NCAA
Louisville Cardinals

2x Champions:
1980, 1986

Here are some pics of the Arena they will build in Louisville,Ky:
http://www.arenaauthority.com/images/laa1.jpg
http://www.arenaauthority.com/images/laa2.jpg
http://www.arenaauthority.com/images/laa3.jpg
http://www.arenaauthority.com/images/laa4.jpg
http://www.arenaauthority.com/images/laa5.jpg
http://www.arenaauthority.com/images/laa6.jpg

Construction will start summer 08 and it will open fall 10.

You can find the blueprints on http://www.arenaauthority.com


The arena hasn't been named yet, but I am praying it will not be the KFC Bucket :bash:

Here are some pics of the Arena they will build in Louisville,Ky:
http://www.arenaauthority.com/images/laa2.jpg

Construction will start summer 08 and it will open fall 10.

That curved glass window looks close to the facade of the Kop end at the New Anfield proposal doesn't it.

http://i30.tinypic.com/ibyxsp.jpg

Pics of the interior would be nice, I don't give a darn what the outside looks like.

Oh wow. From the outside, this arena looks better than many NBA arenas. The general development in the surrounding area looks nice too.

beautiful!!

That curved glass window looks close to the facade of the Kop end at the New Anfield proposal doesn't it.


Yeah, was thinking the same.

The outside looks quite nice. No pics of the interior available?

Yeah, was thinking the same.

The outside looks quite nice. No pics of the interior available?


same for me

download the pdf
22.000 is for Basketball!!!!!!!

All that for a college team?

is Louisville trying to get an NBA team out of this as well?

who is the Architect?

PDF is here:

http://www.arenaauthority.com/docs/Seating%20and%20Sight%20Lines%20at%20the%20Louisville%20Arena.pdf

wow..i love the exterior design!

interior looks to be a pretty standard bowl..with 2 levels of suites stacked on top of eachother separating the lower bowl from the upper bowl. Nothing groundbreaking there.

The original concept looked alot better, but it's a small site for a big arena, I'm still a little suprised they didn't go for a 24,000 seater to dethrone Kentucky for who has the biggest.

is Louisville trying to get an NBA team out of this as well?

who is the Architect?

I know Louisville thinks they deserve it over any other city, but they are kinda keeping to themselves about it. OKC, Anaheim, Las Vegas, K.C. are the top contenders for an NBA team. But plenty of Louisvile residents think they deserve a team over any of those cities. Trust me, i've heard it enough on ESPN boards. Whether they deserve a team or not I don't know.

Louisville fans DO NOT want an NBA team, make no mistake. There may be some wealthy parties there with delusions of granduer hoping to land one, but otherwise this is a unique set-up wherein the community would rather keep their beloved Cardinal college team in the spotlight. And unless I'm mistaken, the college has secured first rights for scheduling in the facility in perpetuity. Meaning? Meaning any NBA team would have to play second fiddle to the Cardinals in picking dates and times for games, which is all the more crucial given any time lag to change the floor over as the main court will be decorated all-over with Cardinal logos, etc.

Louisville is a large enough metro area that the arena will be busy with concerts, minor league hockey, minor league indoor football (redundant, I know ;)) and other events. But the metro area is not so big that they're prepared to look beyond the college, and for this school and in this state basketball is king. With rivalries against Kentucky, Cincinatti and formerly Memphis, and now as a part of the Big East, it stands to reason they're moving from the regulalry filled Freedom Hall (~18k) into posh new grounds.

IIRC, the interior has a unique design wherein the conversion to hockey would have the arena off-center, such that one end would tuck in nicely with the existing bowl of seats and the other would cut into the seating. ie: The front row at that end would be the elavated row 10 (or thereabouts) up above the normal board hieght. If I can find some pics I'll dig em out.

Anyone who knows me knows I loathe this fan base, but I give them credit where due and their devotion for the school is noteworthy. It helps that a majority of the students are from the metro area, and most alumni live in the metro area. But hats off to them taking advantage of what they've got, and right now what they've got is a rabid fan base and one of the most successful college programs of all time.

Personally I'd love to see pro-ball come to Louisville. It might hurt the college team a little. :lol: :)

NBA/NHL arena for a college basketball team.......... Guess that's Cahn-Tuck-ee for ya...

The design for the hockey seating arrangement is not unique. It is the same as the set-up for hockey in Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. I understand the people involved in planning for the stadium visited Conseco along with other places as they were trying to decide how they wanted the new arena to be set up.

