Facilities

[valpotx]

I never once realized that the ARC and Hilltop did not have A/C, and we practiced in there all of the time.  What a bunch of wimps

[VU2014]

The former Porter County Hospital Parking garage is now gone.

http://www.nwitimes.com/former-valparaiso-hospital-parking-garage-begins-to-come-down/article_f8d15111-58fd-51d0-ad5c-adc761354e3d.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=user-share

https://twitter.com/Valpo_Hoops/status/921442351654064129

Has anyone heard anything about the parking situation? Has the University decided on how they plan on addressing the parking situation around the ARC?

[VU2014]

Indiana State University plans to spend up to $50 million to renovate Hulman Center.

"I'm a very happy person ... and excited that we'll be able to move forward with this and hopefully get construction started in March or April," ISU President Dan Bradley said in a telephone interview soon after the committee's vote.... "It means we will really have an up-to-date, multi-purpose facility and we will be able to have significantly more activity at Hulman Center."

Once completed, "We'll be able to get people in and out easier and it will be a much more attractive building," Bradley said. "I think we'll be able to attract more events," particularly with improvements to the north loading dock.
http://www.tribstar.com/news/hulman-center-renovation-receives-final-state-approval/article_d9179c7e-b5a5-11e7-a03e-634744136008.html

Big news for one our new Conference rivals. It should help them in recruiting.

[valpospartan]

I never once realized that the ARC and Hilltop did not have A/C, and we practiced in there all of the time.  What a bunch of wimps

You obviously have never attended a Volleyball game during a September/October hot spell.  If you had, you would KNOW that the ARC doesn't have AC.

[valpotx]

I was always in the ARC for various baseball practices/runs year-round, and attended all Volleyball games while I was in school .  That is not hot.  Come down here sometime in July or August .

[VU2014]

Some very interesting comments from Commissioner Doug Elgin on the 'Inside the Valley' Podcast today, specifically about Valpo facility upgrades. Worth a listen. He openly says that he thinks that Valpo will be making upgrades to the ARC. The que

Facilities talk: 03:40-05:26

http://www.mvc-sports.com/sports/2017/5/16/GEN_0516171827.aspx

https://twitter.com/MVCsports/status/922476774696595457

[valpopal]

Some very interesting comments from Commissioner Doug Elgin on the 'Inside the Valley' Podcast today, specifically about Valpo facility upgrades. Worth a listen. He openly says that he thinks that Valpo will be making upgrades to the ARC.

[tweet]922476774696595457[/tweet]

I did not find his comments about the ARC to include anything new or to be very encouraging. He said: "I think they will invest in the ARC over time, though it is not a requirement and not a mandate from our league."

[VU2014]

I did not find his comments about the ARC to include anything new or to be very encouraging. He said: "I think they will invest in the ARC over time, though it is not a requirement and not a mandate from our league."

True, but its encouraging to hear the commish even talk about the facilities "issue" at Valpo. I'd love to know what "upgrades" & "invest in (the ARC) over time" means. I couldn't imagine LeCrone even approaching the subject. I'd love to be a fly on the wall to hear the where the facility upgrades stand. It would be nice to just hear the plans and hear where the fundraising goals currently stand.

[VULB#62]

A new roof, lighting changes to Hilltop, new BB locker rooms, and AC are considered upgrades, no? 

Few of those are visible. It is like rewiring your house to bring it up to code. Necessary, practically invisible, and certainly not sexy.

Personally, I think these need to be done, but I sure would like to see at least one sexy thing in the mix just to amp up the atmosphere.  Say, what about a new sound system?

[Valpower]

In the unsexy, but useful category, would demolishing Porter Memorial Hospital parking and turning it into useable parking count as an ARC upgrade?

[VULB#62]

Master Planning, in my opinion, is sort of an art and a good master plan needs good visuals to communicate not only what will be done but how it will look.  Montana State, in Bozeman, MT, where my daughter and her family live has just released their 20 year Athletic Master Plan.  Granted this is a big state university, but the components that are presented and how they are presented are scalable to a smaller institution like Valpo.   I'd love to read plans and see illustrations of Valpo's plans as they apply to all athletic facilities and  as they implement and refine the original university 30 Year Plan.  For instance, I have never seen a vision for any ARC renovation or expansion.  I have not seen high level schematics of the proposed field house/recreation facility and soccer stadium proposed for the Porter property.  We are sinking $1+ million into Em Bauer field, but is there a plan with supporting illustrations that can be shared? 

