RAC Renovations

[RUKnight08]

Does anyone know if renovations to the RAC are at all included in the plan for the Big Ten Build. I have not heard anything regarding the RAC in the plan. We really need this if we have any hope of recruiting better, even with the new staff. I mean the practice courts in the new sports facility look great but I really wish Tim Pernetti's (It's a shame bc he would have done major things for our sport programs) plans would have moved forward. It would have been amazing for us and I think we would have beat out Georgia Tech for Jose Alvarado today with Pernetti's facility. I mean look at it.

 

[Jim_from_RU]

These were Pernetti's plans. They've been scrapped.

 

[RUJMM78]

Every aspect of the mens basketball program needs a major facelift starting with the RAC interior/exterior.Its not pleasing to the eye and there is a lack of space for rest rooms and walking area to and from the concessions.

 

[PaKnight]

These were Pernetti's plans. They've been scrapped.

Yes, there are three pieces to the $100M build, the new BB/Wrestling/Volley Ball/Gymnastics facility, Lax/Soccer/Tennis facility and renovating the Hale center to be a football only facility once the other teams move out of it.

 

[SirScarlet]

Yes, there are three pieces to the $100M build, the new BB/Wrestling/Volley Ball/Gymnastics facility, Lax/Soccer/Tennis facility and renovating the Hale center to be a football only facility once the other teams move out of it.

OP: as PaKnight said, YES.

here is more detail

http://www.rutgersbigtenbuild.com/ specifically, here: http://www.rutgersbigtenbuild.com/multisport-training-complex/index.html

 

[RUKnight08]

These were Pernetti's plans. They've been scrapped.

OP: as PaKnight said, YES.

here is more detail

http://www.rutgersbigtenbuild.com/ specifically, here: http://www.rutgersbigtenbuild.com/multisport-training-complex/index.html

Yes I know that the photos are of Pernetti's plans. I'm saying that had this gone through it would have been amazing as oppose to the plans of nothing that we currently have for the RAC itself. I mean yes we will have new practice courts in the multisport facility but I have not seen or heard anything about any renovations to the RAC or even the outsider facade of it. I mean the multisport facility alone isn't gonna help in getting the best players if they are still playing their games in a place that looks the way the RAC does (especially the outside).

 

[RU85inFla]

If I recall pernetti's plan was $60 million. The $45 million practice facility solves wrestling, gymnastics, volleyball and basketball practice facilities. Pernetti's only supported basketball but upgraded the RAC. I assume you would need a cool $50 million to build pernetti's plan w/o the practice facilities because they would be in the other structure.

 

[Raritan83]

The RAC isn't the issue. It is the practice facility or space. We are raising for the practice facility and besides that the rest of Pernettis (reminder he hired flood and rice) plan was fan oriented rather than player. So not sure why it would help with a recruit.

 

[RUKnight08]

The RAC isn't the issue. It is the practice facility or space. We are raising for the practice facility and besides that the rest of Pernettis (reminder he hired flood and rice) plan was fan oriented rather than player. So not sure why it would help with a recruit.

So you're trying to tell me that when a recruit walks into the RAC and sees that mess of a building, it doesn't have a big effect on them wanting to come to RU? and it's the practice facility thats the only problem? Seriously?

I mean look at facilities in the Big Ten with terrible teams

(Northwestern is even renovating their arena with 110 million dollars right now)

And then you drive up to the RAC and see this:

THEN you walk in and see a Divison I-AA looking basketball gym

I mean come on don't tell me the RAC is not the problem.

We are raising for the practice facility and besides that the rest of Pernettis (reminder he hired flood and rice)

Also FYI Flood was only hired bc Mario Cristobal (we know where he's coaching now) turned down our offer and we were left with no other viable candidates).

 

[Raritan83]

So you're trying to tell me that when a recruit walks into the RAC and sees that mess of a building, it doesn't have a big effect on them wanting to come to RU? and it's the practice facility thats the only problem? Seriously?