To NYRmetros: That's just being obnoxious. I'm not from Kentucky - but there is nothing wrong with building a 22,000 seat arena for a college basketball team - especially if you are filling it every game and you have a fantastic basketball tradition with two NCAA championships! There are several 20,000 + seat college only basketball arenas all over the place - in Knoxville, TN for Univ. of Tennessee, in Lexington, KY for Univ. of Kentucky, in Chapel Hill, NC for UNC Tarheels, In Syracuse, NY for the Syracuse Orange. You're just being rude and that's about it.

To NYRmetros: That's just being obnoxious. I'm not from Kentucky - but there is nothing wrong with building a 22,000 seat arena for a college basketball team - especially if you are filling it every game and you have a fantastic basketball tradition with two NCAA championships! There are several 20,000 + seat college only basketball arenas all over the place - in Knoxville, TN for Univ. of Tennessee, in Lexington, KY for Univ. of Kentucky, in Chapel Hill, NC for UNC Tarheels, In Syracuse, NY for the Syracuse Orange. You're just being rude and that's about it.

I wasn't being obnoxios. I was just saying Kentucky the way Hawkeye said it in the movie Last of the Mohicans. Go check it out. :)

To NYRmetros: That's just being obnoxious. I'm not from Kentucky - but there is nothing wrong with building a 22,000 seat arena for a college basketball team - especially if you are filling it every game and you have a fantastic basketball tradition with two NCAA championships! There are several 20,000 + seat college only basketball arenas all over the place - in Knoxville, TN for Univ. of Tennessee, in Lexington, KY for Univ. of Kentucky, in Chapel Hill, NC for UNC Tarheels, In Syracuse, NY for the Syracuse Orange. You're just being rude and that's about it.

1 minor point - Don't the Syracuse O-Men bball team play in the Carrier Dome football stadium? I wonder if the Syracuse hockey team plays in the arena that the Syracuse crunch play in.

I wasn't being obnoxios. I was just saying Kentucky the way Hawkeye said it in the movie Last of the Mohicans. Go check it out.

:lol:

It looks nice and big

If you're going to build your stadium just for basketball, don't insult hockey by trying to jam a rink in there. It looks ridiculous. I prefer that travesty in KC with their center-facing seats to this Key Arena configuration.

I wasn't being obnoxios. I was just saying Kentucky the way Hawkeye said it in the movie Last of the Mohicans. Go check it out. :)

Duncan: There is a war on. How is it you are headed west?
Hawkeye: Well, we kinda face to the north and real subtle-like turn left.

:lol:


To the topic, I think it's a beautiful arena. I would kill if OU could have anything close to that for basketball. We do have one of the best practice facilities in the country, but the arena itself is a 70's multi-purpose....

Awesome arena! Best college bb arena in the world??

If you're going to build your stadium just for basketball, don't insult hockey by trying to jam a rink in there. It looks ridiculous. I prefer that travesty in KC with their center-facing seats to this Key Arena configuration.I'm afraid I can't go that far. This arena was designed with several uses in mind but basketball first and foremost, stage performances second. They've no delusions of joining the NHL, as such hockey is lower down the priority list. Could they have made accommodations like other facilities? Sure. BUT, that involved concessions to what they wanted for the higher priority uses. The resulting design should provide very ideal seating around the basketball court compared to conventional arena designs, and that's something very important to the likely 22,000 fans they'll get for about 20 nights a year when the Cardinals are playing.

You may feel that's an insult, but one man's treasure may well be another man's trash and there's nothing wrong with that. :)

Best college bb arena in the world??Best arena with a college team in it, but I'd stop short at calling it a college facility. This is downtown and while the team get priority it's also made to hold other events that will be outside the university's control.

Thanks to npmrsi
http://oxblue.com/pro/open/ksfb/louisvillearena

its u/c!!!!

This Arena is going to Make Lousiville a good basketball school, more players will want to play their with this nice of an Arena to call home. Its better then most NBA Arenas.