If there is sound planning and a clear vision for all aspects of our athletics facilities, then that should be shared with the Valpo community as a means of promotion.
Check out how MSU went about it and then overlay what Valpo could do with the same tools to pull together a cogent and realistic plan for Valpo's atheletic future.


http://msubobcats.com/sports/2017/9/20/Facilities-MasterPlan.aspx

[NativeCheesehead]

I have asked this many times over the last ten years and have been told the same thing in different ways by different people. Outside of some small changes here or there, the ARC will see no significant upgrades baring a major donor stepping forward and giving money earmarked only for that purpose. When I asked a member of the athletic department about using the conference move as a springboard for a fundraising campaign for the ARC, I was told it had been brought up many times and shot down many times, but he wouldn't tell me at what level it's been hitting it's head on. Very frustrating.

Coming into the MVC with by far the worst basketball facility, and already seeing Indiana State getting funds for a massive upgrade, we could fall further and further behind each and every year.

That being said, maybe there's a plan or something in the works we don't know about, so I will reserve any individual criticisms. However, if we are still having the same conversation next year (this same one we've been having for more than a decade), I will be very disappointed (though completely un surprised). 

[VU2014]

I have asked this many times over the last ten years and have been told the same thing in different ways by different people. Outside of some small changes here or there, the ARC will see no significant upgrades baring a major donor stepping forward and giving money earmarked only for that purpose. When I asked a member of the athletic department about using the conference move as a springboard for a fundraising campaign for the ARC, I was told it had been brought up many times and shot down many times, but he wouldn't tell me at what level it's been hitting it's head on. Very frustrating. 

Cough-HECKLER-cough 

[vu72]

I have asked this many times over the last ten years and have been told the same thing in different ways by different people. Outside of some small changes here or there, the ARC will see no significant upgrades baring a major donor stepping forward and giving money earmarked only for that purpose. When I asked a member of the athletic department about using the conference move as a springboard for a fundraising campaign for the ARC, I was told it had been brought up many times and shot down many times, but he wouldn't tell me at what level it's been hitting it's head on. Very frustrating. 

Cough-HECKLER-cough 

Very unfair.  Valpo is one year into a 250,000,000 fund drive to secure the endowment. We have raised 162,000,000 so far.  Does it make sense to announce a competing fund drive??  Ask St. Joes if endowment is important.  Dr. Heckler is very much in favor of athletics and made a big deal of the move to The Valley during his Homecoming speech including the idea that playing in The Valley will extend Valpo's recognition on a broader national basis. 

Having said that, John Kuka is full time dealing with Athletic Donors and is raising money in the millions for the current improvements to Hilltop, Em Bauer and other spots.  I know, patience is painful.

[VULB#62]

If a well thought-out Athletics Master Plan is not developed and maintained, just like any business plan or political strategy, it creates a vacuum that is filled with ad hoc or spur of the moment ideas and can result in constant changes in direction.  Most alumni would not dispute that we must build in accordance with our financial ability to fund.  However, if no one at Valpo knows where they are headed how can planning be implemented and followed? 

My posted request was not for changes to anything.  My request is for the development of a long range athletic facilities master plan that, over a 10-20 year span (with rolling updates and tweaks), provides and promotes to the university and its alumni rational boundaries and achievable targets for spending on collegiate athletic facilities.  This does three important things:

     1)  It keeps the athletic department and the university administration focused and on-message but at the same time looking ahead to the future.
     2)  It provides clearer targets of opportunity for potential donors that might not have been known except for individual appeals by staff like John Kuka.  It also more clearly identifies to donors the university's needs and priorities.
     3)  Putting it in writing is a form of commitment.

But getting back to the Montana State Athletic Facility Master Plan: 

It is phased.  It is spread over 20 years.  Each initiative is supported with a justification and ties back to the overall objectives.  And each initiative is sufficiently detailed enough, though still at a high level, for readers to envision what is being proposed over time.   Obviously missing is how MSU will pay for all of that.  But that is not the purpose of this Master Plan.  Its purpose is to strategically set the targets (the "whats").  The next step for MSU is to begin financial development planning to support each of the phased initiatives at a tactical level (the "hows").