I mean look at facilities in the Big Ten with terrible teams

(Northwestern is even renovating their arena with 110 million dollars right now)

And then you drive up to the RAC and see this:

THEN you walk in and see a Divison I-AA looking basketball gym

I mean come on don't tell me the RAC is not the problem.



Also FYI Flood was only hired bc Mario Cristobal (we know where he's coaching now) turned down our offer and we were left with no other viable candidates).

Yes. I am telling you that. A dedicated practice facility is the issue.

Yes. Cristobal was fired by Florida international university and is now an offensive line coach.

 

[RUKnight08]

Yes. I am telling you that. A dedicated practice facility is the issue.

Wow. You REALLY have no clue how young people think!!!

 

[Raritan83]

Wow. You REALLY have no clue how young people think!!!

And you how a recruit thinks

 

[RU Husky]

So you're trying to tell me that when a recruit walks into the RAC and sees that mess of a building, it doesn't have a big effect on them wanting to come to RU? and it's the practice facility thats the only problem? Seriously?

I mean look at facilities in the Big Ten with terrible teams

(Northwestern is even renovating their arena with 110 million dollars right now)

And then you drive up to the RAC and see this:

THEN you walk in and see a Divison I-AA looking basketball gym

I mean come on don't tell me the RAC is not the problem.



Also FYI Flood was only hired bc Mario Cristobal (we know where he's coaching now) turned down our offer and we were left with no other viable candidates).

So why are the terrible teams with great facilities so lousy? It ain't the facilities, putz.

 

[RUKnight08]

So why are the terrible teams with great facilities so lousy? It ain't the facilities, putz.

Haha it's funny that somehow I said that teams are great because of the facilities. I never said the facilities make or break a program so thanks but I'm not here for the name calling. I pointed out the fact that someone said the RAC has NOTHING to do with the overall decision of these recruits. When in actuality it is a large factor in their determination, though not the only factor. My point was you can't expect to do well in recruiting in the Big Ten; even with a good staff, if you're already behind the proverbial eight ball from the beginning.

And you how a recruit thinks

Fortunately I have been a part of both my younger brother's basketball recruitment 5 years ago and also the recruitment of one of RU's football alum who's graduated less than 4 years ago and is still active in the RU community. I was also recruited by RU for tennis just before the program was dropped so yes I do have insight into a recruit's thinking.

 

[Upstream]

The team that plays here just won the NCAA Championship.

I don't think recruits are impressed by the wood ceiling.

The problem with the RAC for recruiting was that there was no practice floors, inadequate weight and training facilities, the locker room lacked a player lounge, etc. The spaces where players spend most of their time are lacking (or non-existent) at the RAC. That's the big issue, not the entry foyer.

There are plans for renovations for the RAC, including a new entry and ticketing area. But that comes after the practice facility. And the RAC renovations are primarily to benefit the fans, not the players. From the master plan: "The master plan proposes to renovate the RAC to accommodate evolving program needs and to address qualitative concerns within the facility. Upgrades to the existing RAC include plans to expand the concourse level of the RAC, increase seating capacity and club space, improve lighting and restroom facilities. The fan and visitor experience is also enhanced by an addition of new ticketing area and lobby and a spirit ware retail shop. The realignment of the drop-off road in front of the RAC building will accommodate walkways routes from the campus core to the RAC and into Scarlet Knight Park. By relocating training functions to the proposed new basketball facility, the RAC can be optimized for the fan experience."


But before the RAC renovations can occur, the practice facility needs to be completed, so that the athletic offices can be moved out of the RAC, and that space can be rebuilt.

 

[Jim_from_RU]

The team that plays here just won the NCAA Championship.

I don't think recruits are impressed by the wood ceiling.

The problem with the RAC for recruiting was that there was no practice floors, inadequate weight and training facilities, the locker room lacked a player lounge, etc. The spaces where players spend most of their time are lacking (or non-existent) at the RAC. That's the big issue, not the entry foyer.

