Avery Johnson Wants to Improve Coleman Coliseum

JDCrimson

Hall of Fame
Feb 12, 2006
5,346
4,417
187
51
I heard the other day that the UofA had temporarily reached its bond limit. If so, this would likely delay the construction of a new arena for a couple of years since such a project of that magnitude would be financed with bonds underwritten by the university. Because of this I think we will likely see yet more extensive renovation to Coleman.
 

JDCrimson

Hall of Fame
Feb 12, 2006
5,346
4,417
187
51
It would be about as cheap to build a new one with the massive abatement of the asbestos. Since you'd have to destroy parts of the building and then build it back up, that would be a minimum of a 2 year job. Where would the team play in the mean time. You can't put another deck or luxury boxes in there, because the ceiling too low (and who would pay for boxes when you would be so far from the action). You could go down with the gym floor, but you'd lose the lower gym where the team practices. The seating configuration is the main problem you can't get the crazy atmosphere they have in other gyms. It is frankly a very poor design for basketball and when they remodeled during CMG tenure, it made it worse.
Easy answer, the BJCC would be an excellent temporary venue. In fact, I think Bama basketball ought to be playing more games in Bham to re-build fan support and help with recruiting. Of course, the UAB faction would squabble about that. The one thing I do remember that I thought CMG did that was a good idea is for a couple of years there he scheduled road games at UAH, USA, and Troy and a game or two against Samford. We really should go back to doing that on a home and home basis.
 

Rama Jama

All-American
Jan 4, 2011
3,303
240
82
Tuscaloosa
How OLD is Duke's Cameron Col. or whatever it's called?

I think it's much older than Coleman.
Apples to oranges comparison. Duke is the most successful team in collegiate basketball in the last 30 years. They'd show up if it was in a bathroom. In case you haven't noticed there is a arms race going on in facilities in almost every sport in the SEC. Sticking with the status quo means you are falling further behind.
 

CullmanTide

Hall of Fame
Jan 7, 2008
6,614
885
137
Cullman, Al
I would not spend another dime on Coleman without first looking at a new multi-purpose facility that would serve the University for decades to come. It would be primarily for basketball and gymnastics but could be used for so many other activities. It could even be large enough for a hockey rink. Of coarse it always comes down to money but why not look at all the possibilities?
 

rgw

Suspended
Sep 15, 2003
20,852
1,351
232
Tuscaloosa
We've already moved women's basketball and volleyball to a dedicated venue (Foster). Coleman is only used for gymnastics and men's basketball. Personally, I think gymnastics deserves their own venue built to handle their sport specifically instead of fitting into a multi-purpose venue that is a little big for being able to see multiple events at once in certain spots. Can't deny the recruiting advantage it would bring and the general "good feels" for showing a commitment to first-class venues for women's athletics (not that we don't already, just a reaffirmation for the public).

This would allow the AD to focus on renovations that would move Coleman from a multi-purpose arena to something specifically for basketball. Since you know the building will only host basketball, you can reconfigure the interior to be optimized for basketball. I think it is just something really cool for ALL the athletes we recruit across all sports knowing that the place they compete is just for them and not a timeshare. We've got that kind of money and might as well spend it on the athletes.
 

4Q Basket Case

FB|BB Moderator
Staff member
Nov 8, 2004
9,569
12,865
237
Tuscaloosa
I'd vote for larger seats, also meaning fewer of them. Do some luxury boxes where the booster club is. Move the club space up, and open some space in what is now the nosebleeds. Or put it at floor level on the end lines.

Obviously, none of that is without downside, and I'm just thinking on a keyboard. Unfortunately, the only real solution is a whole new facility.

If we do decide to go that route, I'd put it where the parking lot is now, with the parking lot moving to the current CC site. Kind of what the Braves did when they tore down the Atlanta-Fulton County monstrosity, and built Turner Field right next door.

Kind of messes up the Athletic Department entrance off Bryant Drive, but the alternative is two years in a temp facility.

As I'm writing this, I've about convinced myself that we just need to bite the bullet, demolish Coleman, and build a new facility where it is now. And yes, it's godamighty expensive to abate asbestos. But it's gotta be done some time, and I doubt it'll get any cheaper. And when we go through the next coaching search, hopefully at least 5-10 years from now, we'll have both a showplace and a much more stable program.
 
Last edited:

DocCrimson

All-SEC
Jan 3, 2010
1,731
128
82
East TN
I'd vote for larger seats, also meaning fewer of them. Do some luxury boxes where the booster club is. Move the club space up, and open some space in what is now the nosebleeds. Or put it at floor level on the end lines.