Valpo did develop a campus-wide 30 Master Plan.  In it, we saw a 30-year-out campus map and a single sky-high artist conception of the entire campus that included for athletics....

    1) what looked to be an addition to the ARC on the north wall
    2) a field house/recreation building on the Porter property
    3) a soccer stadium on the Porter property
    4) additional  playing fields of some sort on the Porter property
    5) the baseball diamond moved to the main campus across from the ARC
    6) a walk that connects the ARC to the softball/tennis complex

In light of the above ideas, and in the absence of publicly shared documentation to the contrary, there appears to be an ongoing planning vacuum.  Where is the followup to the 30-year plan as a whole and where, in particular, is the expansion upon and additional information for the athletic department to do something like MSU but on a smaller scale, of course?  It makes me wonder how do the university's other departments, and the university as a whole, plan for near-term as well as long-term phyisical development?  I can't help but think that it is more along the lines of ad hoc rather than well coordinated.

[VU2014]

Initially I was really impressed with President Heckler & Board for spending the $ and making the conference switch. I was impressed that the Pres/Board were willing to pay the rumored $500K buyout fee, which we later learned there are circumstances on why VU thinks it shouldn't have to pay that buyout (we won't get into all that). I was really impressed and thought we "turned a corner" but turns out they never planned on spending that money anyways (which I completely understand the reasoning on why they didn't). After I heard the lawsuit I sort of returned to my thinking that this Board and Administration really isn't willing to invest in their chartered sport, which is also one of the Universities greatest marketing tools. People recognize Valparaiso outside the Midwest because of basketball.

I absolutely don't think it's unreasonable to fundraise off of the big conference switch. I actually think it's a missed opportunity. None of the $250 million as far as I know goes towards improving the ARC.

Yes we've had a minor upgrades like the new roof but I personally don't consider that an "upgrade". That's just doing your due diligence of maintaining the building. I'll give them credit on the locker-room improvements.

I'm going to quit while I'm ahead because I know this whole conversation is like beating a dead-horse for people. I'll just say that I'm not impressed with President Heckler and some of the board members commitment to elevating the Basketball program. I have faith in the Athletics Department but I'd like to see a larger commitment from the higher ups of the University. I'll just leave it at that.

[bbtds]

Initially I was really impressed with President Heckler & Board for spending the $ and making the conference switch. I was impressed that the Pres/Board were willing to pay the rumored $500K buyout fee, which we later learned there are circumstances on why VU thinks it shouldn't have to pay that buyout (we won't get into all that). I was really impressed and thought we "turned a corner" but turns out they never planned on spending that money anyways (which I completely understand the reasoning on why they didn't). After I heard the lawsuit I sort of returned to my thinking that this Board and Administration really isn't willing to invest in their chartered sport, which is also one of the Universities greatest marketing tools. People recognize Valparaiso outside the Midwest because of basketball.

I absolutely don't think it's unreasonable to fundraise off of the big conference switch. I actually think it's a missed opportunity. None of the $250 million as far as I know goes towards improving the ARC.

Yes we've had a minor upgrades like the new roof but I personally don't consider that an "upgrade". That's just doing your due diligence of maintaining the building. I'll give them credit on the locker-room improvements.

I'm going to quit while I'm ahead because I know this whole conversation is like beating a dead-horse for people. I'll just say that I'm not impressed with President Heckler and some of the board members commitment to elevating the Basketball program. I have faith in the Athletics Department but I'd like to see a larger commitment from the higher ups of the University. I'll just leave it at that.

VALPO ATHLETIC FACILITIES UPGRADES DISCUSSION


"It's okay. I've been dead for a long time and if you continue to beat me I don't feel it anymore."

[VULB#62]

bbtds, great image 

[VULB#62]

HOWEVER...  Here is another example of long range strategic planning with respect to athletic facilities development and, in this case, also following through. This time it is not a big state university like MSU.  It is a small, liberal arts institution in Maine, Colby College, with an enrollment of only 1,825.  There are no "revenue sports" at D-III Colby as admision to all athletic events is free to students and fans. Just saying, it is possible to put together an Athletic Facility Master Plan, maintain it and appropriately follow through on it regardless of the size of the institution.  The key ingredient:  a determination to do so.