To NYRmetros: That's just being obnoxious. I'm not from Kentucky - but there is nothing wrong with building a 22,000 seat arena for a college basketball team - especially if you are filling it every game and you have a fantastic basketball tradition with two NCAA championships! There are several 20,000 + seat college only basketball arenas all over the place - in Knoxville, TN for Univ. of Tennessee, in Lexington, KY for Univ. of Kentucky, in Chapel Hill, NC for UNC Tarheels, In Syracuse, NY for the Syracuse Orange. You're just being rude and that's about it.
It's not that it's 20,000+, it's that it's gonna have 72 skyboxes, 62 loges, 4 party boxes and 3,000 club seats. Pretty sure Rupp, Thompson-Boling and the Dean Dome don't have that.

This Arena is going to Make Lousiville a good basketball school, more players will want to play their with this nice of an Arena to call home. Its better then most NBA Arenas.
U of L already is a good b-ball school.

Now they're just gonna be that much tougher to compete against for recruits, even for Memphis.

any construction photos?

Nice arena, but it seems like a little overkill for about 15 home basketball dates per year. Good luck selling 72 suites for college basketball in this economy. Agree about the hockey set up, I don't even understand why bothering with the ice plant in a set up like that. It's like hockey with a half-house arena setup.

It's good enough for minor league, thats been the trend all over the place. I wouldn't worry too much about them selling the suites, except its also got 3,000 club seats and all those loge boxes as well, so that is more than most NBA arenas. They will sell out all of the games they have as long as Pitino is coaching there.
My concern is that it is more of an NBA arena than a lot of NBA arenas. It doesn't really fit the typology of a college arena. Which is why I'm really more excited to see what Oregon puts forth with the Matthew Knight arena (12,500 seats, 2010), or Auburn does with their new facility (9,600 seats, 2010).
On the plus side they were good enough to keep the lower deck tight around the court and keep the students entirely in the lower level.

I wouldn't worry too much about them selling the suites, except its also got 3,000 club seats and all those loge boxes as well, so that is more than most NBA arenas. They will sell out all of the games they have as long as Pitino is coaching there.

FedExForum in Memphis has about 2,500 club seats, 60 suites and 80 loge boxes, yet Tigers games sell out with little trouble. People will pay to see a winner.

I agree, though, that this arena would be a waste without an NBA team. Bring back the Kentucky Colonels, maybe?

My concern is that it is more of an NBA arena than a lot of NBA arenas. It doesn't really fit the typology of a college arena. Which is why I'm really more excited to see what Oregon puts forth with the Matthew Knight arena (12,500 seats, 2010), or Auburn does with their new facility (9,600 seats, 2010).
On the plus side they were good enough to keep the lower deck tight around the court and keep the students entirely in the lower level.

You oughtta check out what Nebraska is planning to do:
wfWaMd-O6sE

More renderings, plans, etc. here (http://www.lincolntractionpartners.com/)

Very cool, Sort of a cross between the Conseco Fieldhouse and the John Paul Jones Arena at Virginia. The seating bowl looks suspiciously like the JPJ and my only real concern is the lower level looks kind of shallow.
I get the feeling that Oregon has the best project in the works at the moment, but $200 million should get a pretty spectacular 12,000 seat arena.
http://www.godunks.net/index.php

Very cool, Sort of a cross between the Conseco Fieldhouse and the John Paul Jones Arena at Virginia. The seating bowl looks suspiciously like the JPJ and my only real concern is the lower level looks kind of shallow.

:yes:

http://www.lincolntractionpartners.com/proposal/2.pdf
Our proposal for the New Haymarket Arena
features a multi-purpose arena capable of seating
13,000-16,000 patrons for basketball, including
600 club seats, 20 private suites and approximately
1,500 student seats. Modeled after Ellerbe Becket’s
award winning design for the University of Virginia’s
John Paul Jones Arena, the seating in the New Haymarket
Arena is configured in a “U-shape” to better
maximize seating for all events, while minimizing
seating loss typically found in more conventional
“Seating in the Round” designs.

We propose enclosing the seating “bowl” in a very
efficient structural barrel vault, which due to it’s
shape uses gravity to it’s advantage in transferring
structural loads to the ground and has been
employed in some of the worlds most famous
architecture since being invented by the Romans
over 2,000 years ago. We utilized a similar structural
approach when designing the award winning
Conseco Fieldhouse and realized a significant cost
savings over a more conventional roof structure. An
additional benefit of this barrel vault roof structure
is the high sidewall above the baseline seating; one
side of which we are proposing a hotel with views of
the court from select rooms; the other side of which
we are proposing a large expanse of glass both for
natural daylighting as well as views back to the city
skyline.