There are plans for renovations for the RAC, including a new entry and ticketing area. But that comes after the practice facility. And the RAC renovations are primarily to benefit the fans, not the players. From the master plan: "The master plan proposes to renovate the RAC to accommodate evolving program needs and to address qualitative concerns within the facility. Upgrades to the existing RAC include plans to expand the concourse level of the RAC, increase seating capacity and club space, improve lighting and restroom facilities. The fan and visitor experience is also enhanced by an addition of new ticketing area and lobby and a spirit ware retail shop. The realignment of the drop-off road in front of the RAC building will accommodate walkways routes from the campus core to the RAC and into Scarlet Knight Park. By relocating training functions to the proposed new basketball facility, the RAC can be optimized for the fan experience."


But before the RAC renovations can occur, the practice facility needs to be completed, so that the athletic offices can be moved out of the RAC, and that space can be rebuilt.

To be fair, Nova plays at the Wells Fargo Center also.

 

[Upstream]

To be fair, Nova plays at the Wells Fargo Center also.

Yes they do. They have to play some of their games 20 miles off campus because their on-campus facility isn't sufficient.

That just helps prove the point that the arena itself isn't the issue.

 

[bac2therac]

Yes I know that the photos are of Pernetti's plans. I'm saying that had this gone through it would have been amazing as oppose to the plans of nothing that we currently have for the RAC itself. I mean yes we will have new practice courts in the multisport facility but I have not seen or heard anything about any renovations to the RAC or even the outsider facade of it. I mean the multisport facility alone isn't gonna help in getting the best players if they are still playing their games in a place that looks the way the RAC does (especially the outside).

pernettis plan would have cost 300 million by the time everything came together, it was a pipe drea, we have enough trouble trying to raise 100 million for the practice facility..eventually a new arena will come but not now

 

[RutgersDon]

Yes they do. They have to play some of their games 20 miles off campus because their on-campus facility isn't sufficient.

That just helps prove the point that the arena itself isn't the issue.

No way.

 

[Raritan83]

Fortunately I have been a part of both my younger brother's basketball recruitment 5 years ago and also the recruitment of one of RU's football alum who's graduated less than 4 years ago and is still active in the RU community. I was also recruited by RU for tennis just before the program was dropped so yes I do have insight into a recruit's thinking.

So you are telling me a recruit puts just as much emphasis making sure the fans have a nice lobby to enter or a TV screen to watch games on compared to a dedicated weight room for the team or a practice court they don't need to share with the women's team or baseball?

 

[Local Shill]

The part that pisses me off the most is that we were officially accepted into the Big Ten almost 46 months ago - Nov. 20, 2012 (and likely knew it was happening weeks before) and didn't start to truly get moving on any upgrades until earlier this year.

The frickin' practice facility should be already open or nearing completion.

 

[HeavenUniv.]

I have been going to games at The RAC since it opened. Monmouth just opened a smaller arena,but it looks like Buckingham Palace compared to ours. PLEASE don't waste a penny on renovating The RAC--just fundraise for a new 15,000 hockey/basketball arena that we can be proud of for at least 50 years and at least get the preliminary work done on starting a Rutgers Hockey program. If it takes 7-10 more years,then so be it.---http://www.monmouthhawks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=204799566&DB_OEM_ID=14300&DB_OEM_ID=14300

 

[Local Shill]

Give it up Heaven. There won't be a varsity hockey program in our lifetimes unless someone donates hundreds of millions to the athletic department. You've been here long enough to know that it's been explained many times.

 

[RUKnight08]

So you are telling me a recruit puts just as much emphasis making sure the fans have a nice lobby to enter or a TV screen to watch games on compared to a dedicated weight room for the team or a practice court they don't need to share with the women's team or baseball?