They currently have the Alfond Athletic Complex that is comprised of Wadsworth field house with a 220 yard indoor track and indoor tennis courts, a 25 yard by 25 meter natatorium, basketball courts, hockey arena, workout facilities for the entire campus as well as their student athletes, and other athletic ammenities -- like squash courts, rowing tank, etc.  It is a complex that, with the exception of the 5,000 seat arena in the ARC, is head and shoulders ahead of Valpo.

Yet, by 2020 they will have sunk $200 million into a brand new 350,000 square foot Colby Athletic Complex that replaces all of that with similar but uograded and expanded state-of-the-art facilites (like a 50 meter pool).  The project will also involve creating new athletic fields (actually those opened this fall) as the new center will be constructed on the present location of their old soccer practice and game pitches and the artificial turf field hockey field. The new fields were built nearby their existing lighted, artifical turf baseball and softball diamonds (it's Maine, so having them playable in the early spring is important to them).

Here is the Athletic Complex page link:

http://www.colby.edu/cac/

Here is a news article that quotes the Colby President on the forward thinking rationale for this project:

http://www.centralmaine.com/2017/04/26/colby-to-build-200-million-athletic-center/

Yes, bbtds, the horse is dead and the beatings are painless to it.  But, to me, there should at least be a well done, documented Athletic Facilities Master Plan on record that fits and articulates the university's needs and requirements. I would even argue that had such a master plan existed back in 2013, Valpo might even have gotten the MVC bid for a Chicagoland member instead of Loyola.  In the absence of that kind of master plan, these discussions will inevitably continue ad nauseum.

[FWalum]

HOWEVER...  Here is another example of long range strategic planning with respect to athletic facilities development and, in this case, also following through. This time it is not a big state university like MSU.  It is a small, liberal arts institution in Maine, Colby College, with an enrollment of only 1,825.  There are no "revenue sports" at D-III Colby as admision to all athletic events is free to students and fans. Just saying, it is possible to put together an Athletic Facility Master Plan, maintain it and appropriately follow through on it regardless of the size of the institution.  The key ingredient:  a determination to do so.

They currently have the Alfond Athletic Complex that is comprised of Wadsworth field house with a 220 yard indoor track and indoor tennis courts, a 25 yard by 25 meter natatorium, basketball courts, hockey arena, workout facilities for the entire campus as well as their student athletes, and other athletic ammenities -- like squash courts, rowing tank, etc.  It is a complex that, with the exception of the 5,000 seat arena in the ARC, is head and shoulders ahead of Valpo.

Yet, by 2020 they will have sunk $200 million into a brand new 350,000 square foot Colby Athletic Complex that replaces all of that with similar but uograded and expanded state-of-the-art facilites (like a 50 meter pool).  The project will also involve creating new athletic fields (actually those opened this fall) as the new center will be constructed on the present location of their old soccer practice and game pitches and the artificial turf field hockey field. The new fields were built nearby their existing lighted, artifical turf baseball and softball diamonds (it's Maine, so having them playable in the early spring is important to them).

Here is the Athletic Complex page link:

http://www.colby.edu/cac/

Here is a news article that quotes the Colby President on the forward thinking rationale for this project:

http://www.centralmaine.com/2017/04/26/colby-to-build-200-million-athletic-center/

Yes, bbtds, the horse is dead and the beatings are painless to it.  But, to me, there should at least be a well done, documented Athletic Facilities Master Plan on record that fits and articulates the university's needs and requirements. I would even argue that had such a master plan existed back in 2013, Valpo might even have gotten the MVC bid for a Chicagoland member instead of Loyola.  In the absence of that kind of master plan, these discussions will inevitably continue ad nauseum.

While I certainly agree with VULB#62 that proper planning is extremely important and something about which VU has not been forthcoming and proactive.  I thought I would point out that little 1,825 enrollment Colby College has an endowment of at least 710 million dollars. I think that this allows them to prioritize a little differently than VU.  However, without a well PUBLICIZED and conceived plan, I don't know how you can expect to have interest in making the future vision become a reality.