I get the feeling that Oregon has the best project in the works at the moment, but $200 million should get a pretty spectacular 12,000 seat arena.
http://www.godunks.net/index.php

:eek:

That looks even better than the initial design they introduced some time ago!

Phil Knight's pockets be SWOLL!

Upon further review the seating bowl IS the same as the JPJ with a slight change in the student section, but the rest of the plan looks great, and fairly original.

Upon further review the seating bowl IS the same as the JPJ with a slight change in the student section, but the rest of the plan looks great, and fairly original.

The west end will feature 70 hotel rooms overlooking the court, 40 of them having arena seating!
(great, now the visiting KU and Creighton fans will rent out the rooms to throw shit on the NU fans below)

If they ever get this built I'm reserving a room right away!

Upon further review the seating bowl IS the same as the JPJ with a slight change in the student section, but the rest of the plan looks great, and fairly original.

Many new college arenas have a horseshoe design including
Virgina(JPJ), Missouri, Missouri State, Xavier, Temple, Maryland

Too an extent those all have vague similarities, but these two are basically identacle; all the alcoves are in the same places, same number of rows, suites, similar pitch to the tiers. This one has a club behind the closed end, the student section does not extend around the side, and it is only one level. Otherwise the only difference is the color of the seats.

Maryland and Mizzou have a lot in common with each other, but nothing really to do with these. The JQH at Missouri State has a lot in common with the JPJ and this, but it is certainly distinct, not to mention much smaller. Cintas Center and and Temple are distinct enough, but this is copy and paste type of similarity.
I sure do love the exterior and hotel.

The JQH at Missouri State has a lot in common with the JPJ and this, but it is certainly distinct, not to mention much smaller.

both were designed by Ellerbe Becket

Many new college arenas have a horseshoe design including
Virgina(JPJ), Missouri, Missouri State, Xavier, Temple, Maryland

just because two arenas are in a horseshoe shape doesnt mean they are anything alike. Im pretty sure Nebraska's arena was directly inspired by UVA

both were designed by Ellerbe Becket

Yeah but so was the Time Warner arena, and the BankAtlantic Center and about 50 other D-1 and pro arena. They certainly didn't put much time into designing a new bowl here, they did a great job with the rest of the development. The JQH is smaller, and the bowl is quite different, the upper deck has a smaller end section, sort of grand corner entrance, very mall corner sections toward the student section ect.

just because two arenas are in a horseshoe shape doesnt mean they are anything alike. Im pretty sure Nebraska's arena was directly inspired by UVA

:yes:

Even said so in their own PDFs.

It's basically Conseco on the outside, JPJ on the inside.

Too bad the public vote on the place was voted off the May ballot two days ago. :(

Yeah but so was the Time Warner arena, and the BankAtlantic Center and about 50 other D-1 and pro arena. They certainly didn't put much time into designing a new bowl here, they did a great job with the rest of the development. The JQH is smaller, and the bowl is quite different, the upper deck has a smaller end section, sort of grand corner entrance, very mall corner sections toward the student section ect.

EB also did FedExForum which opened a year earlier, and the two seating bowls look very similar.

http://www.seats3d.com/nba/memphis_grizzlies/fedex_forum/
http://www.seats3d.com/nba/charlotte_bobcats/

In the PDF for the West Haymarket project, they said that the reason they stuck with the JPJ design is because the horseshoe bowl maintains an intimate setting for basketball events while minimizing the seat loss for endstage and hockey events you see in basketball-first arenas like Memphis, Charlotte and Indianapolis.

The "Maintains intimate seating for basketball" is bs, but it does make for a muck better convert venue, and acceptable for hockey with out going to a hockey layout. But if basketball is the main event, then something tight around the court with relatively steep stands is ideal, like what Oregon is doing, strictly from the basketball point of view.

All Pics from BrokenSidewalk.com
http://brokensidewalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/arena_tall_16-500x269.jpg
http://brokensidewalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/arena_tall_19-500x207.jpg
http://brokensidewalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/arena_tall_08-500x338.jpg
http://brokensidewalk.com/2009/08/19/arena-mayhem-this-things-getting-tall-edition/#
http://brokensidewalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/arena_roof_01-500x375.jpg
http://brokensidewalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/arena_roof_03-500x375.jpg
http://brokensidewalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/arena_roof_02-500x666.jpg

All Pics from BrokenSidewalk.com
http://brokensidewalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/arena_tall_08-500x338.jpg


Wow, this arena is looking immense!

construction cam: http://oxblue.com/pro/open/ksfb/louisvillearena

More pics from broken sidewalk.

http://brokensidewalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/arena_wiser_01-500x375.jpg

http://brokensidewalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/arena_dec_16-500x375.jpg

http://brokensidewalk.com/2009/12/21/arena-mayhem/#

3D SEAT VIEWS WOOHOO!!!!!

http://www.seats3d.com/ncaa/university_louisville/mens_basketball/

^^

Awesome ive been waiting for that. Thanks.

