[Stylo]

Originally Posted by SteveM85

what about a AAA baseball team in New Haven

I'd love to see some sort of sports complex in Fair Haven.

[BobNJ1960]

AA downstate is more realistic IMO. I'd like to see it in one of the suburbs. Preferably near downtown.

NJ had many competitors to the Bluefish, and a few were walking distance to NJ rail stops. I saw a good deal of spillover in a few cases of parks in terms of restaurant traffic before and after games. I'd like to see Ct think along those lines. Perhaps there is room near a NY line train, in some suburb, for a 6,000 seat AA stadium.

[Connecticut203]

Originally Posted by BobNJ1960

Bingo. Plus, you will need a new arena every 25-30 years. The XL Center is quaint, which is not what an NHL team wants. It wants 21st century, with all the trimmings.

If I thought we stood a true chance at any pro team, I'd say forget the renovation. Implode the XL. Build a 21t century arena. Now court teams.

So true. You would need to build a new arena. Furthermore, we forget one important aspect: the cities. Look at the cities these hockey teams are in. There is something to be said about having a Pro team in your city center. Most cities in professional sports are vibrant Urban centers, with large populations. I'm only talking city proper here, not Metropolitan stats.

Winnipeg 778K
Tampa 387K
Buffalo 276K
Raleigh 469K

Just a small sample. But Raleigh 469K vs 125K for Hartford is not even close. There may be a metro of 1.2 million in the Hartford area, but Hartford NEEDS to be the draw in that market. Hartford needs to be everything to everybody there, especially since its between Boston and NY. Population does matter, especially if you want to attract Major stars and want them to stay. there has got to be a reason. It's all about happening urban centers now. CT doesn't have a city that is close to 200K and the cities are small, which hurts it in attracting a major franchise. I would love for a pro team to come here, but besides a new arena, the city of Hartford itself needs to build itself back up alot.

[Connecticut203]

Originally Posted by BobNJ1960

AA downstate is more realistic IMO. I'd like to see it in one of the suburbs. Preferably near downtown.

NJ had many competitors to the Bluefish, and a few were walking distance to NJ rail stops. I saw a good deal of spillover in a few cases of parks in terms of restaurant traffic before and after games. I'd like to see Ct think along those lines. Perhaps there is room near a NY line train, in some suburb, for a 6,000 seat AA stadium.

AAA would be great, but I don't see any of the locals in Stamford, Bridgeport, New Haven going for it. New Haven had the Coliseum and that went. Bridgeport had the Bluefish and that went. Stamford had some parks with space for a AA or AA baseball stadium (Where the urby apartments are or Kosciuszko Park or Cubeta Stadium) but they are focused on attracting renters for all these apartments being built.

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by Connecticut203

So true. You would need to build a new arena. Furthermore, we forget one important aspect: the cities. Look at the cities these hockey teams are in. There is something to be said about having a Pro team in your city center. Most cities in professional sports are vibrant Urban centers, with large populations. I'm only talking city proper here, not Metropolitan stats.

Winnipeg 778K
Tampa 387K
Buffalo 276K
Raleigh 469K

Just a small sample. But Raleigh 469K vs 125K for Hartford is not even close. There may be a metro of 1.2 million in the Hartford area, but Hartford NEEDS to be the draw in that market. Hartford needs to be everything to everybody there, especially since its between Boston and NY. Population does matter, especially if you want to attract Major stars and want them to stay. there has got to be a reason. It's all about happening urban centers now. CT doesn't have a city that is close to 200K and the cities are small, which hurts it in attracting a major franchise. I would love for a pro team to come here, but besides a new arena, the city of Hartford itself needs to build itself back up alot.

Add in, moving a team 3 time zones is horrible for the league, as someone else must change divisions in the opposite direction.

NHL first choice would be same time zone, moving one zone is doable, beyond that no shot.

That's on top of providing the 21st century arena the team deserves. Not, "we'll try to do it".

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by Connecticut203

AAA would be great, but I don't see any of the locals in Stamford, Bridgeport, New Haven going for it. New Haven had the Coliseum and that went. Bridgeport had the Bluefish and that went. Stamford had some parks with space for a AA or AA baseball stadium (Where the urby apartments are or Kosciuszko Park or Cubeta Stadium) but they are focused on attracting renters for all these apartments being built.