I've never said the weight room & practice court weren't major for recruiting because of course it is. I'm sure that it becomes monotonous for RU players to play & practice on the same court every day. Its great that we are adding that facility but we are having to play catch up with these Big Ten school. What i'm saying is that a recruit does not look at these things (new lobby, tv screens) from a fans perspective, they look at it from their own. Kids care ALOT about perception these days. It's alot more superficial thinking glitz and glam with kids. They want to feel like they are actually playing at the next level. They want to walk into their facility and be excited to play there on gameday. You can't tell me that the facility is on par for what's expected from a Big Ten school. It's just not. And especially if you're historically known in these kids eyes as a not very good team.

I mean the great thing for Maryland going into the Big Ten was that many of their facilities were already very good excluding their football stadium. I just feel like RU is way behind in their decision making as to whether they want to be players in this conference or not. I mean as soon as Maryland found out they were going to the Big Ten with worked fast and announced a 150 million dollar athletics facility in their first year in the conference. They have started building it already with completion done in 2017. Were still only halfway to fundraising. I mean I think Pernetti had the right idea (a least when it came to football and basketball), Herman hell we probably wouldn't have anything with her. But I think Pat Hobbs is on the right track but I just think completing RAC renovations by between 2025 and 2029 (which is what the university implementation timeline says) is a mistake.

 

[Upstream]

I mean I think Pernetti had the right idea (a least when it came to football and basketball), Herman hell we probably wouldn't have anything with her. But I think Pat Hobbs is on the right track but I just think completing RAC renovations by between 2025 and 2029 (which is what the university implementation timeline says) is a mistake.

I don't want to turn this into a Pernetti vs Hermann vs Hobbs thread. But all Pernetti had was a couple of artist conceptual drawings put into a donor brochure (and the drawings were not even consistent with each other .... there were competing concepts in the brochure). There was no real plan and there was no real fundraising. The current plans were put together with Hermann, and Hobbs has has moved significantly forward in raising funds and implementing the plans with a few tweaks.

 

[seels2662]

Practice facility first, then maybe the RAC.

If we get good the RAC will be the loudest arena in the B1G save for maybe Assembly Hall. When opposing teams start fearing playing there a "new arena" won't be as important.

 

[FrankZ]

The Gophers gym is a dump - trust me on that one

 

[SJScarlet]

I don't want to turn this into a Pernetti vs Hermann vs Hobbs thread. But all Pernetti had was a couple of artist conceptual drawings put into a donor brochure (and the drawings were not even consistent with each other .... there were competing concepts in the brochure). There was no real plan and there was no real fundraising. The current plans were put together with Hermann, and Hobbs has has moved significantly forward in raising funds and implementing the plans with a few tweaks.

This nj.com article conflicts with what you are saying. Pernetti had been going around saying he had $10 million pledged. Whether or not that was true, at the very least they had hired an architectural firm. So there was money going toward it, as architectural firms don't do work on spec.

Not that it matters now, but all that got shoveled under once the mike rice stuff hit.
http://www.nj.com/rutgersbasketball/index.ssf/2012/05/rutgers_athletic_center_finall.html

 

[Upstream]

This nj.com article conflicts with what you are saying. Pernetti had been going around saying he had $10 million pledged. Whether or not that was true, at the very least they had hired an architectural firm. So there was money going toward it, as architectural firms don't do work on spec.

Not that it matters now, but all that got shoveled under once the mike rice stuff hit.
http://www.nj.com/rutgersbasketball/index.ssf/2012/05/rutgers_athletic_center_finall.html

I think the fact that I said that there were "a couple of artist conceptual drawings put into a donor brochure" indicates that there was some work being done. Yes, an architectural firm was hired, and yes, they put together conceptual drawings. But that is different than real building plans. And yes there was a donor brochure and some donors indicated that they would support the initiative. But that is different to the current level of a Build Fund with actual cash donations.

There seems to be some people that think those Jan 2013 plans were scrapped or "shoveled under" once the Mike Rice stuff hit. There was not really anything scrapped or "shoveled under" because there really wasn't anything in place beyond the conceptual idea that Rutgers needed facilities improvements for basketball. Instead of claiming that the concepts were scrapped, you could say they were refined. The practice facility was moved to the area adjacent to the arena instead of in front of the arena, and space was added for other teams plus athletic offices, and the facility was combined with a parking area to take advantage of funding options.

