There are 3 Big Ten schools in the top ten,UM,Minn,IU.We have one natl champ at 1500 meters.Is it worth it to try to upgrade?I lifegaurded at the Nat/outdoor pool and it's a dump.
A Penn State AD question on swimming.
- Thread starter loosey goosey
- Start date
Spend what, $30 million (?) on a building for a non revenue sport that nobody cares about, nobody attends and is a huge money sink for the university? Sounds like the psu way.
So you think it'd only be used for varsity swimming? A new aquatic center may be one of the top revenue sources for any sports venue outside of that sport's season.
I kind of view it as an expensive IM building.Its understandable Sandy coming from Burkley and used to having her minions managing nice pools.
How much money does Beaver Stadium make outside of football season? Soccer field? Lacrosse? Field hockey? Basically nothing.
Football makes millions during the season. Soccer, lacrosse require minimal upkeep. Pegula makes money, it’s in use 14 hours a day. Swimming loses money in season and out of season. Big time.
A modern aquatic center would get similar usage to Pegula.
Beaver Stadium makes enough during the football season to justify it's cost. The cost of other facilities you cited combined don't come close to what it would cost to build an aquatics center of the magnitude presented by Barbour two years ago. Thirty mil ain't gettin' that one done.
But the nat is used all year for classes. Its more a classroom than a competition center. Plus was a treat place to swim for a workout when it too cold and snowy to run.
Can't believe you're making that comparison.
I wouldn't stop at swimming and diving. They should cut 10 sports, tomorrow. At the very least, Baseball, softball, tennis, gymnastics, swimming/diving. Save the money we're throwing away, save the tens of millions to build new facilities.
No idea of the extent that Pegula is used in the off season. If you look at the conceptual drawings presented two years ago, the aquatics facility has two pools: a 50mm competition pool and a 25 yard lap pool. Which one gets used by the public? Which one accounts for most of the cost, by a huge margin?
How much do you know about swimming and these facilities?? VERY short-sighted in my opinion. My 3 kids have been in competitive swimming for the past 16+ years. Our Aquatic center
is used 360+ days per year. Getting lane space is VERY hard because it is in very high demand! You have dues for the local swim clubs, daily swim lessons (you know how much $$ that generates?), hospitals pay to use for rehab and treatment, local
divers use it to get certified, you have Masters Swim programs, athletes training for triathlons, local residents pay to do lap swimming and recreational swimming, our facility hosts swim meets and water polo meets all year round
that charge admission fees. A facility at Penn State would likely draw high school state championship meets, and big regional meets for swim clubs that are also big money makers. When you host a 3-4 day weekend meet with over 1,000 swimmers and their families there is lots of revenue to be made by hotels and restaurants too. In a cold climate like central PA I think a state of the art aquatic center would draw a lot of interest and if run the right way would definitely pay for itself.
The facility Barbour is contemplating is 130,000 square feet. Do you have any idea how much that will cost to build?
Not to mention all the parking fees they can get from parking all those people out at the grange fair and bussing them in!
Don't believe that it's a given that the new facility will be where McCoy is. It's also unlikely that this facility will pay for itself unless Barbour gets major, emphasis on major, donors to pony up.
It's been two years. During her presentation two years ago, Barbour announced that either ground would be broken or final plans made in 2018 on some of the projects teed up for Phase I. You've heard what I've heard.
Again, do you have any idea how much it would cost to build an aquatics center per the spec presented?
I know Maryland built theirs and two years later they had to drop varsity swimming.They were desperate to join the Big Ten.
Speaking of the light bill, how does that work? All the buildings and usually on some level the stadiums and arenas are lit up like a Kiss concert most of the time, to say nothing of the other buildings. When nothing is going on. Always wondered how the electric bill gets paid on campus. Is it by use or is it a flat fee? Has to be a biggie.
I'm happy for your kids.
I don't know anything about swimming as a sport. So what? There is no reason to build a pool on the scale proposed. What will this cost, $40 or $50 million? Service on the debt? All of you people who want these things are always alluding to these "big donors". They don't exist. If we're spending that kind of money, build a dedicated basketball arena.
Go get some investors and build it yourself, if it's so profitable.