[valpopal]

VULB#62 wrote: "Master Planning, in my opinion, is sort of an art and a good master plan needs good visuals to communicate not only what will be done but how it will look." I agree. Now that Valpo is in the MVC and reunited with Loyola, VU should use the renovation of Loyola's Gentile Center, which is about the same size as the ARC, as a model. When Loyola renovated the Gentile Center six years ago, a number of folks on this board suggested Valpo promote plans to move in the same direction. Had the university displayed a potential plan for such renovation of the ARC at that time and begun fundraising, I believe the past six years could have been productive and fans would have something of substance to look forward with excitement. One of the mottos fans are sometimes encouraged to follow is "Be Bold, Wear Gold"; unfortunately, "bold" is hardly the word that comes to mind when I think of the VU administration.

[VU2014]

One of the mottos fans are sometimes encouraged to follow is "Be Bold, Wear Gold"; unfortunately, "bold" is hardly the word that comes to mind when I think of the VU administration.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

[bigmosmithfan1]

Very unfair.  Valpo is one year into a 250,000,000 fund drive to secure the endowment. We have raised 162,000,000 so far.  Does it make sense to announce a competing fund drive??  Ask St. Joes if endowment is important.

Valpo is in no danger of suffering St. Joe's fate. VU's endowment as of 2016 was $205M, roughly $30M more than Butler's endowment. In theory, VU could spend $100M to build a new arena and still have a larger endowment than Illinois State, a school five times Valpo's size.

Now, *of course* you wouldn't want to do that and it doesn't work like that in practice, but to argue that VU does not have the resources to do this, or that committing a dedicated capital campaign to the ARC concurrent with the already-successful general campaign would somehow jeopardize the university's current or future financial state doesn't hold water. There are numerous donors and audiences for an athletics capital campaign that wouldn't overlap with your general campaign, for starters (non-alums and fans in town, regional corporate supporters without alumni connections, etc.)

And I'll say it again -- given the demise of the Star Plaza Theater, the university should absolutely at least kick the tires again on the idea of a city-university partnership for a new arena, similar to what was discussed about ten years ago, then mothballed when the financial crisis occurred. There is a rare window of opportunity here for Valparaiso, which has become the dining hub of Northwest Indiana, to become its sports and entertainment hub as well. Even if the city shows no interest in reviving that plan, VU should strongly explore what a new arena could do not just for its athletics programs, but as a home for concerts, shows, regional conventions, etc. and the future economic development of the east Lincolnway corridor. There is going to be a hole in the NWI market come January of 2018, and a bold vision could capitalize on that it handsomely.

[VULB#62]

Interestingly, the news about the $200 million Colby Athletic Center project also, over and above that, allocated an additional $45 million to Colby-Community projects in downtown Waterville, ME as well.  Kind of a parallel to what you are suggesting.

[bigmosmithfan1]

Just for comparison's sake, here are some other private D-1 institutions in the Big East, A-10, MVC, WCC, HL, Summit and OVC along with a few other notables that have been discussed here (note these are 2016 figures, all have likely gone up due to market gains this year):

Robert Morris - $32M
ORU - $38M
Detroit - $45M
St. Bonaventure - $60M
LaSalle - $88M
Belmont - $108M
Portland - $140M
Xavier - $151M
St. Mary's - $165M
Butler - $175M
Gonzaga - $181M
Evansville - $189M
Drake - $198M
VALPO - $205M
Providence - $213M
St. Joseph's (PA) - $216M
Wichita State - $235M
Seton Hall - $243M
Duquesne - $256M
Bradley - $280M
U. of San Francisco - $300M
DePaul - $420M
Creighton - $448M
U. of San Diego - $450M
Dayton - $500M
Loyola - $535M (includes med center)
University of Denver - $607M
St. John's - $648M
Villanova - $685M
Davidson - $697M
Fordham - $721M
Santa Clara - $840M
St. Louis U. - $1.02 Billion (includes med center)
Georgetown - $1.48 B
George Washington - $1.57B (includes med center)
Richmond - $2.2B (includes med center)

(FWIW, all three private universities in the AAC - Tulsa, Tulane and SMU are all $1B or higher in endowments. Every P5 private school has an endowment of $1.2B or larger -- most much larger -- with the exception of University of Miami at $850M)