You could look at the Jan 2013 concepts, and say "great idea". But then you had to refine it to keep the important features, add other needed features, and move if from concept to executable reality.

 

[SJScarlet]

It is not specified in that article, but I also recall reporting that the architecture firm had been given a large sum for their work (either 500k or $1 million). For a cash-strapped athletic department, that became the collateral damage of going in a different direction once Julie took over.

 

[HeavenUniv.]

Local,
I don't know about you,but I plan on living until I am 150. So there's a chance I see it !!!

 

[RUDave_01]

I seem to remember Pat Hobbs saying that the exterior of the RAC will need to be improved so that it won't clash with its next door neighbor. Who knows what that time frame looks like, but it could coincide with the other internal changes mentioned above.

 

[ColonelRutgers]

Last thing we need is to play basketball games in a hockey arena. Horrible layout, no atmosphere. Plus, hockey sucks.

 

[bigmatt718]

Last thing we need is to play basketball games in a hockey arena. Horrible layout, no atmosphere. Plus, hockey sucks.

I'm guessing you've never attended a live NHL game or experienced the exhilaration of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

 

[Sideline20]

So you are telling me a recruit puts just as much emphasis making sure the fans have a nice lobby to enter or a TV screen to watch games on compared to a dedicated weight room for the team or a practice court they don't need to share with the women's team or baseball?

When I saw your comment about the "lobby" it reminded me of a tour I took of the Petersen Events Center at Pitt. When you first enter the lobby there is a nice large gift shop off to the side. I am sure that the coaches bring the recruits into that gift shop and mention that your (the recruit's) jersey will be for sale here as your fans enter the arena. It's all about the "packaging."

 

[Schmurg]

When I saw your comment about the "lobby" it reminded me of a tour I took of the Petersen Events Center at Pitt. When you first enter the lobby there is a nice large gift shop off to the side. I am sure that the coaches bring the recruits into that gift shop and mention that your (the recruit's) jersey will be for sale here as your fans enter the arena. It's all about the "packaging."

Yep I am sure the coach brings the recruit right there and says something to the effect of 'This is where the school will capitalize on your success by selling your jersey with you seeing nothing from the profits'

Sorry something tells me the gift shop is not on the list of selling points to a recruit. Plus even if they wanted to do that there is always the school bookstore.

 

[Sideline20]

Yep I am sure the coach brings the recruit right there and says something to the effect of 'This is where the school will capitalize on your success by selling your jersey with you seeing nothing from the profits'

Sorry something tells me the gift shop is not on the list of selling points to a recruit. Plus even if they wanted to do that there is always the school bookstore.

LOL.....I am sure that's what they say to the recruit.

Still though, when a 16 or 17 year old kid starts thinking about playing in that uniform with their name on the back and people paying big $$ to wear that around town can be a factor in the decision. I am sure the coaches have one uniform made and hanging up in the gift shop to bring that point directly to the recruit.

 

[coachkos]

AGREE WITH HEAVEN

 

[Scarlet Pride]

LOL.....I am sure that's what they say to the recruit.

Still though, when a 16 or 17 year old kid starts thinking about playing in that uniform with their name on the back and people paying big $$ to wear that around town can be a factor in the decision. I am sure the coaches have one uniform made and hanging up in the gift shop to bring that point directly to the recruit.

Except that the O'Bannon case basically all but eliminates that possibility.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Saw what you want about the RAC.....take a look at penn state or Illinois and where the seats are relative to the floor. I think a gym that doesn't double as a hockey rink or something else is very important.

Trust me on this one....if Pikiell turns this around the RAC as a place to play will be an asset and not a liability. Unfortunately it has been too long for us to remember. The building for far to long has been the Louis Brown Athletic Center. One day the RAC will be back.