Obviously, none of that is without downside, and I'm just thinking on a keyboard. Unfortunately, the only real solution is a whole new facility.
That always ends badly. I've broken many a laptop trying it.
 

Ldlane

Hall of Fame
Nov 26, 2002
14,253
398
102
Maybe the "donors" should just understand that it's a basketball game and not church.
 

Rama Jama

All-American
Jan 4, 2011
3,303
240
82
Tuscaloosa
The way to make it work would be to partner with the city of Tuscaloosa and build a multipurpose facility that could be used for concerts, conventions and sporting events. The city wins and the university wins. If it were built, it would spur new growth and more jobs.

I thought I'd to answer a few questions posed earlier in the thread. You can't build in the current parking lot because the law school would never allow it. Athletics had asked them about that years ago and they refused. Many have said we should do major renovations to Coleman, but the problem is the actual structure of the building. The roof is too low to add another level of seats and you'd lose a significant number of seats. The idea that you could make Coleman into a more fan friendly environment is a good one, but logistically it would be very difficult.
 

CullmanTide

Hall of Fame
Jan 7, 2008
6,614
885
137
Cullman, Al
The way to make it work would be to partner with the city of Tuscaloosa and build a multipurpose facility that could be used for concerts, conventions and sporting events. The city wins and the university wins. If it were built, it would spur new growth and more jobs.

I thought I'd to answer a few questions posed earlier in the thread. You can't build in the current parking lot because the law school would never allow it. Athletics had asked them about that years ago and they refused. Many have said we should do major renovations to Coleman, but the problem is the actual structure of the building. The roof is too low to add another level of seats and you'd lose a significant number of seats. The idea that you could make Coleman into a more fan friendly environment is a good one, but logistically it would be very difficult.
Some kind of partnership would be mutually beneficial. Having a single purpose facility used 20 days out of the year makes little sense. Someone mentioned the Bryce property, that might be just crazy enough to work.:smile:
 

bama579

Hall of Fame
Jan 15, 2005
5,413
885
137
The Chukker or Archibalds
The way to make it work would be to partner with the city of Tuscaloosa and build a multipurpose facility that could be used for concerts, conventions and sporting events. The city wins and the university wins. If it were built, it would spur new growth and more jobs.

I thought I'd to answer a few questions posed earlier in the thread. You can't build in the current parking lot because the law school would never allow it. Athletics had asked them about that years ago and they refused. Many have said we should do major renovations to Coleman, but the problem is the actual structure of the building. The roof is too low to add another level of seats and you'd lose a significant number of seats. The idea that you could make Coleman into a more fan friendly environment is a good one, but logistically it would be very difficult.
The city recently partnered in the amphitheater, a very good concert facility from April to October. The time an indoor concert facility would not "poach" from it is close to when basketball seasons would be heating up.
 
Last edited:

Rama Jama

All-American
Jan 4, 2011
3,303
240
82
Tuscaloosa
The city recently partnered in the amphitheater, a very good concert facility from April to October. The time an indoor concert facility would not "poach" from it is close to when basketball seasons would be heating up.

You only have 2 games a week so they could share it easily. You can't really have many concerts in the wintertime since it is too cold and really part of the summer is too hot at the amp. Don't underestimate the conventions you could have in T-town either. We don't have the ability to host convention more than about 500 now. Tuscaloosa has enough hotel rooms to handle probably 10,000 or so. It could be a great economic engine for the local area.

Basketball would be the primary use for the facility though. Figure somewhere around 15 a seat at 12,500 capacity plus 3000 students for 20 games a year and you'd have about 4 million in base revenue plus tide pride fees and gymnastics, not to mention the SEC network revenue. Put 6 conventions or and 6 concerts a year and you'd have plenty enough to pay for a 150 million dollar facility. BTW, the bond limit for the university is changed all the time so that would not be an issue.
 

ptw1961

1st Team
Dec 8, 2011
793
0
0
Somebody should lessen the influence of the law school. They should not have the ability to stop that idea.
The way to make it work would be to partner with the city of Tuscaloosa and build a multipurpose facility that could be used for concerts, conventions and sporting events. The city wins and the university wins. If it were built, it would spur new growth and more jobs.

I thought I'd to answer a few questions posed earlier in the thread. You can't build in the current parking lot because the law school would never allow it. Athletics had asked them about that years ago and they refused. Many have said we should do major renovations to Coleman, but the problem is the actual structure of the building. The roof is too low to add another level of seats and you'd lose a significant number of seats. The idea that you could make Coleman into a more fan friendly environment is a good one, but logistically it would be very difficult.
 