You know, after looking at the seat viewer, im not sure how much i like this place anymore. Yeah, we all knew that this place wouldnt have the charm that Freedom Hall has, but this new place is just BIG. I mean, the seats up top look pretty damn far from the court. Ive had the pleasure of seeing a game at freedom hall a few years ago and I sat up top, literally in the back row. It was still like I was right on top of the court my seats were so close. Its a shame that in the future that experience wont be around anymore.

yeah.
a 3 tier version wpuld have been better.

Did they change the seat confihuration? I thought they were to have one end of the bowl permanent, such that a hockey rink would be off-center, as it were. I kind of liked that "hoops-first" approach, even though I loathe this fan base.

You know, after looking at the seat viewer, im not sure how much i like this place anymore. Yeah, we all knew that this place wouldnt have the charm that Freedom Hall has, but this new place is just BIG. I mean, the seats up top look pretty damn far from the court. Ive had the pleasure of seeing a game at freedom hall a few years ago and I sat up top, literally in the back row. It was still like I was right on top of the court my seats were so close. Its a shame that in the future that experience wont be around anymore.
It all comes down to U of L penis envy and wanting something bigger, badder, bolder and better than UK.

Trouble is, Rupp still seats more fans and they're now discussing a larger, privately-financed replacement.

Did they change the seat confihuration? I thought they were to have one end of the bowl permanent, such that a hockey rink would be off-center, as it were. I kind of liked that "hoops-first" approach, even though I loathe this fan base.
This has always been the seating bowl configuration.

It may be rounded-off but it's still centered around the basketball court.

I saw a PDF somewhere showing the arena in hockey configuration...don't remember where, though.

This has always been the seating bowl configuration.

It may be rounded-off but it's still centered around the basketball court.

I saw a PDF somewhere showing the arena in hockey configuration...don't remember where, though.
http://www.arenaauthority.com/docs/Seating%20and%20Sight%20Lines%20at%20the%20Louisville%20Arena.pdf

http://uofl.info/files/louisville-Arena-Interior.JPG

Somewhat off-topic...but yesterday the University of Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team closed out their 45-year-long residence at Freedom Hall with a 78-68 victory over the Syracuse University Orange(men).

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/FreedomHallStateFair.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4412181174_24c102b5b2.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4002/4412675910_53f6781782.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2786/4411888979_942513acf3.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2717/4412681814_3cc979d555.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2711/4412200826_e08cccc2da.jpg

Will be the best college arena when it's completed.

I'll take Oregon's new arena over this one any day of the week, at least from a fans perspective. But this will be bigger and flashier than most anything in the college (not to mention the pro) ranks.

And for the sake of taking a gameday experience a number of the classics are hard to beat (Allen Fieldhouse, Cameron Indoor, the Palestra, Williams Arena ect)

I'll take Oergon's new arena over this one any day of the week, atleast from a fans perspective. But this will be bigger and flashier than most anything in the college (not to mention pro) ranks.
A lot of UK fans in the 'Ville (which are more numerous than UL fans) are pissed that the lease gives UL top scheduling priority (which means they likely won't allow an NBA team to take up residence), especially since they didn't contribute a dime towards the project.

MOre than understandable, although apparently has a 28,000ish seat arena on the drawing boards, so all that my change in fairly short order.

I have no idea why it hasn't been reported here yet, but the arena was officially named the KFC Yum! Center over a month ago.

http://www.whas.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=283307&article=7012698

Yum! Brands Gets Arena Naming Rights

$13.5 million deal
Monday, April 19, 2010
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A fast food giant is putting its name on Louisville's new downtown arena.

Yum! Brands will pay $13.5 million over 10 years for the arena naming rights.

They'll call it KFC Yum! Center.

The deal allows Yum! to put its logo on the outside of the arena. The Louisville-based company will also have a presence inside the building, selling its KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut products.

