodwall right now. They are considering a removable floodwall between the access points at 10th St and 12th St. This would allow the current floodwall to be removed in that area and allow for it to be open unless there was the threat of a flood. This would really open up the park and would let people know it was there.

Invisible Flood Control Wall - Flood Control America - Removable flood protection

YPC is also planning on doing concrete panels to adorn the flood wall as they feel that this would last longer than a typical mural. They have some funding up for this but are waiting for the above mentioned plan to see which segments of the floodwall the can actually place them on.

Art plans could help improve riverfront - The Herald Dispatch

There's a lot of good stuff going on in Huntington right now, including the job front. HMDA has a company interested in moving into and then buying an industrial building on the Westend and then there are 2 companies interested in Kinetic Park. The high-tech incubator there also looks to have gotten new legs. The guys that did the new capital center on 4th Ave say they are about 30-60 days from annoucing new businesses in that building and then Pullman Square officials have said that they have some businesses interested there as well. It's great to see all of this coming together.

[Chriscross309]

Kinetic Park- I've been kinda wondering when they were going to do something

Pullman Square- That is a nice place, but I think they could have done alot more! Of course business doesn't come easy in WV. I think the development should add on, possibly a new office building that goes with the arcitecture theme