Spot on. These facilities are more than just for PSU athletics. The new way is to also generate revenue outside of Penn State competition. There is youth, PIAA, NCAA, adult local, state, regional, national, and even international opportunities. This region is absolutely ripe to host so much more than just PSU athletics
so some think the answer is to shut every sport down but football, men's bball, wrestling, hockey and women's V-ball. cut the rest as they make no money.
a quality swimming venue would eventually pay itself off over time. PA and surrounding states have a lot of swimming and right now none of the big meets are held in state college because natatorium is not big enough. so you put in something decent and that place is booked with events probably 40-50% of all weekends. what you need to do is somehow get the local hotels and restaraunts, etc....to chip in some coin as they are the ones that will majorly benefit. Can only rent out the pool space for so much money. but talking about hundreds of hotel room stays a couple dozen weekends per year and all the restaraunt time for those people. So somehow it has to be looked at a business and community development project as that is what it is.
a quality swimming venue would eventually pay itself off over time. PA and surrounding states have a lot of swimming and right now none of the big meets are held in state college because natatorium is not big enough. so you put in something decent and that place is booked with events probably 40-50% of all weekends. what you need to do is somehow get the local hotels and restaraunts, etc....to chip in some coin as they are the ones that will majorly benefit. Can only rent out the pool space for so much money. but talking about hundreds of hotel room stays a couple dozen weekends per year and all the restaraunt time for those people. So somehow it has to be looked at a business and community development project as that is what it is.
Getting local businesses to chip in for a natatorium will ALMOST have a chance at happening.
Someone asked about the light bill earlier. Maybe PSU can retrofit existing buildings with solar panels/wind power to be green. Adding that to the master plan would only add another $75-100 million....and then they can say “We Are....Green!”
Someone asked about the light bill earlier. Maybe PSU can retrofit existing buildings with solar panels/wind power to be green. Adding that to the master plan would only add another $75-100 million....and then they can say “We Are....Green!”
Are you referring to the same public access restrictions which don’t apply to Pegula?
Pegula Ice Arena Public Sessions
Pegula Ice Arena offers public skating sessions throughout the week! Public skating sessions are open to all ages and all skill levels. Figure or hockey skates may be worn and both are available for rent. The schedule for public skating times can be found here.
Public Skate Rates
Adults: $8.00
Youth 18 & Under $7.00
Senior Citizens 65 & Older: $7.00
PSU Student w/ ID $6.00
90 Minute Session $5.00
Skate Rentals $3.00
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I loved swimming at the Nat when I was at PSU, of course that was 50 years ago. I am sure a new facility would be a benefit to the campus and community. I still swim a half mile and do intervals after. Swimming is something you can do no matter how old you get and without a doubt is the best activity for your heart. Klaus Obermeyer who recently turned 99 said his secret to longevity is swimming his half mile per day. A new facility would continue to keep students and the community involved in a life long sport that is highly beneficial to one’s health and that they can do forever. I am sure the right new venue could also generate profits and pay for itself, if done right.
Yeah, like there are no other facilities that will compete. I have no doubt that what PSU will build will be bigger and better. It will also be the most expensive to rent. Most of the local, regional, state organizations you mention are small with limited financial means. Unlikely that they will change venues if the cost to them is significantly higher.
PSU could expect to host Big Ten championships on a 6-8 year rotation. NCAAs? Maybe every 10-15 years. Nationals and international? Never, or blue moon at best.
Getting local businesses to contribute to the construct cost is a great idea. It's been two plus years; where are they?
I don’t, so I dug out my trusty Means estimation reference. They cite $420/sq ft for general athletic construction. That puts us at $55MM to build the building.
There has to be a significant premium for two large pools vs a gym floor. Plus added water handling equipment and beefed up HVAC. I dunno, gotta be AT LEAST fifteen million.
So a rough estimate done by a dummy - this project is going to run $70MM easy. EASY.
We’re not building shiz for $30 mill. Whether or not the project is worthwhile ain’t my call, but if I am building a budget or a master plan, I prefer to start with inputs that reflect reality.
A facility could be built for a lot less that would allow PSU to attract state and local competitions, host conference championships, and provide recreational and instructional opportunities. What was presented two years ago indicates national ambitions and those either aren't going to be fulfilled or will be so infrequent as to not justify the cost.
I've talked to a lot of our local HS swim coaches, and all of them wish for a variety of reasons, that the PIAAs were back at PSU.
Where are you guys getting the $30 million figure? About 5 yrs ago, those talking about a new facility were talking 12 million.
Where are you guys getting the $30 million figure? About 5 yrs ago, those talking about a new facility were talking 12 million.
I guarantee these new dorms, including my old ones, Sproul and McKean, are going to be palaces compared to the cubbies that we all lived in w/ no cable, wifi, or A/C.
'next question'.......who are you? An accountant in Old Main? I never said that the university has to construct a new facility......a sport like that would need a Pegula-esque benefactor and that ain't gonna happen.
