Comments on: Host’s Arena Wake-up Call http://thevillevoice.com/2009/07/13/hosts-arena-wake-up-call/ a critical take on Louisville news Wed, 23 May 2012 18:01:06 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Cary B. Willis http://thevillevoice.com/2009/07/13/hosts-arena-wake-up-call/comment-page-1/#comment-51443 Cary B. Willis Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:43:20 +0000 http://thevillevoice.com/2009/07/13/hosts-arena-wake-up-call/#comment-51443 You can grouse about the location or whatever, but if it hadn't been for Jim Host, I doubt this project would have ever happened. Louisville needs big thinkers (and doers), and Jim is one. You can grouse about the location or whatever, but if it hadn’t been for Jim Host, I doubt this project would have ever happened. Louisville needs big thinkers (and doers), and Jim is one.

]]> By: Chuck http://thevillevoice.com/2009/07/13/hosts-arena-wake-up-call/comment-page-1/#comment-51421 Chuck Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:11:01 +0000 http://thevillevoice.com/2009/07/13/hosts-arena-wake-up-call/#comment-51421 I have to question why a carpetbagger from Lexington has the rights to manage this whole thing in Louisville. You're telling me that we couldn't get someone to design the arena from a well known firm such as HOK and for such a company to do the project design and development. I just find Mr. Host to be too much of a political insider to be involved in a multimillion dollar arena project. He did some great things with Host Communications etc. But really most of what he has been involved in should have been decided by the taxpayers of the Louisville community and not forced down the throats of the community for the next 30 years. I hope that Louisville taxpayers enjoy this area because it will take them 30 years to pay it off and it will be falling apart by then. I would love someone to tell me how Indianapolis built four new sports venues in the last 34 years yet only one has been built in Louisville. Lets see, The Old Market Street Arena, Conseco Fieldhouse, RCA Dome, Lucas Oil Stadium and Victory Field. We only have Slugger Field and Louisville Arena to show for it. Not a good track record. Plus they built it in the worst spot downtown. Right where everything bunches up for traffic. Maybe if they imploded the Humana building then they could find parking for the Arena. Otherwise, its going to be a major league cluster#### to get out of there on game days or nights. Its not well planned. They would have did better at the Water Co site or even somewhere between I 65 and business district I have to question why a carpetbagger from Lexington has the rights to manage this whole thing in Louisville. You’re telling me that we couldn’t get someone to design the arena from a well known firm such as HOK and for such a company to do the project design and development. I just find Mr. Host to be too much of a political insider to be involved in a multimillion dollar arena project. He did some great things with Host Communications etc. But really most of what he has been involved in should have been decided by the taxpayers of the Louisville community and not forced down the throats of the community for the next 30 years. I hope that Louisville taxpayers enjoy this area because it will take them 30 years to pay it off and it will be falling apart by then. I would love someone to tell me how Indianapolis built four new sports venues in the last 34 years yet only one has been built in Louisville. Lets see, The Old Market Street Arena, Conseco Fieldhouse, RCA Dome, Lucas Oil Stadium and Victory Field. We only have Slugger Field and Louisville Arena to show for it. Not a good track record.

Plus they built it in the worst spot downtown. Right where everything bunches up for traffic. Maybe if they imploded the Humana building then they could find parking for the Arena. Otherwise, its going to be a major league cluster#### to get out of there on game days or nights. Its not well planned. They would have did better at the Water Co site or even somewhere between I 65 and business district

]]> By: Charlie http://thevillevoice.com/2009/07/13/hosts-arena-wake-up-call/comment-page-1/#comment-51415 Charlie Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:46:26 +0000 http://thevillevoice.com/2009/07/13/hosts-arena-wake-up-call/#comment-51415 I vote with Slim. I vote with Slim.

]]> By: slim http://thevillevoice.com/2009/07/13/hosts-arena-wake-up-call/comment-page-1/#comment-51343 slim Tue, 14 Jul 2009 01:39:44 +0000 http://thevillevoice.com/2009/07/13/hosts-arena-wake-up-call/#comment-51343 Host is a saint. He's 78 years old and works like a dog to get this done for Louisville. People who question his motives are fools. Host is a saint. He’s 78 years old and works like a dog to get this done for Louisville. People who question his motives are fools.

]]> By: David Harpe http://thevillevoice.com/2009/07/13/hosts-arena-wake-up-call/comment-page-1/#comment-51324 David Harpe Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:12:58 +0000 http://thevillevoice.com/2009/07/13/hosts-arena-wake-up-call/#comment-51324 Yep, plenty of room for new commercial development at the riverfront site. After all, nothing is currently near there...just the main downtown business district. To have ancillary commercial development, you need cheap, available land...not something you find readily in a downtown area. Yep, plenty of room for new commercial development at the riverfront site. After all, nothing is currently near there…just the main downtown business district.

To have ancillary commercial development, you need cheap, available land…not something you find readily in a downtown area.