Drifter

3rd Team
Mar 10, 2010
259
0
35
Correct me if I'm wrong.
I heard that Auburn Arena has a classroom or two in the building, and because it does (by design), you and I the taxpayers footed most of that bill.
 

Rama Jama

All-American
Jan 4, 2011
3,303
240
82
Tuscaloosa
Correct me if I'm wrong.
I heard that Auburn Arena has a classroom or two in the building, and because it does (by design), you and I the taxpayers footed most of that bill.
I would not be surprised. They are sneaky little ..... If their financing works the same way ours does, it would be under the capital improvement bonds the school itself issues and school pays. But remember that a large part of their annual funding comes from the state of Alabama coffers which in turn are you and I. I think athletic dept bonds fall under a different category which is funded directly from their derelict athletic dept budget. Remember they lost 14 million last year trying to keep up with the Alabama budget.. TIDE-HSV I am sure, understands the administration finances better than I do.

Our arena need not be built under such a veiled disguise. We likely would not be using taxpayer money to support our athletic department projects.
 

RTR91

Super Moderator
Nov 23, 2007
39,407
6
0
Prattville
You only have 2 games a week so they could share it easily. You can't really have many concerts in the wintertime since it is too cold and really part of the summer is too hot at the amp. Don't underestimate the conventions you could have in T-town either. We don't have the ability to host convention more than about 500 now. Tuscaloosa has enough hotel rooms to handle probably 10,000 or so. It could be a great economic engine for the local area.

Basketball would be the primary use for the facility though. Figure somewhere around 15 a seat at 12,500 capacity plus 3000 students for 20 games a year and you'd have about 4 million in base revenue plus tide pride fees and gymnastics, not to mention the SEC network revenue. Put 6 conventions or and 6 concerts a year and you'd have plenty enough to pay for a 150 million dollar facility. BTW, the bond limit for the university is changed all the time so that would not be an issue.
UA has various events on campus all the time, but a better facility would allow for more conventions for UA as well as Tuscaloosa.

A better facility would make Tuscaloosa a more appealing host for the SEC gymnastics championship.

Somebody should lessen the influence of the law school. They should not have the ability to stop that idea.
Justice John England, Joe Espy, and Vanessa Leonard got their JDs from UA. John Johns got his JD from Harvard. W. Davis Malone, III got his JD from Cumberland. Finis St. John got his JD from UVA. IOW, you have six attorneys on a 17 member board of trustees. You can pretty much forget someone lessening their influence.
 

wsims74

3rd Team
Apr 30, 2013
278
0
0
if it is not a new stadium, here are some renovation thoughts


In one of the corners of the stadium towards the top (where the seats are so crappy it is better to stay at home), create a deck with a restaurant, tables and a spot to stand and watch the game. Not one you have to have special tickets for either. Heck do it in two corners.
 

Rama Jama

All-American
Jan 4, 2011
3,303
240
82
Tuscaloosa
if it is not a new stadium, here are some renovation thoughts


In one of the corners of the stadium towards the top (where the seats are so crappy it is better to stay at home), create a deck with a restaurant, tables and a spot to stand and watch the game. Not one you have to have special tickets for either. Heck do it in two corners.
The problem is not having more amenities, it is the layout of the floor. It is too far from the seats to the floor. That is something that can't be fixed without lowering the floor 15 feet or so which eliminates the lower gym practice facility below the current floor at Coleman. I don't think it is impossible, but it would not be easy.

RTR91 is correct, you would have a difficult time getting the law school to move politically. I am guessing TIDE-HSV will attest to that as well. The law school operates almost as a separate entity from the university itself. The law school dean and administration tend to think they are their own little school that only sits on University property.
 
Last edited:

wsims74

3rd Team
Apr 30, 2013
278
0
0
as i said.. "IF not a new stadium"

The problem is not having more amenities, it is the layout of the floor. It is too far from the seats to the floor. That is something that can't be fixed without lowering the floor 15 feet or so which eliminates the lower gym practice facility below the current floor at Coleman. I don't think it is impossible, but it would not be easy.

RTR91 is correct, you would have a difficult time getting the law school to move politically. I am guessing TIDE-HSV will attest to that as well. The law school operates almost as a separate entity from the university itself. The law school dean and administration tend to think they are their own little school that only sits on University property.
 

New Posts

Latest threads

TideFans.shop : 2024 Madness!

TideFans.shop - Get YOUR Bama Gear HERE!”></a>
<br />

<!--/ END TideFans.shop & item link \-->
<p style= Purchases made through our TideFans.shop and Amazon.com links may result in a commission being paid to TideFans.