Arena Authority Chairman Jim Host originally had hoped to get a $40 million, 20-year deal when he began the search for a corporate sponsor. Host says Yum! was among four companies negotiating for the rights. Yum! was the only local company.

EDIT: the webcam has moved indoors

http://oxblue.com/archive/c7dd4b63b6030051472f4edd8b1aeb04/320x240.jpg

I have no idea why it hasn't been reported here yet, but the arena was officially named the KFC Yum! Center over a month ago.



:puke::puke::puke:

I have no problem with a standard corporate sponsored name, but I'm tired of companies with names that just dont work trying to slap their name on shit. The Kentucky Derby was bad enough, but now this? C'mon Yum!, just screw off will you?

relay It is great place to find any thing I like it most.......

:puke::puke::puke:

I have no problem with a standard corporate sponsored name, but I'm tired of companies with names that just dont work trying to slap their name on shit. The Kentucky Derby was bad enough, but now this? C'mon Yum!, just screw off will you?
I know, man...why couldn't they just stick with "KFC Arena" or the "Sanders Center" or something? Who the f--k cares whether they're owned by Yum! Brands or whatever?

Even if it sucks, the thread name should be changed, thanks.

The University of Louisville Cardinals Men's and Women's basketball program will be moving in to a HUGE new arena this fall. Yes, your eyes are not deciving you; the facility is called the "KFC Yum! Center!" :ohno: It is a behemoth of a facility, hosting 22,000 fans. I guess basketball is big in the state of Kentucky.

Here are some renderings I can find:

http://www.arenaauthority.com/images/KFCYumCenterExteriorAerial%20Thumb.gif
http://www.uoflarenaseats.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/arena-bowl-labeled1-1024x933.jpg

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=584168

:)

Some new pictures of the construction as it starts to wrap up

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs097.snc4/36204_408816578359_373588078359_4286377_4230080_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs182.snc4/37456_408816418359_373588078359_4286372_7856896_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs117.snc4/36204_408816588359_373588078359_4286379_7008052_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs057.ash2/36204_408816593359_373588078359_4286380_7258385_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs066.ash2/36650_408817243359_373588078359_4286395_1714794_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs015.snc4/34112_408817463359_373588078359_4286400_825383_n.jpg

The whole set can be viewed here (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=184214&id=373588078359).

YWAvezXf0_E
5Wb9B-UcGRQ

^^ "This is the third arena in the country to have loge boxes..."

http://www.netlore.ru/upload/files/19/1_102.jpg

^^ "This is the third arena in the country to have loge boxes..."

http://www.netlore.ru/upload/files/19/1_102.jpg

I wonder if that guy has ever been to another basketball arena? He said about 3 times that it was "the first arena in the country to have" such and such when I could name about 5 others off the top of my head that have the same.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4910045563_bc88210847_b.jpg

YIwXuM8PL6k

Such an awful name for such a nice arena. Looking forward to seeing Butler spoil the first game there!

Taken yesterday :D

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4111/5061778977_6307cb6616_b_d.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24003246@N07/

That ATM outside looks really out of place.

The arena is officially complete.

The Louisville Courier-Journal has released a full-page special complete with photos, videos, and interactive maps:
http://www.courier-journal.com/section/sports0203&template=sports0203_fullpage

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5085158825_3219c8626b_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4087/5085158815_321011598d_b.jpg

http://uoflcardgame.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/KFC-Yum-Center.png

They need to get an NBA team in there...

They need to get an NBA team in there...

Yes they do. The Grizzlies would be a prime candidate too. The arena has perfect sightlines for basketball too. It would be a no brainer:banana:

Yes they do. The Grizzlies would be a prime candidate too. The arena has perfect sightlines for basketball too. It would be a no brainer:banana:
No they do not. Just look at Memphis to see what would occur if a NBA team (say New Orleans) moved. Louisville is a city where college basketball is much more important to the residents. It, like Memphis, is a college basketball town and after the newness wears off, the college team will win out.

The club seating in this arena reaches all the way down to near the court level?
http://www.uoflarenaseats.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/arena-bowl-labeled1-1024x933.jpg

Yes, Jim. Just like HP Pavilion, AA Arena, and Oracle Arena, this facility has built clubs/bars underneath those seating areas, so yes, to access those areas they have given them a premium price. Please note how close a stair opening is to the floor.