]]> By: Mark H (Not Hebert) http://thevillevoice.com/2009/07/13/hosts-arena-wake-up-call/comment-page-1/#comment-51320 Mark H (Not Hebert) Mon, 13 Jul 2009 21:43:48 +0000 http://thevillevoice.com/2009/07/13/hosts-arena-wake-up-call/#comment-51320 At least we have the opportunity to have something other than tractor pulls. Besides, two tractor pulls in town instead of one is good. As far as the location, I still have to support the move for the riverside location for the arena because of the costs involved, a private developer would have never developed that area. To place the area on the tract that could be commercially developed would be eliminated a potential development area in the future. Placing the new area on campus or the Fairgrounds is just stupid because of the lack of any ancillary commercial development potential. At least we have the opportunity to have something other than tractor pulls. Besides, two tractor pulls in town instead of one is good.

As far as the location, I still have to support the move for the riverside location for the arena because of the costs involved, a private developer would have never developed that area. To place the area on the tract that could be commercially developed would be eliminated a potential development area in the future.

Placing the new area on campus or the Fairgrounds is just stupid because of the lack of any ancillary commercial development potential.

]]> By: David Harpe http://thevillevoice.com/2009/07/13/hosts-arena-wake-up-call/comment-page-1/#comment-51319 David Harpe Mon, 13 Jul 2009 21:31:58 +0000 http://thevillevoice.com/2009/07/13/hosts-arena-wake-up-call/#comment-51319 You don't think we'll have Tractor Pulls and B-rated concerts in the new arena? Guess again. Change is good. Arbitrary change without planning is not. That is truly the Louisville way. (ref: 4th Street Galleria/Live/etc., Belvedere, the entire East End, etc.) This is another iteration of the same. New arena: Good. Jamming it into the worst possible location in the city: Bad. You don’t think we’ll have Tractor Pulls and B-rated concerts in the new arena? Guess again.

Change is good.

Arbitrary change without planning is not. That is truly the Louisville way. (ref: 4th Street Galleria/Live/etc., Belvedere, the entire East End, etc.) This is another iteration of the same.

New arena: Good.
Jamming it into the worst possible location in the city: Bad.

]]> By: Mark H (Not Hebert) http://thevillevoice.com/2009/07/13/hosts-arena-wake-up-call/comment-page-1/#comment-51314 Mark H (Not Hebert) Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:52:43 +0000 http://thevillevoice.com/2009/07/13/hosts-arena-wake-up-call/#comment-51314 Your correct David: "Freedom Hall: 19,000 dedicated, on-site parking spots adjacent to the facility." But don't forget Freedom Hall: Tractor pulls, B-rated concerts, poor convention draw due to lack of ancillary activities nearby, limited if no new event availability. I know it sucks, but let's keep Louisville the same.... That's all you need to know about the Louisvillian experience. Your correct David:

“Freedom Hall: 19,000 dedicated, on-site parking spots adjacent to the facility.”

But don’t forget

Freedom Hall: Tractor pulls, B-rated concerts, poor convention draw due to lack of ancillary activities nearby, limited if no new event availability.

I know it sucks, but let’s keep Louisville the same….

That’s all you need to know about the Louisvillian experience.

]]> By: David Harpe http://thevillevoice.com/2009/07/13/hosts-arena-wake-up-call/comment-page-1/#comment-51311 David Harpe Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:22:22 +0000 http://thevillevoice.com/2009/07/13/hosts-arena-wake-up-call/#comment-51311 Freedom Hall: 19,000 dedicated, on-site parking spots adjacent to the facility. Downtown Arena: 13,000 SHARED parking spots scattered across several different garages and surface lots within a several block radius. Schedule for Ohio River bridge construction: http://www.kyinbridges.com/project/schedule-and-cost.aspx That's all you really need to know about the downtown arena experience. Freedom Hall: 19,000 dedicated, on-site parking spots adjacent to the facility.

Downtown Arena: 13,000 SHARED parking spots scattered across several different garages and surface lots within a several block radius.

Schedule for Ohio River bridge construction:
http://www.kyinbridges.com/project/schedule-and-cost.aspx

That’s all you really need to know about the downtown arena experience.

]]> By: Mark http://thevillevoice.com/2009/07/13/hosts-arena-wake-up-call/comment-page-1/#comment-51307 Mark Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:02:08 +0000 http://thevillevoice.com/2009/07/13/hosts-arena-wake-up-call/#comment-51307 I like to see Springsteen whenever I can, but rather than wait until a possible 2010-11 tour why doesn't Sexton get him to Churchill Downs this fall? The band is touring and has some gaps before hitting the east coast metros in October. I like to see Springsteen whenever I can, but rather than wait until a possible 2010-11 tour why doesn’t Sexton get him to Churchill Downs this fall? The band is touring and has some gaps before hitting the east coast metros in October.

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