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I'm actually surprised by some of the events that are going to the new arena, but maybe this could be a wake up call in terms of competition and trying to upgrade facilities that are Downtown.
I also wonder what the impact will be on Onondaga Hill in terms of growth, if that is even an issue.
I think the impact on Onondaga Hill area growth will be non-existent. The OnCenter itself has never been a good facility for events like stage show, ice shows or concerts but the War memorial portion of it has had steady trade in that area for years. I always liked my dad's comment about the OnCenter when it was being built: "Rochester and Niagara Falls already have convention centers that are losing money and we want to get in on the action too."
The reality is that there simply aren't enough events to fill all the available spaces. Newer structures and those with renovated mechanicals etc. (e.g. Turning Stone Event Center, the Landmark and the new SRC Center at OCC) will garner more interest among the folks who put on events. I think the OnCenter - including the War Memorial and Civic Center Mulroy auditorium will be on serious life support within two years and be demanding massive subsidies that make $3 million look cheap.
Neither here nor there but worth mentioning.... years ago when I ran the bar operation at the Landmark as a part time job (roughly 1990 to 1999) I can recall one particular year when the Landmark had double the number of events that the Civic Center auditorium did in a single calendar year. The most interesting thing about that was the fact that the Landmark pulled it off with a full time staff of only 5 people whereas the Civic Center auditorium had a staff of 35. I'm not talking about staffing for the OnCenter facility or the War Memorial - just the Mulroy Auditorium.
I'm actually surprised by some of the events that are going to the new arena, but maybe this could be a wake up call in terms of competition and trying to upgrade facilities that are Downtown.
I also wonder what the impact will be on Onondaga Hill in terms of growth, if that is even an issue.
Great post, right to the point ckhthankgod!! I am glad that some legislators saw this coming, which gives me hope. The reality, this will impact downtown businesses. The Oncenter needs a state of the art facility next to the Oncenter, plain and simple.
I do not say this at the expense of the Hotel Syracuse, which would make a great mixed-use facility that compliments on-going residential re-development downtown. I also do not think that Syracuse is "too small" for multiple facilities, Syracuse is a regional center of culture and entertainment. If the right facilities are built, people will come.
I cannot agree with you guys more! The War Memorial certainly needs a revamp of some kind. Even though this project is negatively impacting Downtown, I still believe this project is very necessary for OCC. They did not have a REAL athletic center for their students and athletes. This will enhance basketball games and other sports games. Also their commencements will now be held on campus as it should be. Most colleges hold there own commencements on campus, I think OCC should be no different. I know when I graduate from school I would like my ceremony to be on my campus. However, it is a little disheartening to see this affecting Downtown. Several events seem to be jumping ship on the OnCenter so quickly.
Hopefully this trend only lasts so long. In reality, having events in Onondaga Hill on a community college campus will only get you so far. There are no restaurants, shops, or urban feel that adds to the environment. People who go to these conferences and events will not be able to eat or shop anywhere unless they drive 10 minutes to Fairmount Fair or Camillus Commons.
I hope over time people will see Downtown can be a more viable option and have more potential. But honestly, the Oncenter needs to upgrade its facilities, ASAP.
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