New Haven is a very different city since the Coliseum.

[Johnho771]

The newest NHL teams disputes the notion we would need a new arena. The Seattle Kraken are the newest team and have the oldest arena in the NHL. Yes a lot of money was invested into it, but it is not new.

The XL center in a way is an advantage. Look at Fenway Park, old, but known as "America's most beloved ball park." The XL center would be the NHL's third oldest arena. It has charm, it has history, it is "the house that Howe built."

The XL does need money and upgrades, but need not be replaced.

[ryanthegoldengod]

Originally Posted by Connecticut203

So true. You would need to build a new arena. Furthermore, we forget one important aspect: the cities. Look at the cities these hockey teams are in. There is something to be said about having a Pro team in your city center. Most cities in professional sports are vibrant Urban centers, with large populations. I'm only talking city proper here, not Metropolitan stats.

Winnipeg 778K
Tampa 387K
Buffalo 276K
Raleigh 469K

Just a small sample. But Raleigh 469K vs 125K for Hartford is not even close. There may be a metro of 1.2 million in the Hartford area, but Hartford NEEDS to be the draw in that market. Hartford needs to be everything to everybody there, especially since its between Boston and NY. Population does matter, especially if you want to attract Major stars and want them to stay. there has got to be a reason. It's all about happening urban centers now. CT doesn't have a city that is close to 200K and the cities are small, which hurts it in attracting a major franchise. I would love for a pro team to come here, but besides a new arena, the city of Hartford itself needs to build itself back up alot.

You're opening up a Pandora's box and Jay will say let's get back to the topic but......we know Hartford's population numbers are very misleading. It's 17 square miles. Many, many other cities annexed their inner suburbs but NIMBYism prevents any sort of regionalism around here. So the city is tiny and impoverished.

[ryanthegoldengod]

Originally Posted by Johnho771

The newest NHL teams disputes the notion we would need a new arena. The Seattle Kraken are the newest team and have the oldest arena in the NHL. Yes a lot of money was invested into it, but it is not new.

The XL center in a way is an advantage. Look at Fenway Park, old, but known as "America's most beloved ball park." The XL center would be the NHL's third oldest arena. It has charm, it has history, it is "the house that Howe built."

The XL does need money and upgrades, but need not be replaced.

Okay I will admit I did not know Seattle's arena is renovated, not new. So maybe you're right the XL Center is salvageable. But i did just read that the renovations that arena recently underwent cost $1.1 billion. Took them 3 years. The project was 100% privately funded.

So I think the only prayer is Lamont, a very rich man with very rich friends, can find an owner actually willing to pony up a lot of his own money. Who knows? Maybe it's possible. But I think that would be the only path. Too many of the richest voters and taxpayers in this state are suburban New Yorkers who don't care about an arena in Hartford and would vehemently oppose it. So private funding or bust.

[BHW2436]

Originally Posted by Johnho771

The newest NHL teams disputes the notion we would need a new arena. The Seattle Kraken are the newest team and have the oldest arena in the NHL. Yes a lot of money was invested into it, but it is not new.

The XL center in a way is an advantage. Look at Fenway Park, old, but known as "America's most beloved ball park." The XL center would be the NHL's third oldest arena. It has charm, it has history, it is "the house that Howe built."

The XL does need money and upgrades, but need not be replaced.

Respectfully, I strongly disagree with your entire post. The only thing you said correctly was that the Kraken are the newest NHL team.

Fenway and Wrigley both have the charm and historical appeal. Fenway is a novelty that is cool to go to, no doubt, but most people I know in Boston don’t love the actual experience of small seats and cramped areas.

The Kraken have the oldest stadium on essentially a technicality. You’re right, they didn’t bulldoze it and start over BUT they put $1.15 Billion, with a B, into it. You can call it the oldest all you want, but that’s basically a rebuild for a stadium that holds less than 20,000 people. Let me repeat that, $1.15 Billion.

You honestly think XL has charm? I’ve literally never heard that said before. Charm is Wrigley and Fenway. Not XL.